Online shopping now pandemic

[DeniseDArteaga]

Hi,

What do you think is the advantages and disadvantages of online shopping especially now pandemic?

will there be a cause for it?

[Varley]

Although our insular balance of payments is not a published statistic that I know of we must still have one. For that reason I buy locally when that is practicable, ideally including delivery. This is no rebel attitude simply ones local economy, and therefore one's own, is best served by doing so. There has always been limits. I do not refuse smelly cheese simply because it is not one of the excellent creamery's product and, of course, much else that is not produced locally or which is simply too expensive or not available.

So? I have therefore been shopping on line for those off-Island items since the market started and I have seen little expansion in that market resulting from Covid 19 uptake. Obviously volume must have risen dramatically.

Some local suppliers (of both local and imported products) have offered 'on-line' service even if this is more of an exchange of Emails and use of Electronic banking. I would like to see that more usual regardless of C19. There was a flurry of such activity with on-line services added after lock-down but our lock-down has been lifted, with exceptions, since June. I am not sure how many of those hastily bolted-on facilities will survive into 'normal'. 'Normal' of course remains as far off for us as elsewhere with just our present not-normal being more comfortable than most other places. An increasing feeling of caution, with now 6 cases (5 not in the community, it is not clear about the 6th).

I was using one of the principal wholesaler's on-line service during lockdown and have not kept that up - although convenient they are outside their quality comfort zone (minimum quantities required domestic management such as increased and unusual use of the freezer and the retailers' eyes for weeding out the odd rotten apple etc.). I would go back to them were we tro lock-down again but would not willing use them in 'normal' unless they establish a retail process.

Before Tesco's arrived there was at least one general shipping provider (Pantry Packers, any three shops for a fiver picked according to customers' requirements) which I used. Tesco announced that their arrival would include a home delivery service, something which I consider an unacceptable monopolistic feature, and Pantry Packers sensibly stopped trading. I was rather proved right in the monopoly stakes as Tesco's homed deliveries became almost impossible to engage sensibly when the requested volume surged in C19. It would be a good outcome to see some independents back in the market or all the retailers competing over deliveries.

(God, I must be bored this morning. Now you will be too if you got here) An afterthought. Why are we doing this in Stormy Weather? I'll have to go back and put some angry expletives in.

[CliveH]

Fortunately, I live in a city centre with shops close at hand so I have no reason to shop on-line at all.

[Dartskipper]

Shopping on any line can be very risky. Especially the the East Coast Main Line. The speed those express trains go over the level crossings ought to discourage any Local Authority establishing a shopping centre on, or next to, one.

[Varley]

But Confucius, he say, main line carry not only express but also stopping train with little-old-lady-people-go-shop.

Either DeniseDArteaga is a silicon based lifeform that passes the Turing test or is real. I had a double take after running off at the keyboard. An unseafarey post in unsuitable forum with an October 2020 join date and thought that I had been 'had' but there are other posts, not perhaps off-topic but not quite 'on' either, if you get my drift.

[Dartskipper]

Someone from the 5th Dimension perhaps?

Is this the dawning of the Age of Aquarius???

[Steven68]

I am one of those who love online shopping, it refer to buying products and service from online store through online payment and get delivery on home. Online shopping is the best option in this covid 19 situation. There is a uprise in online shopping these days. More and more shops are converting in online mode to sell their product and disadvantage is addiction to ordering.

[Lao Pan]

Yes I had noticed this online shopping pandemic - hopefully someone will come up with a vaccine - or cheaper overdrafts

[Ken Wood]

Originally Posted by Dartskipper

Someone from the 5th Dimension perhaps?

Is this the dawning of the Age of Aquarius???

No. ‘‘Tis the Age of Asparagus. Ask any Vegan.

[garryNorton]

We do our grocery shopping on line as it is easier and saves bringing heavy bags home on the bus.
Some smaller things I buy at the cheaper stores and bring home in my trolley.