Buymie - no fees on dunnes orders

vintagecosmos · 23-01-2021 12:32am

Yggr of Asgard wrote: »

I used to live in Swords, I always managed to get slots the same day. Sometimes I was forced to request more than once.

Now in Cork I get them same day usualy without a problem, once there was nothing for 2 days but that was during the snow (well the inch that did fall).

They are probably flat out due to level 5 I suppose. I didnt think the pricing was very transparent which left a negative feeling. I gave feedback to support so maybe it will change.

garrettod · 23-01-2021 3:43am

Hi,

I think you are far better off getting Tesco delivery, than using Buymie.

Tesco have one clear delivery fee - it varies deepening on the time slot you pick, but let's call it €5, on average. Thereafter, you deal directly with Tesco, there is no additional margin added to the retailers price, you can use your Tesco vouchers against your purchase, and you get your Club card loyalty points.

Now, compare that with the current offer from Buymie - where they still add their margin, and the €1 fee, you can't use your existing Dunnes vouchers, you don't get your Value Card loyalty points, and the £10 off your next shop, also doesn't materialise.

Do the maths my friends, Buymie are definitely not offering a good deal... And they are even worse, if you look at what they charge if you want to use them for their other retailers!

vintagecosmos · 23-01-2021 9:45am

garrettod wrote: »

Hi,

I think you are far better off getting Tesco delivery, than using Buymie.

Tesco have one clear delivery fee - it varies deepening on the time slot you pick, but let's call it €5, on average. Thereafter, you deal directly with Tesco, there is no additional margin added to the retailers price, you can use your Tesco vouchers against your purchase, and you get your Club card loyalty points.

Now, compare that with the current offer from Buymie - where they still add their margin, and the €1 fee, you can't use your existing Dunnes vouchers, you don't get your Value Card loyalty points, and the £10 off your next shop, also doesn't materialise.

Do the maths my friends, Buymie are definitely not offering a good deal... And they are even worse, if you look at what they charge if you want to use them for their other retailers!

I guess their model is based on convenience. You can spend 2 hours of your time door to door doing a big shop. Throw in some kids or a lack of transport and it can really be an onerous task.

I don't mind paying for convenience as long as the pricing is all clear which I felt it wasn't. Their charges are buried into a subtotal. If there are substitutions and the total changes they bill you the next day. Also the percentage tip system isnt how I would like to tip. I'd rather pay an amount like a fiver or smth. When you tip it's not clear how much you will actually pay. So all in all for a Lidl shop, it can really add up and negate the bargains you get in Lidl.

Lmao_Man · 23-01-2021 12:44pm

Yeah it’s definitely convenience. I wouldn’t do a €100 on buymie but I’d definitely do smaller shops at times.

Muahahaha · 23-01-2021 1:10pm

Its comparing apples and oranges though. Tesco are losing money on their online delivery operation because it is subsidised, it is even free for over 65s

“All the incumbents have been cross-subsidising home delivery from their store operations,” said Nick Harrison, global retail practice co-leader at consultants Oliver Wyman. He estimates that it costs upwards of £10 to pick and fulfil each order, whereas delivery charges to the customer are half that amount.

This is effectively the business model for Buymie, an Irish start-up. Its operatives pick goods from stores and deliver in the Dublin area. Customers use an app to shop and are charged a platform fee and a delivery fee that is dependent on how quickly they want their goods.

“When we first started looking at it in 2014, across the UK and Ireland there were nine companies losing £300m a year between them on online delivery,” said Buymie founder Devan Hughes. His background in energy markets convinced him that shared infrastructure was the only way to achieve the volume and capacity utilisation needed to make grocery delivery profitable.

https://www.ft.com/content/8aa756ac-3c35-11e9-b72b-2c7f526ca5d0

Ultimately the end game for online delivery is robots picking and packing your groceries and eventually self driving cars delivering it. The likes of Tesco are subsidising it now to gain market share until new technologies come on stream. Only then will they make a profit on it whereas Buymie have to make a profit now because they're not a multi billion quid business like Tesco.

garrettod · 23-01-2021 4:49pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

... Ultimately the end game for online delivery is robots picking and packing your groceries and eventually self driving cars delivering it. The likes of Tesco are subsidising it now to gain market share until new technologies come on stream. Only then will they make a profit on it whereas Buymie have to make a profit now because they're not a multi billion quid business like Tesco.

While I agree with you entirely on the automation thing, it doesn't take away from the bottom line here - Tesco are offering the better deal, for customers.

If all other things were equal, or even close, I would rather buy from an Irish business, but that's not the case here.

This is the bargain section and unfortunitely, Buymie ain't offering a bargin.

curly from cork · 23-01-2021 6:16pm

steve-o wrote: »

I wonder what's happening to the vouchers. Does the company keep and use them? Is it a lucrative bonus for the shopper?

I presume the buymie shoppers uses the voucher thereby saving the company the money on the next order, very lucrative

ThunbergsAreGo · 23-01-2021 6:32pm

garrettod wrote: »

While I agree with you entirely on the automation thing, it doesn't take away from the bottom line here - Tesco are offering the better deal, for customers.

If all other things were equal, or even close, I would rather buy from an Irish business, but that's not the case here.

This is the bargain section and unfortunitely, Buymie ain't offering a bargin.

It is when you take 10 off the first shop

Lmao_Man · 23-01-2021 8:59pm

ThunbergsAreGo wrote: »

It is when you take 10 off the first shop

Yeah the tenner off on top of no delivery charge means a lot of shops will be cheaper than going in yourself.

Lmao_Man · 25-01-2021 1:00pm

Freezing out today, time for buymie to save me

pancyk · 25-01-2021 5:08pm

curly from cork wrote: »

I presume the buymie shoppers uses the voucher thereby saving the company the money on the next order, very lucrative

Shopper must scan the receipt after shopping, and Voucher is inactive right away

Xterminator · 25-01-2021 5:17pm

It is possible buymie shopper has a voucher from a previous shop. It is possible they are getting clubcard points too. From the consumer's point of view, it does not really matter if the voucher value ends up in the Dunnes till or the pocket of the buymie shopper. It does not end up saving the consumer money.

With Tesco and SuperValu you collect Clubcard points and can use your vouchers when shopping online.

pancyk · 25-01-2021 5:29pm

Xterminator wrote: »

It is possible buymie shopper has a voucher from a previous shop. It is possible they are getting clubcard points too. From the consumer's point of view, it does not really matter if the voucher value ends up in the Dunnes till or the pocket of the buymie shopper. It does not end up saving the consumer money.

With Tesco and SuperValu you collect Clubcard points and can use your vouchers when shopping online.

Everything is possible, but shopper has to scan Dunnes receipt, so club points will display on it, and this way he will either loose he's job or they will deduct from weekly wage.
As we were told club voucher number is sent off to Dunnes for cancellation.

Lmao_Man · 29-01-2021 9:41pm

Xterminator wrote: »

It is possible buymie shopper has a voucher from a previous shop. It is possible they are getting clubcard points too. From the consumer's point of view, it does not really matter if the voucher value ends up in the Dunnes till or the pocket of the buymie shopper. It does not end up saving the consumer money.

With Tesco and SuperValu you collect Clubcard points and can use your vouchers when shopping online.

I assume they have a contract with Dunnes etc not to use their vouchers and so on

jthalp · 05-02-2021 3:02pm

Good discussion folks. Here are some facts as I've just used the service, given feedback to buyie and had some replies from them to my questions. (I've used SuperQuinn/superValue for years so can compare experience):-
- To place my order I used the buyie app and Dunnes Stores in Cournelscourt, Dublin
- Order placed on 03/02 this week. I requested delivery the next day - got a delivery slot estimate time of between 5pm + 6pm
- Order placing experience on the App very good - easy to use, save favourites etc.
- Ordered tracking on the App so you can see when the shopper is actually doing the shopping, delivering etc.
- Order delivered on 04/02 at 5.30pm by a very nice lad in his early 20's I guess - using his own transport (hey, it's the Platform Economy).
- Checked the order - all items delivered but 2 were wrong type i.e not the exact one I ordered but close - not a big issue really.
- Cost of Groceries was €155.46. Total charge to my card was €170.09. Delivery was free - first order. The difference is due the the various charges (not quite hidden as you can look them up on their website). Note apart from the Platform charge there is also VAT on that as well. I couldn't quite tally the full amount of the charges but it was close - so approx. €15 total in various charges.
- Vouchers:- This is the biggie! You cannot use any Dunnes vouchers you have (I had €15 worth) and you do not get any vouchers back for your shop - I would have been entitled to €15 (I think). That effectively adds €30 to the cost of my shop using buyie as opposed to me going to the store itself!
- I gave buyie feedback and they got back to me quickly. The acknowledged the Vouch issue and confirmed that the shopper does not get my order voucher nor does anyone in Dunnes.

Hope this helps.

jthalp · 05-02-2021 3:07pm

Here is the fee structure they emailed me...
This fee is varied depending on your location and the retailer you choose to shop with:
• 13.75% for Lidl - Ireland
• 5.75% for Dunnes Stores - Ireland
• 15.75% for Tesco - Ireland
VAT is payable on the platform fee at 21%
A processing fee of €1 is also applied to every order to cover the cost of payment
The platform fee goes towards paying your personal shopper for their time and service, as well as maintaining and improving the Buymie platform.

jthalp · 05-02-2021 3:09pm

.....and buymie's reply to my questions about the Dunnes vouchers...

All vouchers are disabled at the time of checkout, our shoppers do not have access to use or retrieve any of the vouchers - and no-one within Buymie or Dunnes stores will be able to use the vouchers.

The Dunnes vouchers are highly requested and we hope to be able to enable this feature very soon in the future, we thank you for your patience.

Muahahaha · 06-02-2021 5:58pm

jthalp wrote: »

Good discussion folks. Here are some facts as I've just used the service, given feedback to buyie and had some replies from them to my questions. (I've used SuperQuinn/superValue for years so can compare experience):-
- To place my order I used the buyie app and Dunnes Stores in Cournelscourt, Dublin
- Order placed on 03/02 this week. I requested delivery the next day - got a delivery slot estimate time of between 5pm + 6pm
- Order placing experience on the App very good - easy to use, save favourites etc.
- Ordered tracking on the App so you can see when the shopper is actually doing the shopping, delivering etc.
- Order delivered on 04/02 at 5.30pm by a very nice lad in his early 20's I guess - using his own transport (hey, it's the Platform Economy).
- Checked the order - all items delivered but 2 were wrong type i.e not the exact one I ordered but close - not a big issue really.
- Cost of Groceries was €155.46. Total charge to my card was €170.09. Delivery was free - first order. The difference is due the the various charges (not quite hidden as you can look them up on their website). Note apart from the Platform charge there is also VAT on that as well. I couldn't quite tally the full amount of the charges but it was close - so approx. €15 total in various charges.
- Vouchers:- This is the biggie! You cannot use any Dunnes vouchers you have (I had €15 worth) and you do not get any vouchers back for your shop - I would have been entitled to €15 (I think). That effectively adds €30 to the cost of my shop using buyie as opposed to me going to the store itself!
- I gave buyie feedback and they got back to me quickly. The acknowledged the Vouch issue and confirmed that the shopper does not get my order voucher nor does anyone in Dunnes.

Hope this helps.

Very good summary, thanks for posting.

And yeah agree that not being able to use the vouchers is a massive downside especially as Dunnes prices are already inflated to account for voucher use. If you cant use vouchers then that makes for a pretty expensive shop.

Still though 15 euro for someone to do 155 euros worth of shopping doesnt sound too bad for the time saving it gives you. If they sort the voucher issue then its a good service for those who are buying big shops.

thenightman · 06-02-2021 9:11pm

Issue with Tesco/Supervalu is its impossible to find a quick delivery slot. I checked Tesco there and earliest slot I can get is Monday evening between 7-9pm and that's €7 delivery fee for the privilege as well, Supervalu is Tuesday and €8 delivery. Can go on Buymie now and get a delivery slot at whatever time you want tomorrow, with 'free' delivery if using Dunnes and spending €40 quid.

Mardyke · 06-02-2021 9:27pm

I used them for a lidl order a couple of weeks ago.

Long story short I wouldn't be using them again.

Main reasons, it's unclear what the costs are and even if you have discounts, some seem to work and others don't.

The support was not helpful either.

seenn00J · 06-02-2021 9:40pm

Would use them if they sorted the Dunnes vouchers out, I shop every week in Dunnes but wouldn't dream of paying full prices. Like has already been said, a lot of the groceries in Dunnes are at least 20% more expensive than Aldi/Lidl. Every single person in the queue any time I'm there is giving vouchers to the cashiers. I think the only time I ever paid full price in Dunnes was when my vouchers ran out and I needed new ones, probably happened once in a year.

omega666 · 06-02-2021 9:41pm

jthalp wrote: »

Good discussion folks. Here are some facts as I've just used the service, given feedback to buyie and had some replies from them to my questions. (I've used SuperQuinn/superValue for years so can compare experience):-
- To place my order I used the buyie app and Dunnes Stores in Cournelscourt, Dublin
- Order placed on 03/02 this week. I requested delivery the next day - got a delivery slot estimate time of between 5pm + 6pm
- Order placing experience on the App very good - easy to use, save favourites etc.
- Ordered tracking on the App so you can see when the shopper is actually doing the shopping, delivering etc.
- Order delivered on 04/02 at 5.30pm by a very nice lad in his early 20's I guess - using his own transport (hey, it's the Platform Economy).
- Checked the order - all items delivered but 2 were wrong type i.e not the exact one I ordered but close - not a big issue really.
- Cost of Groceries was €155.46. Total charge to my card was €170.09. Delivery was free - first order. The difference is due the the various charges (not quite hidden as you can look them up on their website). Note apart from the Platform charge there is also VAT on that as well. I couldn't quite tally the full amount of the charges but it was close - so approx. €15 total in various charges.
- Vouchers:- This is the biggie! You cannot use any Dunnes vouchers you have (I had €15 worth) and you do not get any vouchers back for your shop - I would have been entitled to €15 (I think). That effectively adds €30 to the cost of my shop using buyie as opposed to me going to the store itself!
- I gave buyie feedback and they got back to me quickly. The acknowledged the Vouch issue and confirmed that the shopper does not get my order voucher nor does anyone in Dunnes.

Hope this helps.

If you spent 155 euro you would have got 30 euro in vouchers of your next shop. Its 10 for every 50. That's a massive loss if you do your shopping in Dunnes every week.

Lmao_Man · 08-02-2021 6:00pm

Using this tomorrow to avoid the below zero temperature

garrettod · 13-02-2021 7:54pm

Hi,

I've used them a few times, only once have things gone even close, to how they should have gone.

Delivery slots should be changed from 1 hour slots, to 1 day slots, before you might start to rely on them.

If you are lucky, you'll get about 70% of the order that you submit. Everyone accepts that things go out of stock, but Dunnes Stores can't be that low on stock of every day items, on a regular basis. This isn't purely imported items btw, most are very popular Irish brands.

Buymie are clearly trying to compete with Ryanair and Eir, for the company with the sh1test customer service, in Ireland. Trying to get any sort of reliable, meaningful and timely interaction from them, is impossible.

... Try asking for help when your delivery person is circa 2 hours late, if you want an example... And as for expecting them to contact you in advance, if there is a problem, not a chance. Your time and custom means nothing, to this shower!

Absolutely disgraceful company to deal with, and unlikely to stay in business long, despite their extortionate profit margins on deliveries from the other retailers, aside from circa 6% on Dunnes deliveries.

Tesco and Supervalu delivery services are a million times better - more reliable, more professional, and probably a lot better value too.

NewClareman · 13-02-2021 11:07pm

garrettod wrote: »

Tesco and Supervalu delivery services are a million times better - more reliable, more professional, and probably a lot better value too.

We started shopping with Tesco a few weeks ago, to avoid going into stores. Really impressed, apart from the slots issue. We now book slots for every weekend, three weeks in advance.

We tried SuperValu three weeks ago, as we couldn't get a Tesco slot. It was a disaster. Groceries arrived over an hour late, in an unbranded van, in plastic sacks and big cardboard boxes. It was just a normal shop, Tesco would have used three crates, not full. Never again, never...

ash2020 · 14-02-2021 12:53am

it sounds like this buymie comp is targeting the customers that dont care about losing out on dunnes vouchers and dont care about paying the delivery fee, if they get 40% of the population to start using its service it will be a nice tasty return every week / weekend, a business cant please all of its customers and if that means 60% of customers not using there service 40% is still a massive return. Everyone needs food! and not everyone likes or can physically go shopping, we also have the commercial sector that can write it off as an expense.

garrettod · 14-02-2021 1:08am

So,

If we are to believe them...

* They don't get the benefit of the Dunnes Vouchers,
* The shoppers don't get the benefit of the vouchers

* We know that the customer doesn't get the benefit of the vouchers, which they should be getting!

So, in other words, buying from Dunnes is costing everyone a lot more than just the 5.9% or whatever the margin is,that Buymie charge.

Then you also have to ask yourself, what are Buymie getting paid, but Dunnes? They are clearly getting something, because otherwise, they'd be hitting us with the same 15-16%, that they hit you with, when you use them to shop at Tesco or Lidl.

Them ask yourselves, are they also getting something extra, for saving Dunnes the cost of having to give the discount to the customer, for each voucher, and the concerts pints they were also entitled to?

If Buymie and Dunnes wanted to, they could have rolled out a system to provider the customer with the benefit of the vouchers, and clubcard points, in a matter of days. It suits both parties, not to do it, as its to their advantage, and the customers disadvantage. They just keep bullsh1tting anyone who asks about it....

Even with "free delivery", customers are being ripped off by this shower.

I understand people being happy to pay for a service, but this is far too expensive, and as for the word "service", read my post about three up from here!

thenightman · 14-02-2021 4:49am

I was never arsed with the clubcard schemes so not losing out on that score anyway. All I know is that whenever I go to Tesco or Supervalu to attempt to book a delivery slot theres none for 3+ days. Went onto buyme at lunchtime today and got a slot for 5pm delivery. Got a phonecall 30 mins later asking if I was home to accept delivery earlier, which I of course was in this lockdown world of nothing. So ordered at 1pm or so and delivered by 3pm. No €7/8 dellivery fee either once you cross the €40 barrier.

14-02-2021 5:27am

ash2020 wrote: »

it sounds like this buymie comp is targeting the customers that dont care about losing out on dunnes vouchers and dont care about paying the delivery fee, if they get 40% of the population to start using its service it will be a nice tasty return every week / weekend, a business cant please all of its customers and if that means 60% of customers not using there service 40% is still a massive return. Everyone needs food! and not everyone likes or can physically go shopping, we also have the commercial sector that can write it off as an expense.

I believe the breakdown in terms of Tesco's customer base was that the last figures were 9% using online shopping, which peaked to 16% during covid. And A quarter of online shoppers weren't actually getting deliveries, they were using click and collect (which is what I use, personally).

So at it's peak, 12% of Tesco's customer base are availing of their borderline-free, established, branded and professional delivery service, where they price-match substituted items, allow voucher use and award clubcard points.

If you think buymie are going to get anywhere near 40%, for a service run out of the back of some fellas car, charge a percentage fee, disallow vouchers or clubcard points and have apparently a shambles of a customer service team, then you're the most optimistic man on the planet.

EDIT: Link for reference.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/boom-in-irish-online-shopping-drives-tesco-sales-1.4289232

In addition to providing more delivery slots for customers, it said it also increased the availability of its click and collect service, which now represents around a quarter of online orders.

As a result, its online grocery business has grown from 9 per cent to more than 16 per cent of its total UK sales.

gabbo is coming · 14-02-2021 6:33am

I used them once. There were some weird results, like I ordered what I thought were 3 bunches of bananas, yet I got three bananas for 3.30. Said so on the receipt.

Anyway, very prompt service. But the 4 plastic bags cost (not to mention the environment!) And the substitution of rubbish (monster munch for pombear), I'll leave it thanks.

Certainly would never use if I was charged a delivery fee on top of all this

Buymie - no fees on dunnes orders

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