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Online food shoppers hit by technical problems | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Hundreds of online supermarket shoppers have been experiencing frustrating technical problems amid the rush for Christmas. | |
Some Sainsbury's customers found orders were wrongly cancelled after a computer failure on Sunday evening. | |
Asda also reported technical difficulties, and Waitrose too has apologised for a temporary fault. | |
In the meantime, scores of customers took to Twitter to express their frustration. | |
After problems with the Sainsbury's website, Jenny Grasham-Whalley, from Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, was offered an alternative delivery date for her Christmas shopping on 27th December. | |
"That date is about as useful as a chocolate teapot," she told the BBC. | "That date is about as useful as a chocolate teapot," she told the BBC. |
However both Sainsbury's and Waitrose subsequently promised to fulfil all orders in time for Christmas. | |
Ms Grasham-Whalley said she was offered a £50 voucher as an apology. | |
'Systems fault' | |
Sainsbury's said the website "went down" for half an hour on Sunday night, but is now running as normal. | |
"We experienced a brief technical issue with our website last night, which has now been fixed," said a Sainsbury's spokesperson. | "We experienced a brief technical issue with our website last night, which has now been fixed," said a Sainsbury's spokesperson. |
"Some customers experienced difficulties with booking or amending their delivery slot. We're very sorry for the inconvenience caused." | "Some customers experienced difficulties with booking or amending their delivery slot. We're very sorry for the inconvenience caused." |
The company said measures had been taken to ensure the problem does not happen again. | The company said measures had been taken to ensure the problem does not happen again. |
Asda said that a "handful of customers had experienced technical difficulties", but insisted that its website had not crashed. | |
Waitrose said it had a "systems fault" with picking orders, caused by an IT problem. | |
As a result there had been a delay to some customers' orders. | |
Deliveries | |
Earlier this month, Marks and Spencer and courier firm Yodel warned of delivery delays after they were overwhelmed by orders. | Earlier this month, Marks and Spencer and courier firm Yodel warned of delivery delays after they were overwhelmed by orders. |
Marks and Spencer had problems with a new distribution centre, and warned that deliveries to customers could take up to 10 days, instead of the usual three to five. | Marks and Spencer had problems with a new distribution centre, and warned that deliveries to customers could take up to 10 days, instead of the usual three to five. |
Yodel - previously known as Home Delivery Network - had to suspend collections, and admitted that some parcel deliveries were taking up to eight days. | Yodel - previously known as Home Delivery Network - had to suspend collections, and admitted that some parcel deliveries were taking up to eight days. |