Bottles leaves this customer unfulfilled

Online shopping through Pick n Pay’s Bottles was a disaster, writes D Wolpert.

After months of nagging my wife to order bulk groceries online to limit Covid-19 exposure in supermarkets, she finally relented and we placed an order with Bottles on Monday.

After all, Bott les is associated with Pick n Pay where we regularly shop, so how wrong could we go? First mistake.

The order for R2 100 was immediately placed and paid via credit card. Bottles advised that delivery would take place the same day between 5pm and 6pm. At 4pm we received a message confirming the delivery time and that our order was being packed, and requesting that I remain close to my telephone for the next 10 minutes to substitute any out of stock items. So far so good. No call was received.

Then, 6pm came and went and the Bottles website still reflected the old delivery window.

An hour later it was altered to between 1am and 2am. True.

At 9.30pm the delivery arrived. The original R2 100 was amended to R1 400 and I was advised that the R700 refund would appear on my credit card within six days.

The reason for the change was the nonavailability of certain stock. Remember the communication about substitution? A number of the unavailable items could have been substituted. The fruit delivered was all overripe and inedible.

No explanation or apology was received for the disaster and poor service.

My wife and I were forced to go shopping the following day. We will not risk online shopping again. But Bottles is affi liated to Pick n Pay.