To still buy non-essentials online for home delivery?

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

I’m torn about whether buying online is a good thing to do as it keeps people in jobs and the economy going.

Or a bad thing as it’s forcing people to travel to work and work in less than ideal conditions that promotes the spread of the virus

I’d like to buy stuff like things for the garden and toys for the kids but we can live without them.

So:

YANBU = ok to buy things like this

YABU = better to avoid it

My friend works at a Next warehouse and she was very fearful as everyone was still cramped in the warehouse and matters made worse that they closed their canteen so they had nowhere to eat! Only yesterday they were told they were closing. Next is not an essential company, not a small company that needs the money and i think they should be ashamed of themselves putting lives at risk and so should any other companies doing the same. If they cant keep the workers safe, they shouldnt be open.

I bought some speakers from Amazon yesterday. They are so my son can continue drum lessons via Zoom.

Good for him, but mostly I want to support his self-employed music teacher.

Both boys have had Birthdays so that was more ordering as well.

I have ordered shampoo for the kids and some art supplies. I may order some garden items too. I am choosing smaller retailers where possible as they are more likely to need the sales.

Catlady That sounds terrible. It should be possible to practice social distancing in a warehouse, though it must mean making changes to the way people work. I am surprised at Next.

I think it's fine. I see our it as our responsibility to follow the lock down rules, but not necessarily to go above and beyond them.

I've ordered things I need and the postman dropped them off just there and told me I'd receive a message that I would not be able to order non essential items as they are unable to cope anymore

I am continuing to order from companies I know will be very careful to look after their staff such as John Lewis etc. All vulnerable staff will be at home, and if the economy completely tanks many more people will die/suffer.

The people I know that are working still, are doing so very carefully, many /most want to continue.

Clothes are essential, as are shoes, many things beyond food are essential.

@palebluemoonlight the workers were contacting their local MPs and sending photos of the poor conditions and people eating beside the road. Any workers working in this should be shown huge respect and feel safe in their workplace. I am so happy they made their decision to close and keep them all safe. They will be paid 80% wages too thankfully! :)

We've ordered thing online. Paint for the living room (which we'd have ordered anyway) plus some new clothes. I can't get too worked up about it. If companies are allowed to trade then we should be allowed to buy.

Much safer to buy online and receive contactless deliveries than it is to go in the shops.

Hand me downs via Facebook etc seems more likely spread the virus to me. Clothes from one house to another, surface for virus to live on even if you take them out of the bin Bags and straight in the wash. You’d also need to go out in the car to pick them up and risk being pulled over ?

I saw a lady posting on Facebook she had a brand new kids bike she wanted rid of, would dettol it and leave it outside for someone who’s child needed a bike for their daily trip out or riding round their driveway/garden. Loads of people jumped on her saying this was encouraging people to go out when they didn’t need to, it’s not essential, etc, and the lady who posted ‘I’d like this for my son’ also got jumped on for wanting to taking her kid out on a bike ‘Like it’s the summer holidays’. Honestly some people are being really nasty. I ordered some books and a duvet cover off amazon this weeks. Not essential but libraries are shut and I want to read in my garden away from other people. Also only have two duvet covers and want to change the bedding much more often.

It was stated in one of the briefings a few days ago that it was fine for non-essential workers to continue to work. It has been included in the modelling and predictions that the government are using to decide on the response. I recognise that may change in the future, but there are no restrictions on non-essential goods at the moment.

@PaleBlueMoonlight, google next south elmsall. It was a complete shambles and took the local mp writing to the pm to get them to close there’s a thread on here moaning about not being able to get orders. I’m sure they wouldn’t want their family members working in there.

hand me downs via FB

Surely that's an absolutely appalling idea? Why on earth would you order something from Jane on FB at a time like this? Going to collect something you've ordered off FB is surely the opposite of what we should be doing right now?

Boris has said online businesses can trade. Until he says otherwise, why shouldn't people order online?

@adaline exactly what I was saying ! Absolutely daft idea. I’d rather on go asda and order my dd a load of summer shorts and tops, pjs and undies (she needs all of these !) and have it delivered in clean packaging without anyone having worn it already.

The make do and mend war type mentality doesn’t add up because we are not short of things. There are warehouses full of clothes and food.

@chillicheese123 exactly. I don't feel bad for doing it. It's stuff I would have bought anyway, after all.

Surely clothing arriving in packaging from a warehouse is the safer option?!

I'm not sure John Lewis are looking after their staff @cornishdreams1 - I phoned them earlier this week to ask if I could have an order left outside my house and I was told that it would have to be signed for and there was no way around this (I even suggested a few!) I explained that that we're in 14 day isolation and they said I could have my delivery in 14 days time when I could sign for it.

My question did seem to take the person I spoke to by surprise, so hopefully they just weren't aware of any changes that have been implemented.

I've ordered printer ink and printer paper online but I consider that to be essential as I have two DCs who have university dissertations due in April/May.

As it looks like we may be confined at home for most if the summer i have taken a punt on the weather and ordered a naice garden sofa from John Lewis.
(It's my birthday soon; it's my present to me.)

JL can take my delivery straight into the garden. I will wash my hands while they put whatever i have to sign onto a garden table, I sign it, they retrieve it and i will immediately go and wash my hands again.

I've been told that the weather is due to change tomorrow. I take full responsibility because I have just finished sewing new cushions for our garden furniture.

I don't have a definitive view on this, but I do think where we can we must try and support companies and the economy, we will need something left when this is all over. I don't want to see every company go to the wall.
As long as those companies are taking huge care for their workforce, and looking after them I see no problem in ordering things other than food.
It may not be possible to ask a child to walk around in shoes two sizes too small for him, or to wear pants that are too tight and are painful (particularly with the amount of chocolate being guzzled, combined with the novelty of Joe Wicks wearing thin) It is not practical or realistic to expect people to wear clothes that won't do up, are broken, walking in shoes that are falling apart. For me, it is taking it too far when we have all of these things all ready made, and ready to send to people.

Some companies may have decided to shut up shop to protect their own profit margins having seen the drop in demand, but for those that are staying open and trying to offer a service I think we should support them. Especially for people that are ill, they made additional things to help them through CV.