Buying non-essential items for delivery

[Livingoffcoffee]

Really curious to know views on this...ideally from anyone who works as a delivery person / in fulfilment centres / etc.

Is it unreasonable to be ordering "non essential" items for delivery right now? Is it putting more people unnecessarily at risk?

Or are fulfilment companies, etc managing to incorporate social distancing and by ordering items it's helping to keep their jobs going and the economy ticking over? Especially if you're ordering from small businesses?

I could argue the case either way, so would love to hear from people it actually impacts.

I have. Not sure if classes as essential....but..I have.

I've ordered skincare items,2 new pairs of pjs and a new duvet set for ds 6 that has sharks all over it.He cant wait,his face lit up when I showed him a pic of it.

I wouldn't buy anything from ASOS (see the way they haven't allowed their workers to work safely) or a large company, I'm still buying little bits from small businesses/sole traders online as normal.

I have bought my nephew some den making supplies for his birthday from a small business - feels much better to do this and keep them going

Are you a journalist op?

I find these discussions about 'non-essential' items futile. It's relative to people's circumstances, and unless the government provides a list of lawful shopping items, no one is to judge what other people buy.

@Redcherries Where in Canada is she?

@Redcherries I live in Canada. Our post office and most stores are still up and functioning. I'd more than happily pick some up if you tell me what kind she likes and post them to her care home. It's the little things we can do right now that I'd like to keep doing.

The one 'large' supermarket where I live isn't one of those all-singing, all-dancing Tesco/Asda Super Extra Big We Have Everything types of shop, so anything that's not food or medicine has to be ordered in if I don't want to do a 30 mile round trip, which I don't. Wherever possible I'm ordering from any small company that's currently operating, rather than gravitating straight to Amazon.

We haven’t been told to purposely crash the economy by stopping all purchases besides potatoes and soap! If everyone stops shopping all at once, tens of thousands of people will lose their livelihoods. Those jobs won’t come back quickly.
If you can afford to shop and you want to, go ahead!

@Redcherries

That brought a tear to my eye. I'm doing the same with my mum who is miles away.

I am a small online retailer. I am despatching from home daily and, once a week, from the warehouse. It is not putting me at risk, and I'd rather have the orders to keep the business going and my one employee in work. Please keep ordering!

I chatted with my DPD guy today and he said he’s busier than Xmas. But that he preferred it this way

I’ve ordered non-essential items from small firms and individuals. Many crafters have had their income disappear, and with fairs and markets cancelled, the immediate future is very hard for them.

I think Royal mail are trying to stop junk mail and get to only deliver 3 days per week in order to reduce their risk.

I’ve ordered plenty of non-essential items this week, including Easter eggs (sorry, Warrington Police).

Aside from online grocery shopping, the only “essential” I’ve ordered has been baby clothes. I was concerned that more retailers might follow Next and stop online orders so I made a large M&S order of sleepsuits and vests in the next size up for DS which he will need in the next couple of months

Well I am very tempted by a half price Karen Millen dress- clearly non essential but I do have to wear something when I take the scrubs off !
(or that's my justification anyway)

Really would like to know from those working to fulfil orders (from Amazon, etc) and deliver them if they are safe in the current working conditions. Or if ordering random/frivolous items is putting them in harms way

This is my worry to be honest, especially after seeing all the articles come out about ASOS in the past few days, I would maybe say try small businesses first if there is anything you want to buy, as they usually have a very small amount of staff anyway, and could really use the extra business at the mo. Places like Amazon will survive this pretty much unscathed

I'm working as courier and I'm torn as I live with a vulnerable adult and am scared what I could be bringing into the house.

If I lived on my own I'd say go wild and order what the heck you want and lots of it so I can earn lots of money.

My choice I guess. Us courtiers are all self employed.

Thanks op for starting this thread. I haven't ordered anything as I don't want anyone to be forced to go into work or put at risk. But I'm not sure if that's right as don't want to cause unemployment or companies disappear, like you I'm interested what couriers, warehouse staff and sorters feel...

But you don't know and neither do the delivery company. What is essential?

This.
Who is anyone to deem what is "essential" or not?
My essential probably isn't your essential.
I'm thinking of buying some new colouring stuff this week, and a couple of books to read.
I could argue it's essential for mental health - are we all supposed to be sat eating bread (no jam, don't be so frivolous) and not doing crafty stuff?

I'm a sole trader, and along with director, finance director, cleaner and R&D manager I've now added delivery driver to my repertoire.

Please don't stop ordering from small businesses - it's the only thing keeping a roof over my head!

@Scruffyoak it may arrive quicker! A lot of items on amazon are saying delivery by end of April, as was with a keyboard I ordered last week, but then had an email to say it will be delivered today so I think they are just giving hugely distant delivery estimates to cover themselves as they are so busy and are obviously trying to make sure essentials are dispatched first.

If you're able to order from small businesses, sole traders, independent shops, we would be so very very grateful - though I've not yet managed to have a conversation with my lovely postie who I'm hoping will give me an honest opinion on the subject so I can review my posting policy.

My tiny, jointly owned, side hustle stationery company is suddenly my sole source of income (my photography work is obviously not viable in current lockdown and I'm too new to full time self employment to qualify for government scheme, despite filing tax returns alongside my day job for seven years).

So if what you need is sold independently, then please do order from tiny retailers who are still shipping 💙

I've ordered a spade to dig the garden. It's virgin heavy clay (house is newly built, it used to be farmland). The garden slopes gently down towards my back door, & floods when it rains. We absolutely need to improve the drainage if we're to be able to get the bins out, & not have a flooded kitchen. Neighbours have the same issue. Plus, if there are insufficient pickers on the farms this summer, we all need to be growing veg if possible.
I also ordered a spike to mount a rotary clothes line, so we can actually dry our clothes outside. I'm asthmatic & our last house was damp & mouldy, & no-one needs additional lung inflammation at the moment.

I'm thinking of ordering some clove oil. All dentists are currently completely closed, & DH has appalling teeth.