Countdown have altered their online shopping page after an irate Tauranga shopper spent half-an-hour doing her Christmas food shop this morning – only to be told on the checkout page that the earliest delivery date was December 29.

The woman, who contacted SunLive earlier today, was in front of her computer at 6am so her shopping could be done before she left for work.

Countdown were forced to alter their website today after an online shopper from Tauranga hit delivery problems. Photo: File.

However, it wasn't until the very end of the process that she learned she had completely wasted her time.

'I know it's a first world problem,” says the woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, 'but I don't care.

'When you are really frantically busy, you have a bit of an idea in your head about how you are doing it, so it was hugely frustrating.”

After SunLive relayed this information to Countdown, the site now carries a warning to customers that the delivery windows are quickly filling up.

They advise customers to check that there's a suitable delivery window available before placing an order, and that click and collect may be the better option if there is no delivery window available.

'Christmas is the biggest online shopping event of the year,” says a countdown spokesman.

'Compared to which, the New Year is just like the rest of the year, and normal delivery windows should again be available.”