Online Shopping for Essentials Only
In the News
Anyone else think online shopping should be limited to essentials only? I've seen a lot of offers and advertisements for online shopping and people seem to think that being stuck inside means time to spend shopping online. But do you really need to order clothes and shoes and other similar items right now at the risk of postal workers and those working in factories packing these orders? This is not essential. The post office are currently under so much pressure and trying to support with NHS deliveries etc but still delivering unessential parcels such as these.
Personally I won't be ordering anything online unless absolutely essential until all of this is over. I don't understand the justification for ordering unessential items right now, and putting people at further risk.
Of course I am not talking about food and other essentials such as cleaning products/medication etc
So what is essential? because Amazon think a loaker waffer is essential which cost a pound....and they deliver it, they can not bulk it with other stuff.....Also there are no essentials on Amazon Prime, because they moved everything to Fresh and that is naughty...so u can order candies....lolipops because they are essential....all beans, rice, pasta are out of stock
Supermarkets have limit on essentials....so u can not order just a certain amount and whoever made the system did not think about the big families....I understand one tin of beans is enough for 1 for 2 days...but than how we will shop once a week????????Pretty much shows people who made up the system have no idea about life.
For everyone...essential is a different thing....u believe or not for me glasses would be essential, because the pandemic did not stop them to break...
And u can not order foods anyway, because there are no delivery slots....none
After 3 days I found a click and collect slot in a Sainsbury's....and I tried all the supermarkets, different times, even in the night 1 am....
Cleaning products and medicines also out of stock in lots of places...when Boots has no painkiller that shows something...people went berserk to get ready to war or something...nothing left.....and the Government said there are stuff...but there is none....I deal hunt....try to share deals which make sense, essentials can be ordered for people who decided to stay home.
Agree that glasses, food, cleaning products etc are essential, I didn't say they weren't. I'm talking about ordering clothes and things like that, I keep getting emails from brands like Missguided, ASOS, JD and H&M - and likewise seeing friends say they're ordering from these places as they're home they seem to have time to online shop for stuff like this. But our posties are stretched thin and so ordering things like this right now seem totally unnecessary and it means people are having to work in factories and delivering just to get us things like this. Plus, you're not going to be able to show off all these new clothes etc any time soon so I don't see why people are ordering. I think the companies should not be operating and advertising, I'm saying the entire fault lies with the consumer.
Agree. While some essentials are shared with everyone, there are some things that are essential for some but not others. And why not also order non-essential stuff while you order the essentials?
MeestairChrees Oh yeah when you're already shopping for other things it doesn't hurt to also add a few non-essentials to your basket/trolley/order, as I said before I was mainly referring to the ordering of clothes and shoes etc, to be clear separate orders from retailers that are non-essential and are putting their workers at risk by staying open when they should - following government advice - be closed as they aren't essential.
lornaae I've heard some people say that certain foods aren't essential too (just nice to haves), which is why I mentioned that.
lornaae but I think Johnny has a point. With places closing, they may not exist for much longer. Keep online shopping to reduce the damage.
AgnesFaludi but why should you, if you're buying other stuff too? You're in a shop already. Just pick up other items. Not hurting anyone.
MeestairChrees yeah but Amazon do not bulk them anymore....if u buy a box it will come in may and if u buy a chocolate bar it will come in 2 days
AgnesFaludi ah, I wasn't just talking about online stuff, just generally buying stuff, online or in store.
lornaae sorry but I have a growing child, plus limited wardrobe space so I have NO summer suitable clothing. Do you expect me to go around in a woolen jumper and super thick leggings? Not happening.
I think we should carry on online shopping as normal not least to keep companies afloat and save jobs. Many firms will catch up as they take on new delivery drivers. I think the way we shop will change enormously over the coming months with a massive shift to online, especially amongst the older age group who are not so used to it. Once the worst is over I think weβll probably stick to online shopping, so we may as well start developing the necessary infrastructure and new business models now. Sitting on our hands and our money during this corona virus (rather than spending it and supporting businesses) will be an absolute disaster for our economy and people's jobs, and create a new, much much bigger crisis.
I was just thinking itβs time we brought back the milkman and his milk float to deliver milk bread eggs etc. It would help stop loads of people from βjust popping to the shopβ.
That's a good idea about the milk float. I don't see why clothes companies etc are still open though for online orders? That is not an essential and factories mean hundreds/thousands of people are having to go out, the companies should surely close and give their workers 80%. The more people stay home, the quicker we can flatten the curve
There are two sides to this one. I managed to get a food delivery slot yesterday (it was the only one with a delivery charge and I couldn't believe it had not been snapped up earlier) and I really had a guilty moment at the end of my essential-only selection - should I pop a couple of bottles of wine in the trolley or not? Was it essential? Food and drink = feeling of comfort and wellbeing. This is going to be a long lock down.
Clothes online - I've stopped posting deals like this but it can't be denied that this will help businesses stay afloat. I've noticed many of the businesses are offering free delivery so they must be quite desperate to keep trading.
I have massive respect for the posties all around the country and can only comment on the views of a couple that deliver to our address - both told me they would rather be working and they are all following strict guidelines.
Sadly, there is no easy answer.
I wouldn't think adding extra non-essential items to a grocery order like you're describing is much of an issue. I'm talking more about clothing companies and similar, like you I've stopped posting these kind of deals.
Iβve been buying online as usual if the company is still trading. My orders are not essential so the postman can take his time delivering. I firmly believe we should support those companies trading. Iβve ordered some bits from John Lewis this afternoon, all their store are closed but internet shopping is open.
I think it's up to the individual,what we might deem not necessary another person might find useful or essential.I had to order a gift for my daughters birthday,which is around easter,so hopefully it will get here x
To be fair, you didn't have to order that at all. I'm pretty sure your daughter would understand if she had to wait, just like a lot of people celebrating birthdays during this time. Equally, people don't need Easter eggs but you can guarantee thousands will be out in their cars delivering them, giving the emergency services more to worry about when those idiots inevitably crash into each other.
Dennab yes I agree,I didn't have to order it,part of the reason is/was i only venture out for essentials 
my daughter is very understanding,but it's nice to have something to smile about when couped up for weeks & no,no Easter eggs for us
Caz2 I have a relative turning 30 this month. She is intelligent and realistic about the current situation. She'll be celebrating properly with all of us when this is all over. A birthday girl having one disappointing year is a small sacrifice if it helps to stop the spread of a deadly virus! A baby died of COVID-19 in the USA two weeks ago. No heart?!
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/six-month-old-baby-coronavirus-18083386
Caz2 Honestly I'm just disappointed you've even said that. I had ups and downs with birthdays as a child but really couldn't care less right now if I'd gone a few years without any presents. I would like to still have both my parents and some won't by the end of this because someone's daughter couldn't be disappointed on their birthday.
Caz2 My daughter turned 14...she's really selfless and despite what's been going on with the lockdown maintained a positive outlook and kept busy with her art.Both my kids 9/14 have been at home for the whole duration unless accompanying me for a walk with the pooch,luckily I have a few fields near me she's also great at baking and made her own birthday cake,so the gift i purchased made her day x
Dennab a small child will still be upset if theyve no present no matter what you say- and yes they still want their parents,and a gift,theyre small kids! The postie is gonna come anyway with bills etc so why not bring the kid a gift too.jeez as if kids havent got little enough to look forward to at this rotten time..they deserve some cheering up..talk about ebenezer scrooge!
nina090976 ignore Dennab, just being mean to children...i understand perfectly,its my sons birthday on sunday..the kids have enough to be upset or worried about..let em have a gift i say
Dennab and im dissapointed youre tryna blame a child for someone dying just cause they had a present delivered (same delivery person who chose to carry on working,knowing the risks,who also is delivering to loads of others anyway,yet youre blaming that one child! Thats mean,i dislike mean people.
Dennab yeah but your relative aint a child..my daughter was 40 on easter sunday& had her anniversary,she did not mind not celebrating it,my son however is not an adult,he is having his birthday this week,and yes hes getting a present.cause hes still a kid..stop being a muppet and peeing on peoples chips! 
The "postie" who delivers bills is often separate from the one who brings parcels. The sorting offices are the issue anyway. They are as busy as Christmas. If you bothered looking online, you'd know that and also see the walk outs. Your child getting a parcel is more important than my relative's health though, isn't it?
More incidents happen with more people on the roads. This is something I also have a direct insight into. It has nothing to do with the reason somebody is travelling and you're calling me a muppet. 
If you can't understand, don't worry you are not alone. The death toll is almost 13,000 now so let me know when you wake up.
Caz2 no one's saying that by buying your child a present it's gonna be their fault for someone dying. But you've gotta be aware that everything you order online means someone has to work in a factory and someone else has to work to deliver it and probably a bunch of other people. If no-one ordered from ASOS during all of this then their workers wouldn't be seriously ill right now. But they've still had to work in a busy factory without sufficient PPE and so they got sick, for what? So the less people order non-essentials online - the less people have to work in factories and the less people have to work delivering these goods. Plus, as I've said before, delivery services such as the Royal Mail are really under pressure and trying to help to deliver medical good etc, so if we can lessen the pressure by not ordering things that we don't really need right now, every little helps.
Dennab shut up you muppet.other folk are allowed their own opinions just same as you..just cause someone has a parcel delivered doesnt means the royal mail man/ woman is going to die..they are working anyway,so i dont see your problem.if somone wants a delivery its up to.them maybe its time you wake up yourself and see its a free country (aside from lockdown) if we want to buy someone a gift,thus cheerìng them up,we can.why are you always moaning just cause everyone doesnt think mean like you?
Caz2 Resorting to personal insults is a sign of lacking intelligence. If you don't get it by now (along with the merry little brigade who sit in the shadows liking your comments), you never will. This virus will continue to spread and we'll all be stuck in lockdown for even longer, affecting the whole economy, not just retail.
Dennab i do not lack intelligence..im just sick of morons who like to dictate to everyone else what they should or shouldnt or can/ cant do.and as was pointed out to you by others- buying things is helping keep economy going.the royal mail, along with all couriers,are going to work and it wont matter what you say.so if we parents wish to buy our child a gift,we shall.so shut up.we've heard enough.youre getting your 15 minutes of fame arent you.domineering tw*t.
Caz2 so mature of you to resort to name calling in so many of your comments. It's largely companies responsibilities yes, but consumers have a large part to play and you can choose to support or not support companies. Plus, many companies are open to provide essentials but would be under a lot less pressure if people didn't order non-essentials from them too.
Johnny angemski Pjran nina090976 this is interesting to read though - in regards to companies staying afloat etc, they are doing so while putting their workers at risk, and for what, so that people can get clothes delivered? This is not an essential item (at least not cor these companies to stay open, if you desperately run out of clothes supermarkets sell clothes so you wonβt go without) https://www.gmb.org.uk/news/asos-playing-russian-roulette-peoples-lives
There are no supermarkets here that sell clothes or shoes in fact youβre lucky if they have any food left.
Unfortunately my local supermarkets are under immense pressure,due to people panic buying.Like many others,I've been adhering to the government's advice and only go out if absolutely necessary,if I have a delivery it gets put in a safe place,no contact made.
nina090976 some people have had to buy their FOOD on Amazon also- but i suppose dennab would say that wasn't essential too- while opening the parcel with the computer part in it....
Caz2 the government actually recommended if/ where possible to order food online,for most it's been a nightmare to even get a slot 
like you mentioned,amazon has a good selection of different foods,..either way I've been pretty much housebound these past few weeks,so have the kids...if I have any form of deliveries it just gets left in the porch.I know everyone has their own opinion,hence we can all just try to do our best..my neighbourhood has been great&have been adhering to the government's advice x
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