topic Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup in Community Chat

My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

beach-mom — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:16:46 GMT

The only Walmart in our area doing curbside pick up is about one hour away. That's OK. On a normal day I drive by it a lot anyway. So I placed my order - mostly for drinks, but other things too. They charged my card and it immediately showed up on my bank account.

Pick up is in a little while. They emailed me about an hour ago, saying they were out of half of the things I wanted, including ALL juices, water, and drinks. They said my card would be refunded and there would be no charge for pick up since I am now way below the amount required for this.

I know they are doing their best, but if the items show in stock when you order, it's too bad there isn't some way to place a hold on them. But I can't complain. These are unusual times.

DH went to work today, so I will drive up by myself, listen to music, and try to appreciate that I'm getting half of what I ordered. It is hard though.

Has anyone else had experience with this?

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

SeaMaiden — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:18:53 GMT

@beach-mom Sounds like it IS NOT WORKING.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

beach-mom — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:20:47 GMT

@SeaMaiden wrote:
@beach-mom Sounds like it IS NOT WORKING.

You're right @SeaMaiden . This is my first time trying this - probably my last too!

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

PA Mom-mom — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:30:47 GMT

@beach-mom I did my first Walmart pick up two weeks ago, and yes they were out of one or two things. The same thing happens at my local grocery store, but they were out of a lot more. I've found if you absolutely need something, you will probably have to go in or have someone go in. They state somewhere that they can only fulfill what is available at the time the employee shops for your groceries. I thought the pick up at Walmart was very smooth. You text them when you are on your way, and they seem to know you are there when you pull up. I don't know if they are detecting your phone or just guessing.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

4kitties — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:29:11 GMT

I have done three online/curbside pick up orders this month. There have been a few things they were out of, and a few things that they substituted. The substitutes were a price upgrade but they did not charge me extra for them! I got a goodie bag with my second order.

My Walmart is wonderful! I have always received top notch service there. I am sorry to hear others having issues with this curbside service. I think that there are probably some supply issues in some areas of our country.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

catter70 — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:30:55 GMT

Walmart had this problem prior to Covid-19, at least where I live. They e-mailed my sister to order a certain cat food she feeds her pets as it was in stock and she ordered it right away. She was told to pick up by that Sat. Within 5 minutes, she got another e-mail telling her it wouldn't be in till Sun. 5 minutes later another e-mail telling her it wasn't available and they would refund her card. They shouldn't be able to charge you until you pick up your items. My sister says they are trying to compete with Amazon and in turn they have no stock in the stores and can't fulfill their on line orders either

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

Witchy Woman — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:34:53 GMT

@beach-mom

I'm not going to bad-mouth Walmart, because I shop there often. There are 4 WM within 30 minutes of my house, and I've shopped all of them.

During "normal" times, you probably would have had a more positive experience. But, there are so many things they cannot seem to keep in stock.

In all honesty, it's one of the things I find puzzling as they supposedly have their inventory carefully tracked.

I'd like to think they are trying, however.

While I think it's a good idea, it's likely not going to work well right now. Perhaps it would be better if they made that clear and/or, didn't charge your card UNTIL they filled the order.

Hoping your next experience is a better one

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

Sunshine Kate — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:36:21 GMT

This is why I no longer use curbside for anything.

I tried curbside when it first started way before this virus thing started. They didn't have half of what I normally buy.

I was not happy and still had to stop by a different store to buy the items I wanted on the way home. The items were readily available elsewhere..

Not a fan.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

Nightowlz — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:39:53 GMT

It's only like that because of the Pandemic.

I use it all the time. They may be out of 1 or 2 items if any when I have placed my orders. I always un-check No Substitutes because I want what I want LOL!!! If you let them substitute they will give you what they do have.

They don't process the charge to my credit card until after I have picked up my order. When I get home I have a receipt in my email showing total of what was picked up.

One thing I don't like is now you cannot order certain things online with Wal-Mart that they have in stock but don't have in stock in the store.

They are saying to stay at home so why won't Wal-Mart ship these necessities since they are not in the store???

Makes no sense IMO.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

deepwaterdotter — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:38:24 GMT

The local Walmart has discontinued curbside pickup until future notice.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

lovesrecess — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:46:36 GMT

I have been doing pickup with Kroger. It is free, I don't think there is a minimum, and so far it has worked great. I was able to get a pickup time yesterday for the order I placed Friday. I ordered 22 things and they were only out of three. Last order, they were out of 2 so I feel lucky. You can also use their store coupons in your order.

The first time I tried pickup, the young man shopping my cart subbed birdseed for cat food. Not exactly a good sub...but the birds love it.

I attempted Walmart but after the problems two daughters and a neighbor had with it I decided to stick with Kroger. They are out of paper products like most places but i am already stocked up on those.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

AussieLuvr — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:44:05 GMT

I've been using drive-up grocery pickup at Walmart and Lowes Foods for about two years. It has always gone off without a hitch. Every once in a while they wouldn't have something I ordered. My husband would then go to the store a few hours later and there was plenty of that particular item on the shelves.

I don't think their websites are fluid enough to show real-time updates, up OR down, in their shelf inventories.

Since the coronavirus scare started, I'm lucky if the stores where I do online shopping have 35% of my order when I go to pick it up. Last week my husband had to go to Walmart, Lowes Foods AND Food Lion on the same day to get our measly $150, typical weekly groceries.

Drive-up works great - when there isn't a pandemic going on.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

Kachina624 — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:46:06 GMT

@beach-mom I've been using Walmart pick up for 3 years and have usually been quite pleased. The store is 5 min from my house if I miss the light, less if it's green. I picked up a $90 order last Thursday. Got everything but a loaf of bread and 2 other things which I can't remember. Got frozen food, sodas, deli pizza,produce, milk, protein drinks. No TP or fresh meat, although I didn't need any.

I've heard of neighbors having orders cancelled because they didn't have the items to meet the $30 limit. They seem to be slowly restocking but it's taking awhile.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

ECBG — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 23:05:55 GMT

@corita It's probably the difference in the time from when you order to when the "personal shopper" can go on the floor to get your order. In the meantime, there are shoppers on the floor as well as checkout. Everything in a person's cart shows as available until it rings through the register and is taken off of inventory.

The only way to be assured you get your items is to order from a warehouse that doesn't have shoppers on their floor.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

patbz — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:49:30 GMT

I live in a resort community three hours North of Phoenix and looked into curbside WM delivery. The website defaulted to the next town (30 mins away)even though our store is larger. I decided not to try it. After a week of looking for t.p. locally I tried to order it from Costco.com; it was in stock but they wouldn't deliver to my zip code! I ordered it successfully from Amazon but it won't be here until sometime in May! I guess if we run out we'll use the paper from the phone book that was delivered today (only sorta kidding).

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

1Snickers — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:50:49 GMT

I thought about that service from Walmart and other stores. But I like to see what I'm getting. I know the places run out of things. I like to see expiration dates.
I haven't been in a month, my commissary is closed to retired & dependents except one day a week. No prescriptions, glad I changed the refil to mail order.
Harris Teeter has Sr, shopping 6-8 tomorrow morning.

My mission impossible plan is to wear a yard mask, (glasses nose spray and eye drops first). Hat, gloves, sanitizer in hand,(they sanitize basket & hand it to you) credit card & their card $ coupons in pocket. With detailed monthly list run through store and when home wipe each item with sanitizer before putting on pre sanitized garage shelves.
Sanitize frozen etc foods for kitchen, strip clothes off and toss in laundry. Store foods on the way to bathroom running naked through house for shower and washing hair.
Then walk dogs.
My yard man to spray for bugs wants to come at 8 , I had to postpone him until 3 because I need to run to the shower. I have lots of windows.
Shopping used to be so easy!

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

lovesrecess — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:51:41 GMT

I think it varies as to where you live. Walmarts here have opened way too many in the last couple of years in areas already crowded with development; the last one wiped out an entire block of houses just to have a big parking lot. Most of the area has not forgiven them for that! They are still working on fine-tuning the whole pickup or delivery system. They did not have curbside pickup until recently.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

shoptilyadropagain — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:55:28 GMT

I got up early yesterday morning and went to Wal-Mart and finished up at Meijer (which is what I normally do anyway). Wal-Mart was very well stocked except for a few things. I saw several employees picking up the orders for the curbside pickup service. They have pretty large carts with several blue bins on them.

Before COVID-19, this particular Wal-Mart was poor at restocking so I was very surprised, and pleased, that they had it well stocked. I even saw several employees restocking shelves and I very rarely see that.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

Kachina624 — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:56:06 GMT

@patbz What brand did you order from Amazon? I keep looking but can't find any at a reasonable price.

Re: My Foray into Walmart Curbside Pickup

patbz — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:59:36 GMT

@Kachina624 : I don't even know (was a name brand I've ordered before); the important thing was that it was in stock.