What a palaver Tesco.com

I’ve never come across a Tesco with a Pay Meter either – it is normally limted free parking (at least 90 minutes).

I use Tesco Direct all the time – brilliant collection service in store – far faster than Argos.

Argos is superb near me, fast track orders are ready in seconds. The staff always offer to carry larger items that won’t fit in my rucksack to the car for me, a BIG help. Closest Tesco is shocking at click and collect orders, takes an age to find them in the storeroom. The one about 10 minutes further away (early in the morning) is much more efficient.

My  Argos is now better that i can go Sainsburys to collect purchases. I used it before xmas and out of of 10 items 9 was ready to pick up automatically and one i had to wait an hour before pick up. As they had to have it sent from the local Argos.

I’m assuming as it was December they wad doing shuttle runs on the hour to keep up. Probably just one or two shuttle trips now. Ether way my nearest Argos is rhyl, but it had no parking, so id always opt for colwyn bay pick up, before Sainsbury’s started ‘click and collect.

With Screwfix even if you pay online and collect in store you need to verify the card by inputting your PIN. It’s a minor hassle to make sure you get what you paid for.

This article says –

Tesco have introduced the fee in an attempt to combat rogue town centre visitors parking without buying anything.

Previously, people could park at the Tesco Extra in the centre of Walsall for two hours for free

Now, people will have to spend £5 and obtain a voucher which they will then have to validate at a parking machine in order to leave without being fined, although it will not apply to anyone staying for less than half an hour.

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-news/2016/10/19/drivers-now-have-to-spend-5-to-get-free-parking-at-tesco-in-walsall/

The store is one of nine in the country which is getting the new technology.

The “less than half an hour” I would assume, would cover your “Direct click and collect” Collection ?

If we need to do our 3 weekly ‘Big Shop’ we can either go to Morrisons at Laceby (near Cleethorpes) or Tesco Cleethorpes, which is a misnomer as it is actually in Humberstone, nearer to Grimsby. There is little to choose on distance: Humberstone is less in distance, Laceby is a country drive and is much quicker on time, due to less traffic. We prefer Morrisons: what we buy from there is always cheaper in total and they have several items that Tesco do not stock, including Cross & Blackwell beef & chunky vegetable and pea & hamhock soups, which totally outclass any Heinz soups.

Tip here for a tasty soup snack for one: take one of those small Heinz tins of tomato soup, grate some mature cheddar, start heating the soup in a pan until it gets warm, then gradually add the cheese, stirring it in until hot. If you like Pizza or cheese & tomato, you will love it. The soup has to be just hot enough to melt the cheese.

There is no charge at either superstore for parking. I have ordered from Tesco Direct before and usually collected personally, but have had a few items delivered. Screwfix and Argos, we use a lot as a family.  The Louth Argos is small, but items can be delivered next day from Grimsby or Lincoln stores. Both Argos and Screwfix have my mobile and I get a text with the item code, then show at the till, either paying for it online or when collecting. Never had a problem at either store, which is more than I can say for some online stores. My daughter is a shoe fanatic: not kidding, she has absolutely dozens of shoes and not a few handbags. This makes me laugh, as her partner gets most of his clothes from charity shops, yet always looks smart. She bullied him last week into ordering a new pair of fancy shoes* and told him to send them to our address, as they are all out at work all day. He forgot that bit and they had a card through the door “Sorry you were not in, etc.” She emailed them and told them to send the parcel here, but it never turned up. Meanwhile another parcel arrived here that DD had ordered herself. (Handbag) so I drove down to their house (I have a key) and delivered that one, to find another card in the door “Sorry you were not in, etc.” Texted DD, who was by now quite angry, (that is an understatement – she is fiery.) and texted a SHOUT  at the company. Next day the shoes arrived here, I texted her and she came to collect the parcel, unpacked it. They were the wrong colour and wrong size. I took several steps back and made her a cuppa.

Online stores. Good, in parts.

*Poor lad had committed some cardinal sin or other, in not carrying out some household task, then dropping an ornament. She is so like her mum!