beware of Walmart online grocery substitutions

[AlongCameJones]

It's nice you can order groceries online to pick up in the parking lot at no extra charge. They will substitute something for something else or you can specify a substitution for something when you order. I ordered generic new york rye bread online the other day. When I picked up the groceries, they "were out of" this bread and I got a loaf of Pepperidge Farm brand for the same price. The ripoff is that the name brand bread was only 16 ounces (1 pound). My generic rye, whenever they have it, is 24 ounces. I did not realize I got less bread for my money until I got home. I even like the taste of my generic rye better. From now on, I will specify a substitution for bread when I shop online. I would have rather gotten a 24 ounce loaf of generic potato bread for $1.88 than 50% less rye bread which doesn't even taste as good as what I buy ordinarily.

Walmart Online Grocery ordering needs to be improved too. The ordering system should be connected closely with store inventory. WalMart should know exactly how many loaves of a specific bread (things of Aim toothpaste or cans of Campbell's tomato soup) are on the shelves in each and every one of their stores with this being the hi-tec 21st century and all. The Wal-Mart ordering page should be able to accurately indicate what is in stock and out of stock at your own hometown wally-world you designate as your pickup store. Wal-Mart is the single wealthiest business in the world. Their stock control system should not be so lame. With computers, any retailer worth its salt should know exactly what they have on hand at all times.

Walmart calls it "Pickup and Delivery" service. It has a big inventory management flaw in it however.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

If you want it done right, do it yourself.

 

[AlongCameJones]

Some people really need this curbside grocery pickup service: old people and disabled. I don't like the interior of my local Walmart store anyway. Trashy and that trashy "music" they play over the loudspeaker. I don't like standing in line and my current arthritis and heart condition inhibits my pushing a shopping cart around the store and standing for long. They are pretty fast wheeling your groceries to your car in the pickup lot though. Can't complain for lack of fast service. No more than 10 minute wait for pickup ever. You check in with your smartphone app when you arrive for pickup. On hot days I sit in my a/c car with the motor running until they come out.

You won't experience any mass shooters with curbside pickup to boot!

 

[rc508pir]

Actually, for the size of walmarts inventory, they're invontory is pretty much top notch. The problem is since COVID, they are not gettting and abundance of product like before. From the time you order to tthe time to pick up is when items go out of stock and you get a substitution.

An example of the problem is Gaviscon Liquid ant acid. THey had a recall and had to wait alonost a year for the FDAs approval of a Label change. They are still playing catchup on stock.

My favorite Bread is Natures Own Honey Oat. THey always had a low stock to begin with and is now dang near impossible to get unless you go in store and get it. With items that never seem to have a large stock always seems to sell out quick.

Wlamart has many deficiancies, but their Inventory system isnt one of them

 

[AlongCameJones]

Actually, for the size of walmarts inventory, they're invontory is pretty much top notch. The problem is since COVID, they are not gettting and abundance of product like before. From the time you order to tthe time to pick up is when items go out of stock and you get a substitution.

An example of the problem is Gaviscon Liquid ant acid. THey had a recall and had to wait alonost a year for the FDAs approval of a Label change. They are still playing catchup on stock.

My favorite Bread is Natures Own Honey Oat. THey always had a low stock to begin with and is now dang near impossible to get unless you go in store and get it. With items that never seem to have a large stock always seems to sell out quick.

Wlamart has many deficiancies, but their Inventory system isnt one of them

Their computer system should accurately convey to the online customer what they have in stock and how many of each when the customer orders on line. There should be no need for this substitution crap. Does my store have ten 10.75 ounce cans of Campbells' tomato soup on hand or 105 50 ounce cans when I order? Their computers need to be taught how to count. The problem is their online ordering system, maybe. That system should tie in directly with store inventories.

There should be no surprises when I pick up my stuff ever.

You tell me why the Wally-World online shopping app lets me a order a particular item only to find out the store was "out of it" when I show up to pick my groceries up. Sometimes the shopping app will actually indicate when something is "out of stock". This out-of-stock indicator not consistent with all items however. It lead me to believe my rye bread was in stock when it really wasn't. Why didn't the shopping app know my bread was out of stock? It seems like an internal corporate failure to accurately communicate. Doesn't the store hold merchandise for customers when they place the order so an instore customer doesn't end up grabbing the last loaf of bread you ordered online?

The problem is with their computers and/or software to relay accurate information to web/app-based shopping customers about what is in stock and what isn't.

The problem could also be shoplifting, often by store employeees. This will surely throw the inventory data out of whack. They may have "ran out of" my rye bread because somebody ripped it off just before I got to the store for pickup. Yes, a big rat ran off with my bread!!

 

[yukonjack]

It's nice you can order groceries online to pick up in the parking lot at no extra charge. They will substitute something for something else or you can specify a substitution for something when you order. I ordered generic new york rye bread online the other day. When I picked up the groceries, they "were out of" this bread and I got a loaf of Pepperidge Farm brand for the same price. The ripoff is that the name brand bread was only 16 ounces (1 pound). My generic rye, whenever they have it, is 24 ounces. I did not realize I got less bread for my money until I got home. I even like the taste of my generic rye better. From now on, I will specify a substitution for bread when I shop online. I would have rather gotten a 24 ounce loaf of generic potato bread for $1.88 than 50% less rye bread which doesn't even taste as good as what I buy ordinarily.

Walmart Online Grocery ordering needs to be improved too. The ordering system should be connected closely with store inventory. WalMart should know exactly how many loaves of a specific bread (things of Aim toothpaste or cans of Campbell's tomato soup) are on the shelves in each and every one of their stores with this being the hi-tec 21st century and all. The Wal-Mart ordering page should be able to accurately indicate what is in stock and out of stock at your own hometown wally-world you designate as your pickup store. Wal-Mart is the single wealthiest business in the world. Their stock control system should not be so lame. With computers, any retailer worth its salt should know exactly what they have on hand at all times.

Walmart calls it "Pickup and Delivery" service. It has a big inventory management flaw in it however.

WalMart can’t do it that way. While the system may know how much inventory it has on hand the online order pullers walk the same aisles as regular shoppers. If the shopper ahead of them pulls the last loaf of generic rye bread off of the shelf your order puller is out of luck. That’s just the human factor involved in all of it.

 

[SlugSlinger]

One thing I noticed doing the pick up is that the prices charged per item for pickup was higher than walking into the store myself. The item I noticed this on was peanut butter. It was about 25% for pick up. That was the last time I used pick up and was about 6 months ago.

 

[Aries]

I think you can specify no substitutions, right?

 

[Oklahomabassin]

When I am pulling items for my WalMarts online orders, I routinely grab the brand with the most inventory.

 

[BobbyV]

Their computer system should accurately convey to the online customer what they have in stock and how many of each when the customer orders on line. There should be no need for this substitution crap. Does my store have ten 10.75 ounce cans of Campbells' tomato soup on hand or 105 50 ounce cans when I order? Their computers need to be taught how to count. The problem is their online ordering system, maybe. That system should tie in directly with store inventories.

There should be no surprises when I pick up my stuff ever.

You tell me why the Wally-World online shopping app lets me a order a particular item only to find out the store was "out of it" when I show up to pick my groceries up. Sometimes the shopping app will actually indicate when something is "out of stock". This out-of-stock indicator not consistent with all items however. It lead me to believe my rye bread was in stock when it really wasn't. Why didn't the shopping app know my bread was out of stock? It seems like an internal corporate failure to accurately communicate. Doesn't the store hold merchandise for customers when they place the order so an instore customer doesn't end up grabbing the last loaf of bread you ordered online?

The problem is with their computers and/or software to relay accurate information to web/app-based shopping customers about what is in stock and what isn't.

The problem could also be shoplifting, often by store employeees. This will surely throw the inventory data out of whack. They may have "ran out of" my rye bread because somebody ripped it off just before I got to the store for pickup. Yes, a big rat ran off with my bread!!

Depends. Are the telling you the stock available in the store to everyone and not just online customers?

There is no way they can receive your order and then go grab everything you said you wanted before others in-store might get to it.