Ethics of home delivery of non essentials.

[Snaleandthewhail]

Next isn’t delivering. Other major retailers have reduced their range and delayed their delivery times. But there’s a lot of stuff you can still order for home delivery.

If a company is trading and open and delivering, is it ethical to use its services to deliver non essential things which put more risk on to everyone involved in fulfilment and logistics?

I’m obviously not talking about food or medicines. Then there’s a whole range of consumables-but-not-essentials (paint and glue at the moment for my kids). But say - the new flat pack bed you’d been meaning to buy for your child growing out of their cot, or the set of saucepans you’d been saving up for. Stuff you would have bought, could still buy, but could wait six months...

@GrumpyHoonMain - For example you could ban takeaways entirely and it wouldn’t bother me but there are people ... out there who would struggle to eat wholesome food without them

In what world are takeaways healthy?! 😂😂

I have been ordering bits - it was ds's birthday yesterday. Trying to use smaller retailers where possible and keep the economy going...

The ethics of NEXT didn't last long. They are reopening next week

@perniciousdot where did you see/hear that?

All I want is a set of weights

@hopefullyanonymous have you tried Powerhouse Fitness?

@ALovelyBitOfSquirrel www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-8211061/amp/Safety-shake-fashion-retailer-reopen-website-two-week-shutdown.htm

Thank you @moita

where did you see/hear that?

It was widely reported yesterday.

For those bashing Amazon, there are many small businesses who use I as a selling platform (just like eBay). The fact they do not pay UK taxes, whilst perhaps being morally wrong, is not illegal and is down to the government to close the loopholes they, and many other businesses, take advantage of.

I own my own business and we sell a small proportion of our products through Amazon. We send direct from our warehouse.

Also, it is possible to work safely in a warehouse. In order to keep our staff safe and our business functioning, they are on furlough with their families and I am working all hours on my own. The majority of our business is internet sales anyway but we have closed the physical shop.

With regards to delivery drivers - the majority are self-employed and therefore want to continue working. I know all of our delivery drivers well and we have worked out a system whereby they leave everything outside and holler through the door. I leave parcels outside for them to collect so we never come into contact with them. I was giving them boxes of disposable glove but they don't like wearing them as they need to change them after every delivery or there is no point in wearing them.

I greatly appreciate all of our customers who are co to using to support us through this time.

We are also gaining new customers who are now buying from us rather than "knock off " copies from other countries which are currently unable to ship goods.

So from a small business, thank you for continuing to shop.

@UkSky Very fair point regarding Amazon. Can I ask how you'd suggest is best to find/know what's a small business on Amazon? Is there a way to really check or know?

Someone mentioned no one can work safely in a warehouse... That's not strictly true but depends on the size of the company again. I work for a small business and I know our packing/warehouse team is working safely - that's because we have two teams of two people each, and they are members of the same family and a couple, who live together. The two teams never meet each other and door handles, packing stations etc. are wiped down in between the shift change.

I know many other small businesses working like this at the moment too as many are family run anyway. Obviously it won't be possible for ASOS or Amazon...

If you can, try and order from a small or local business, not a big multinational.

People ordering "non-essentials" from my little business is what allows me to buy the essentials I need - like food and rent. Given some luck this year, it will also mean I pay taxes towards the cost of running the NHS.

If you don't want the economy to collapse more than absolutely necessary, please keep ordering stuff online!

@livingoffcoffe it can be a bit tricky but if you look at the company who are supplying - this is on the right hand side of the screen. You can click on that and it will show you what else they are selling.

Delivery times may be a bit longer if the products are not stored at Amazon warehouses but many small businesses do use the fulfilled by amazon service. Also you may see free delivery offered but not Prime. Or there may be a delivery charge. I'll have a look and see what else I can see that might help. We have closed our Amazon shop at the moment because I can't hit their targets at present due to working on my own.

But If you have a look at the company name, se if they sell elsewhere. You can quite often get the same product, from the same company cheaper if you go direct as prices can be loaded due to the high Amazon fees. Case in point being that Amazon Prime items are usually a bit more expensive than non-prime items.

I'm not bashing Amazon. I love it but I these tough times if you can get the same products for a better price, even if it takes a bit longer to arrive what's to lose? Although Amazon's customer service is amazing and you know you can always return with no questions asked, so it is worth weighing up the pros and cons.

viccat

I am in a warehouse. Me and only 2 others and we still can’t do social distancing

@UkSky - thanks for your post. Good to hear your perspective. Hearing from those involved - sellers, delivery drivers and people working in warehouses - helps a lot.

@Travelban - this is very true. I would not really know where to get clothes from independently.

I've ordered cheese - lots and lots of cheese! We've had to postpone our wedding and the place we're buying our cheese "cake" from are selling online. They've been fabulous about changing our date and I want to help them put by buying and I love cheese

Thank god for Amazon -yes ordering online and keeping the economy going. No issue with the tax thing -they are an essential service now which we do not have to pay for through our own taxes. As well as allowing small traders contact with buyers who would never otherwise buy from them is also keeping delivery worriers in jobs, so I am perfectly happy to keep buying stuff from them.

90% of businesses don’t pay the right tax so it’s unfair to target Amazon. I know for a fact the company that owns Dulux does it and has
Done for years. They all do

Since lockdown I have ordered or had delivered:

Large kitchen appliance to replace one that was broken. National company with strict CV anti-contact measures in place for delivery (I had to unpack and install item myself).

Veg/Food boxes - avoiding shops and supermarkets for 2-3 weeks.

Tracksuit bottoms for DC - didn't have enough casual clothes and didn't feel right to have them in PJ's all day and every day. Large company - delivered fast but were faulty (inconsistent sizing in multipack and seams undone) and will have to go back after all this is over. DC back lounging in T Shirts and PJ bottoms !

Easter Eggs - sent via national firm to home to avoid a trip to the shops and also directly to elderly relative self-isolating to raise spirits.

Sports equipment for DC to carry on training at home. I've used the websites of two local sports shops that I'm worried will be losing a lot of trade. Both have messages up that the shop is closed but they are taking orders and sending out goods instead.

Maybe not essentials in everyone's book - but (excepting Easter Eggs) more or less what we need to stay clean, fed and healthy - so not absolute frivolities either. I wouldn't be ordering 'fast fashion' or cosmetics etc or anything I knowingly thought I might have to return.

I’ve just ordered shoes online.

I’m a midwife and my shoes often ‘go’ on the toes as I spend so much time on my hands and knees at a birth and they ‘went’ on Friday! So I’ve ordered a new pair from sketchers

I wonder how many of us will continue to order from the small businesses, when this is over?

It depends how you define ethical. I’m taking the view that buying online is helping to keep businesses afloat, plus it is a mental boost to have something to look forward to opening and god knows my mental health could do with a boost at the moment. In addition, I have a very young child and need to be able to buy new clothes as she grows out of them so fast, plus some craft stuff to keep her busy etc. I’ve ordered quite a few things since lockdown started, it’s helping to keep me sane!

The economy is on its knees as it is.

If you fail to order ‘non essentials’ more and more businesses will permanently fail, leading to more and more people without jobs and income for them and their families.

The more we can order from small businesses (take always, artisan shops and food makers) the better. It is their only hope of still being in business.

If we take a hair shirt approach to this the high street will only have the big name estate agents, hairdressers, chain restaurants and coffee shops when we emerge from lockdown.

If we order as much as we can afford, we will support the economy in return for minimal extra health risk.

As a small business owner I am hugely grateful for custom throughout this time. In fact, we are very busy. We are down to skeleton staff and taking hygiene in our studio very seriously. Having worked extremely hard to build the business I would be devastated if it stopped. We are currently donating some profits to the NHS and of course pay tax anyhow.

I order a desk chair from IKEA because 4 of us are working orc studying from home as we don't have enough office chairs and I could not continue using a dining chair. We've ordered a bike inner tube so Dd will be able to cycle with us. Madly ordered from Amazon and then noticed on Facebook an advert about a local bike shop that will deliver. I'm considering buying my dad a birthday present.

Is there any way to find shops delivering in a local area other than ad hoc Facebook adverts? I need a deliveroo for non food outlets?