Ordered Delivery from Coles and Got Unfair Substitution. Am I Wrong Here?

Lbluemyself on 22/11/2022 - 15:25
Last edited 22/11/2022 - 19:37 by 1 other user

Edit: Ok, based on the comments I've come to the conclusion that I'm not right, but not wrong either. I made this thread thinking that Coles tried to screw me, but as others have pointed out, there was a pretty good reason as to why they went this way. Thanks ozbargain!

Details:

  • Ordered delivery from Coles
  • Purchased 5kg of rice $10 (it was on sale) and some other stuff
  • They didn't have the rice and substituted it with 2kg of rice
  • I complained, and they credited me with $3.70, with the following reason:

"The unit price for your 5kg rice was $10.00. Therefore $0.002/per gram. We using $0.002 multiply 2kg equal to $4.00. You should only be charged $4.00 for the 2kg rice rather than $7.70, and there's $3.70 difference. "
($7.70 is the price for 2kg of rice)

Am I incorrect in thinking that this is unfair? They way I see it is I purchased 5kg of rice — they couldn't fulfill that and gave me what they could and gave me credit for the difference. So technically, shouldn't I be able to buy an additional 3kg of rice with the difference. But I can't, even when on sale. Therefore, I feel like I've lost money in this scenario. I feel like I'd be better off returning the rice and getting a refund of $10 at which point I can wait for another sale and get 5kg.

Food & Grocery

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Coles
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Comments

    • smartazz104 on 23/11/2022 - 07:07
      +1

      As if people commenting here have anything better to do…

    • belongsinforums on 24/11/2022 - 21:04

      also possible that they're stuck at home for whatever reason, or they don't drive

  • Boba on 23/11/2022 - 00:16

    This reminds me of when I order a 1.25L Pepsi from Dominos and they provide 2x 375mL instead.

  • franco cozzo on 23/11/2022 - 06:28
    -1

    have you considered noodles to avoid this problem alogether?

  • TripleM on 23/11/2022 - 06:31
    +7

    During lockdown I ordered 2 lemons from Coles and got 1 lemon and 1 potato.

    • franco cozzo on 23/11/2022 - 06:58
      +5

      its also roundish & from a plant…what more do you want???

  • TheOtherLeft on 23/11/2022 - 07:58
    +2

    You ordered 5kg but got substituted with 2kg so is not a fair substitution.
    When I get a substitution in my Woolies order which I don't like I usually just get a full refund. They seem to refund no questions asked.

    • UltimateAI on 24/11/2022 - 14:25
      +1

      It's an option, when you place the order you can select allow substitute.

  • Oz em on 23/11/2022 - 08:15
    +5

    Woolworths would give 3 2kg bags of rice to make up the 5kg and their auto refund assistant would still refund it if it wasn’t the same brand.

  • larndis on 23/11/2022 - 08:39

    You can return the rice

  • blehgg on 23/11/2022 - 09:27

    Just return it…

    Got the same thing buying toilet paper - Coles Online.

    Bought half price 60 rolls.

    They didn't have it, substituted with another brand 30 rolls. It was the "same price"

  • Lawrencep93 on 23/11/2022 - 09:47

    It's the only annoying thing about some sub's that I have ended up with a way more expensive product like when they sub in organic veggies or fruit in place of regular stuff and charge no extra, but I remember on cheese that was on sale there was no stock and they gave me a smaller one which was half the size but only 75% of the price, I just see it as I win some I lose some as all my ordering is done online with Coles as I don't have a car so it is not practical to walk or take transport to the shops and it is cheaper for me to pay $19/month delivery than waste my time at the supermarket.
    Remember though if you shopped in-store and they had no stock you would have just had no access to the product or had to op for the 2kg rice at the full price not discounted rate

  • Buttocks on 23/11/2022 - 09:49

    Cant believe I even read this post not to mention even commenting. Coles fulfilled your request for some rice…if they just said nil stock and ruined your dinner plans you would have also complained. How can they win with some customers. If you waned to be in a position of decision making maybe you should have gone to the shops yourself…I am assuming that you are not physically challenged and have transport. And if saving a few bucks is that important Coles offer rain checks so you can get on sale items when back in stock. 1st word problems…as I am watching dead kids being pulled out of earthquake wreckage in Indonesia.

  • Topdog on 23/11/2022 - 10:37

    This is why i stopped shopping online with coles/wollies, not once have they ever had everything ive placed and it has been substituted with crap - IE: Lite milk with full cream, or normal puff pastry with lite puff pastry, I even got Creme cheese substituted with Vegemite creme cheese once.

  • kinpe on 23/11/2022 - 11:05

    lol. Time to move on with life. You wasted more $ in time thinking about this than what you incorrectly perceive Coles to have shorted you.

  • 2esc on 23/11/2022 - 12:30

    Time is valuable.

    Your time is worth money how much time do want to spend on something like this.

  • gromit on 23/11/2022 - 12:37

    i tick the box for no subs now/ I have not had what I would call an acceptable substitution yet. I don't entirely blame the shoppers that do this as how are they to know my preferred option. So I just live with the fact that I know they will do it wrong if I let them.

  • a-friend on 23/11/2022 - 13:16

    I once ordered for click and collect. They substituted me and gave the order to somebody else. Had to wait another 35 minutes to get my order.

  • trapper on 23/11/2022 - 13:38
    +1

    Seems fair, but they should have substituted in two bags so the total is closer to your original order, or even three maybe.

  • BlueberryOrangeJuice on 23/11/2022 - 16:19

    Is your name Eileen because come on! 😂

    In the time it took you to ask for validation you could have gone to the supermarket, got a refund, and walked out with your 5kg of rice for $10. AITA?

    • cunningdrew on 23/11/2022 - 16:40
      +1

      Yes but that would have forced me to do some real, actual work this afternoon as opposed to nosying around here.

  • bigbadboogieman on 23/11/2022 - 17:58
    +1

    I don't think what they did is unfair after they credited the balance back to you. Would you have preferred no rice?

  • Poor Ass on 23/11/2022 - 18:23
    +2

    always click NO SUBSTITUTE issue solved for next time

  • xb99 on 23/11/2022 - 21:56
    +1

    Best substituation we got was for a pack of zooper doopers (the long thin ice blocks). Out of stock, so we got a 600ml carton of zooper dooper flavoured milk. No we did not try it.

  • Jsurya on 23/11/2022 - 22:25

    I had similar experience in the past during pandemic. What happens is that employee who fulfills the orders are not aware that we are after the bargain. They just try to fulfill items we requested and not particularly care brand nor economic value.

    Just call customer service and tell them you don't like the substitution. Last time they asked me to return the item to the stores. But I argue that beat the purpose of online shopping. They gave me store credits and allow me to keep the items.

  • nikey2k27 on 23/11/2022 - 22:27

    No big deal

  • jendownunder on 24/11/2022 - 00:14

    I bought 1.7kg mince @ $12 (for my dog) they subbed with 800g 4 star mince and charged me $13. When i asked why they said they literally just pick anything, I bought mince so they subbed for mince…

  • naru6705 on 24/11/2022 - 07:34
    +1

    Coles did same for me and I lost 10000 points deals as order total became less than required and they won’t cancel at store as it was pick up but online. So costed me more than $50 loss

    • archieduh on 24/11/2022 - 08:29

      They should honor your original ordered amount to give the points even if final settled is less

  • archieduh on 24/11/2022 - 08:28

    Don't think you are wrong OP.
    They should have at least given 2x2kg = 4kg so it's near 5kg at least imho.
    Woolies is better in this regard i feel after trying both for 2 years.

  • Donaldhump on 24/11/2022 - 10:36
    +1

    if this is your only issue in life, you must have a good life.
    please don't consume your mind worrying about $6 of rice ffs

  • Jatacid on 24/11/2022 - 12:30
    +1

    Culture of outrage. Use the cheaper 2kg to tide you over til they have the bulk sale on again. There's too much to rage about already just focus on what's really important.

  • UltimateAI on 24/11/2022 - 14:24

    Oh my…

  • Godric on 24/11/2022 - 15:34

    They have an option at check out if you would prefer a refund or substitute.

    If you're not happy with substitute still they'll often refund you anyway if you call them, or you can of course shop your self :P

  • ivyholmes on 24/11/2022 - 16:12

    You can email them in the way your perspective. They will refund you the difference, otherwise just refund the product and u'll get ur money back. This happened to me quite often so I am better go to the store to shop

  • [Deactivated] on 24/11/2022 - 16:27

    They gave me the wrong yogurts once, I emailed and they refunded me the whole amount for the replacements.

    It's odd, this is how they've dealt with you.

  • fairyflossgrapes on 24/11/2022 - 19:26

    If you care about what they give you, either say no subs or say what you're happy to have it subbed with.

    I picked bird treats (for bird treats) and got a wild parrot seed bar. The bar is bigger than my birds are. I learnt my lesson.

  • apiecost on 24/11/2022 - 22:12

    My local Woolworths does a few substitutions per order for me usually, and as far as I know I've always been given the quantity/volume I ordered even if the replacement brand is more expensive. However, I think probably I should check a bit closer now to be sure :)

  • King Taddy on 25/11/2022 - 12:47
    -1

    if you physically went into the store, the 5kg would have been out of stock, and you would have had to pay the higher amount.

    so the fact you got any refund at all is a pretty good outcome.

    you can't feel entitled to the sale price of an out of stock item…ordering online doesn't magically make stock appear on the shelves!

  • BargainKen on 25/11/2022 - 17:05
    +1

    I think they should have offered 3x2kg as a gesture of good-will for not being able to fulfill the item as originally requested.

  • Employeesuchan @ Coles on 25/11/2022 - 17:25
    +1

    I worked as a picker with one of their fulfillment centres. I find it odd that whoever picked your order had simply given you 2kg bag of rice instead.

    If I had been the picker, and I saw that the 5kg bag is unavailable I would've picked either 2 x 2 kg bag + 1 kg bag or 3 x 2 kg bag, unless of course, there's only the one bag left

    As the picker we don't really have any visibility / care about the pricing as long as we provide an item of equivalent type / size, not value.

  • Impulsebuyer1 on 25/11/2022 - 21:07

    i feel like people select substitute because they either are gonna get the same deal or better value and refund is an inconvenience because you still need the item but if 10kg of rice is a deal breaker, its pot luck because some young teen is doing your groceries without you watching over them without any care in the world.

  • OzBestDeal on 25/11/2022 - 21:20

    Happened few times in the past for me.

    Bought $10 rice (normal price $20) and they substituted it with coles branded (normal price $14), they said they do this as a favor because the substitute is more expensive :(

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