Buying online?

[onanotherday]

Can we buy online.. Amazon etc? Is it safe and ethical to do it?

Bump

I've seen posts from delivery people saying "Stop using us to deliver your unnecessary crap" and I've also seen posts saying "I can't survive on my wage if I only get half the deliveries I usually get."

So, whatever you do, you'll get moaned at.

I am buying online. There are things I need for the baby that I can't get at the supermarket! I can't see how it's more high risk than supermarket shopping

I bought a Hoover this week, I'd rather be alive than have hoovered floors, but a small flat with three cats in it is not pleasant when not hovered.

Are we not allowed to do anything anymore? I don't get it.

I think it's a double edged sword. Order online & more parcels are being handled & delivered & more people possibly needed to sort the parcels (at the original source). But going out to pick up the items (if the stores are even open) causes more people to be out. Some people will think you should neither be ordering nor going out. I'm still ordering some things eg I have a child with a birthday soon so I've ordered cards online (but also ordered the next few months birthdays in bulk so I don't have to order again), I'll be trying to order some gifts, but again I'll try to order from the same site to minimise deliveries. I think some businesses need us to keep buying & providing their employees are socially distancing then I guess it's the lesser of 2 evils.

All our delivery drivers have been adhering to the rules & I guess as long as they continue to do so, they'll hopefully stay safe.

Yes. You are allowed to buy online.

I’ve got a friend who delivers for one of the main companies. Her DH isn’t able to work at the moment due to the restrictions so they are relying on her delivering as many parcels as possible to stay afloat!

We are allowed and I am still doing so. I also saw a delivery person moaning online about the volume of parcels they still had to deliver. They aren't being forced to work though and I'm sure they're self employed so if deliveries were stopped they would be out of a job 🤷🏼‍♀️

I was thinking the same as have some of my childrens birthdays coming up.
I feel bad doing it but would be good to get feed back from those doing these jobs.

bear in mind anything bulky/heavy requires 2 people....so 2 people to travel in van together and then to lift items together....2 metre distancing can't be observed all the time for these poor sods!

I have a small shop that sells sporting goods. We closed well before the restrictions came into place as the shop is too small to socially distance.
We do have a website though and people are still buying from us.
We have no staff in, just me driving in twice a week to pack up orders. The packages are sprayed with detol spray and wiped down. I put them in the porch for the courier and door handles are cleaned before and after each use.
It's a difficult one. We feel torn, it's a business we do for love and make just enough to get by. If we don't sell online we'll not survive this. We are also still paying our staff. Also I'm not sure if sporting goods are essential.
I'm following the lead of the big companies that sell the same things as me. If they keep going, then I may as well, as people will just order from them, if they can't use me.

Yes I'm still buying online, people still require proceeds and earnings and you can't do right from doing wrong. I'm not buying too much, things we need along with treats mixed into same parcel as my dd birthday fast approaching.

Amazon is a store front for thousands of small businesses, as well as their own goods. These small businesses, like many shops, will go under if people do not continue to buy.
As for delivery - the drivers are responsible for themselves. It is safe practise to open up packages with gloves, remove contents and dispose of the outer packaging. You can then wipe down the items individually.

The DPD driver who takes away our parcels says they’ve never been busier. We are very busy as well. It’s shit

Yes and if you can there is definitely something to be said for choosing to buy from small businesses if they are still operating rather than mass conglomerates to assist the cash flow and economics of small businesses.