The ethics of unnecessary deliveries

[nomdefuckit]

AIBU to wonder about this?

We're doing a 12 week lock down as DH in the shielding group. Nobody gets in or out, including toddler

I would love to order more stuff to keep him entertained, garden stuff, DIY stuff etc

I haven't because I thought it was wrong for a number of reasons

1: infection risk - every delivery has that potential
2: employees of delivery companies should not be pressured to work more than necessary for their own health
3: more drivers going out and about is more opportunities for the virus to spread
4: there is limited capacity in the system for deliveries. It should be left for essentials

Yet I have seen on here and elsewhere (fb mainly) people talking openly about the nice candles, home furnishings, make up etc that they have ordered

Anybody else a bit shocked by this?

I've been trying to order some supplies to help my kids school work but I can't get anything delivered from Amazon. I've cancelled my prime now as they really aren't delivering anything in my area it seems.

@MadameButterface I'm not engaging with you further. Your earlier insults say all I need to know about you.

@JustStayAtHome and that's fine, that's their decision to make, but other businesses are trading online because they need that money to survive.

And your determination to excuse selfishness by the privileged says all i need to know about you

Jem if you can't get a slot - the supermarkets all have stationary stuff you can order.

And your determination to excuse selfishness by the privileged says all i need to know about you

I'm really not bothered what a stranger says about me online, but at least I didn't feel the need to go around slinging personal insults.

I have just seen who the OP is and she/he is on all the threads telling people not to do this that and the other thinking hey are the PM

So the business surviving is more important than the staff @adaline?

I’d rather see businesses collapse tbh

Keep going. You're showing your true colours nicely.

Things I have ordered recently

Thermometer
Box of copy paper
Books for the children
Nice soaps

I wouldn't say they are frivolous, they all serve a purpose.

Haven’t read the full thread but for the love of god can people please stop being sooo judgemental! What the hell happened to #bekind? One persons definition of an essential item will differ to another. That’s ok.

Personally I think we should order what we feel will make life easier during these unprecedented and challenging times. This might not just consist of food and medicine, it could be exercise equipment, office equipment or just something to help people relax and calm the rising sense of anxiety most of us are feeling.

If companies are too stretched to deliver they will/should stop/delay it. Can we please stop the competitive martyrdom!!

I’d rather see businesses collapse tbh

That'll be an awful lot of people unemployed then.

I do - I have at least two stalkers!

Bloody hilarious!

(Get a life, both of you!)

What are you talking about? I thought you were flouncing? Bye!

So the business surviving is more important than the staff @adaline?

I’d rather see businesses collapse tbh

When a business collapses, so do all its jobs@JustStayAtHome. The staff need the business to survive in order to keep their jobs, pay their rent/mortgage and feed themselves and their families.

I honestly can't work out how you don't understand that.

We all need to make our own judgements of what is essential, but please don't use "the economy" as your reason. If it was a valid reason, there would be no Lockdown.

That's not actually true. Other countries have harsher lockdowns and are still allowing online deliveries.

@nomdefuckit

Genuinely to have given you something to smile about! Because goodness knows- you need it!!

I work in a call centre selling things like games consoles/board games/TVs. The extra buying online means our work is offering us all overtime, so extra people in the call centre and extra risk for us. (I am not in but was emailed home to advise how busy we are).

This goes for warehouse staff who have to deal with all these orders too. We are all put at increased risks- this week I am told it is because everyone needs a trampoline at home.

Does that apply to small local businesses too? This virus is going to wipe out lots of small businesses in my town - if I can buy something from them remotely it might be the difference between them making rent and not.

No, I wasn't thinking of small local businesses, but many of the online ones- a large number of which are not even UK-based.

There's also a big question mark over where items despatched will end up. If Royal Mail is fulfilling a delivery, there seems little chance of its getting through any time soon. We haven't had packages delivered here in over 10 days.

@Boobooboo84

Well, my DH would be unlikely to survive if he caught it so forgive me. We're basically looking down the barrel of a gun here.

Maybe if I ordered some poncey candles I'd feel all better, ay?

“ I’d rather see businesses collapse tbh

That'll be an awful lot of people unemployed then.”

Er yes.... lots of people will be unemployed after this. It still doesn’t make it ok for people to be buying unnecessary gubbins if that means people are forced to work in unsafe conditions.

I don’t get what’s so hard to understand about this. @qweryuiop had a good post upthread. It’s not about not buying anything at all but just really really thinking about do you actually need this or do you want it because life is crap at the minute and it would ‘cheer you up’?

I just don't think there's anything wrong in trying to stay positive and find happiness in non essential things at the time like this. People are suffering. It's a dark time. Spending and ordering nonessential things may keep people going without total despair. I don't think there's anything wrong in ordering children's toys, or candles. The brings happiness to the people, which is actually something we all need at times like this.

It's not our problem that you don't want to order stuff

Well, my DH would be unlikely to survive if he caught it so forgive me. We're basically looking down the barrel of a gun here.

You’re socially isolating... yes?
So presumably.... you and your Dh aren’t at risk!

The pyramid of needs
www.researchgate.net/figure/Maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-represented-as-a-pyramid-with-the-more-basic-needs-at-the_fig3_324279637

If we only buy what we "need"

• we will all lose weight
• most UK businesses will close
• all schools will close
• as we are all going to die, most hospitals will close

Alternatively we can carry on being civilised