Please note this is not a sponsored post. This review is based on my experience only.
PC Express is a click-and collect service owned by Loblaw Companies. Various stores offer PC Express, including Real Canadian Superstores in British Columbia.
As a PC Insiders‘ member, I don’t pay to use PC Express, so I decided to give it a try. Non-members have to pay a $5 “convenience fee”, which quite frankly should be renamed “inconvenience fee” instead.
ONE BIG INCONVENIENCE INDEED
The process is very simple. You shop online, select your pick-up time and wait for the store to notify you when your groceries are ready. That, in itself, went without a hitch. This is when I was notified my order was ready that things went downhill.
MY ORDER WASN’T READY AT ALL
Upon arriving, I called as instructed. I confirmed my credit card payment with the employee….and then waited….and waited for my order to be delivered. 20 minutes in total.
People who arrived after me were served before me. This leads to me to believe the store only prepares your order when you call them, or that they forgot my order.
no substitution available….allegedly
When I called, I was notified 3 of the products I wanted were not available, and there was no susbtitution possible. I really questioned this, given the 3 products I had ordered: chicken thighs, pork shops and spinach leaves, all very common.
After my order was finally delivered, I went to the store as I actually needed these items for my meals. 2 of the 3 items were available. The chicken thighs were available in the same brand as only, and the spinach leaves were a different brand. The only item that was not available in the quantity I wanted was the prok shops. I bought an alternate format.
VERDICT: NOT WORTH IT
In total, I spent 45 minutes on an errand that should have taken 10 minutes, at the maximum.
When I left the store, I had the impression no care was taken with my order, and that my time had not been respected. It took me more time than if I had gone to the store directly with my grocery list.
The only silver lining is that I didn’t pay for the service.I will definitely not renew the experience.
The click-and-collect concept is getting old and outdated. Loblaw should look into deliveries, like all pretty much all their competitors do….
