Essential/Nonessential vs. Safe/Not safe

[mjkacmom]

They are doing this as of this past week, but honestly, it doesn't matter much. It's Walmart. In our area that pretty much means people don't follow the rules anyway. I guess the whole point of my original post was wondering why we are having some supposed non essential businesses close that generally have very few people in store at any given time, yet we still allow the massive chains to stay open.

We still have delis open, and some also sell meat, milk, eggs, bread, etc. One gets regular shipments of toilet paper and paper towels.

 

[2102raven]

Yes, there are a lot of caring people in this country. Sadly, the people I'm referring to stop caring, when they think it will negatively affect them financially even very minimally.

classic traits of an american

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Only publix has tape for one way aisles, but no one pays attention because honestly its stupid and just causes people to take longer, since most people don't shop every aisle.

It is far from stupid. Think it through. If people are moving in both directions down an aisle, you pass shoulder to shoulder breaking the most fundamental rule of social distancing.

 

[ronandannette]

Our stores are limiting how many go in, much less crowded. I haven’t been in a store in over 6 weeks thanks to online shopping and instacart. Sure, I might have to get up early to get a time spot, and direct online shopping with the stores is now impossible, but we are still managing.

We were in full quarantine for two weeks at the end of March and for the entire period (Mar. 21 - April 4) there wasn't one single insta-cart slot for either pick-up or delivery through any SuperStore in the city. I'd never used it before so I don't know how popular or efficient it was but the system is chaos now.

I placed a small order on Monday for some pharmacy stuff that I couldn't find elsewhere and had to choose delivery to get a slot (nothing available for weeks for pick-up). They ended up changing the time 5 times and it finally resulted in me having to make a flying trip from home to my office (the delivery location I specified) last night at 6:45 to meet them and get my stuff. I won't be using the service again.

 

[mjkacmom]

We were in full quarantine for two weeks at the end of March and for the entire period (Mar. 21 - April 4) there wasn't one single insta-cart slot for either pick-up or delivery through any SuperStore in the city. I'd never used it before so I don't know how popular or efficient it was but the system is chaos now.

I placed a small order on Monday for some pharmacy stuff that I couldn't find elsewhere and had to choose delivery to get a slot (nothing available for weeks for pick-up). They ended up changing the time 5 times and it finally resulted in me having to make a flying trip from home to my office (the delivery location I specified) last night at 6:45 to meet them and get my stuff. I won't be using the service again.

I’ve been a Shoprite online shopper forever, even I have been unable to snag a spot after midnight. I have luck with instacart first thing in the morning, I’ve used it with 3 stores (shoprite, Costco and my IL’s Shoprite). My next order is next Saturday. In the past they were always on time, but even Shoprite pickup gets delayed by hours now. I’ve also used amazon fresh and boxed, instacart is still my favorite since you can be in contact during the shop. I filed a credit card dispute with shipt, I was desperate to get food to my IL’s, I can’t get a time slot, and can’t contact them to cancel.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Is your Walmart not limiting the number of people in the store? All our stores that are open have lines to get in and 6ft markets to stand on. Inside they are very strict about distancing and have one way aisles. You can’t even put your items on the belt until the customer in front of you has left. You also have to wait for the belt to be disinfected. I wouldn’t feel comfortable going into any store that’s crowded.

I believe Walmart (and Target IIRC) are using a formula for # of people/1,000 square feet of store space. Given how large a lot of Walmarts are it's still a decent number of people that can be let in (more than you might think). PLUS if you tape off areas you are effectively reducing the available space those number of people can be in. It sounds good on paper to say "hey let's not have you wander the store looking for this and that" it's just not really practical in the end and can leave items taped off that honestly really don't have to be.

My husband went into our closest Walmart yesterday afternoon/early evening. Part of our stay at home order is the 6ft tape on the ground near check out-which that Walmart is more than 75% self-checkout anyways--Anyways they were not doing one-way aisles nor did that particular Walmart (yet at least) have items taped off from what he could tell but it did appear as if they were set up to limit, if needed, the number of people in the store. On the plus side they were fairly well stocked. Was able to get a 5lb roll of meat but they didn't have any cube steak left by the time my husband got there.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It is far from stupid. Think it through. If people are moving in both directions down an aisle, you pass shoulder to shoulder breaking the most fundamental rule of social distancing.

On the flip side it can make anyone be in the store longer than necessary as they weave through the one-way aisles and heavens if you forget an item at the front of the aisle or middle of the aisle can't backtrack and oh crap what if you can't find the item but then realize you just missed it or you didn't remember that X item isn't near this but it actually near that.

Walmart is good about item location with their aisles and the app (we use that a ton to find stuff) but they don't have 'bays' listed or whatever so it still takes quite a lot of looking around for said item. Many places aren't even set up labeling their aisle. By far the best experience I've personally had is Home Depot who not only has their aisles marked with the app but also within the aisle has 'bays' listed makes it quicker to locate (even if not perfect 100% of the time) items needed (Lowe's may have bays as well honestly can't remember off the top of my head). But of course people aren't doing the bulk of their grocery shopping at Home Depot lol.

My husband actually spent a while Thursday night using the Walmart app and our shopping list to mark down what aisle everything was supposed to be in to make it easier. He had a decent list and was there for a decent while anyways. I can only imagine how much longer it would have taken him and others should he have had to do one-way aisles. I agree with the one-way aisle in the concept but I've read enough stories that is works beautifully in some cases and disasterously in others.

 

[piccolopat]

I have no faith in any government, but capitalism is a failed experiment. It is time to try something new.

I don't think capitalism is a failed experiment but I do think there are things government can do to flatten the economic bell curve and preserve American jobs. For example, tax policy could make it undesirable to pay top management more than a certain multiple of the average wages for the company. Tax policy can also reward companies that keep their operations and sourcing of materials here while penalizing companies that don't. I think we've all learned the hard way that sending manufacturing overseas is not in the best national and national security interest of the U.S.

 

[pryncess527]

I dont know if capitalism is a failed experiment, but the crony capitalism we have going on now sure is (not specific to any presidential admin, its been going on for decades)

 

[MickeyMouse3!]

Our fine governor in Michigan has decreed that one can go into a big box store and buy some items but cannot buy gardening supplies, paint and other things. She has decreed that residents cannot travel from primary homes to secondary homes within the state. She has decreed that people can kayak and canoe but cannot use a motorboat. So how is safe/unsafe or essential/non-essential defined exactly?

 

[pryncess527]

Our fine governor in Michigan has decreed that one can go into a big box store and buy some items but cannot buy gardening supplies, paint and other things. She has decreed that residents cannot travel from primary homes to secondary homes within the state. She has decreed that people can kayak and canoe but cannot use a motorboat. So how is safe/unsafe or essential/non-essential defined exactly?

Michigan in particular does serm to have many non-sensical regulations. We havent had any issues with nurserys operating in Oregon for example (curbside & limited onsite) and its been good for mental health

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Glad you find comments amusing this morning @BuckeyeBama

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Glad you find comments amusing this morning @BuckeyeBama

 

[Christine]

Our fine governor in Michigan has decreed that one can go into a big box store and buy some items but cannot buy gardening supplies, paint and other things. She has decreed that residents cannot travel from primary homes to secondary homes within the state. She has decreed that people can kayak and canoe but cannot use a motorboat. So how is safe/unsafe or essential/non-essential defined exactly?

Not defending Michigan's decisions but just to play devil's advocate:

Limiting what you purchase in big box stores such as Target: I guess the governor is trying to ensure that shopping should be for essential needs only. You really can't win. In other states, where you can go to Target and buy gardening supplies, people are complaining that you should only be buying essentials and that letting people buy other things in big box stores unfairly punishes smaller stores because they don't sell food.

Secondary homes are often (not always) in rural or vacation spots that don't have the medical infrastructure that the more populated areas have. If everyone flocks to those areas and then gets sick, those facilities in the vacation spots may become overwhelmed. We've already heard complaints about this in Oregon and Arizona where people traveled to remote spots where they owned second homes and brought the virus to isolated areas that really had nothing.

Kayak and Canoe= 1 - 2 people. Motorboat = 1 - many people and often involves a dock and the necessity to gather together on the dock/slip. Of course, if you have a small motorboat this doesn't really make sense. But I guess they can't address every situation so the restrictions are generalized.

 

[Searc]

Not traveling to a vacation home during this time is common sense - that many people are disregarding.

Other states and counties have that request, not only Michigan.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Michigan in particular does serm to have many non-sensical regulations. We havent had any issues with nurserys operating in Oregon for example (curbside & limited onsite) and its been good for mental health

When a poster mentioned their relative's friend got a $1,000 fine for being on the boat with their girlfriend because they didn't share the same address on their DL...yeah it's clear some places aren't exactly looking at things the same way.

 

[mjkacmom]

Not traveling to a vacation home during this time is common sense - that many people are disregarding.

Other states and counties have that request, not only Michigan.

We have it in NJ, lots in north jersey have shore houses. I’m curious about our rental in July, VRBO paid in full.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Limiting what you purchase in big box stores such as Target: I guess the governor is trying to ensure that shopping should be for essential needs only.

The issue is what they end up determining as "needs" plus as others mentioned it just added a different issue, probably a worse issue in reality, by lessening the availability in space within the store to move around.

A lot of our issues throughout the U.S. is suddenly someone is determining what constitutes essentials and what doesn't when we haven't had to really think about it and it will vary based on location because different places have different economic set ups. And initially there were some real good reasons IMO to do so but it can also get out of control. Closing off shoes and clothes and craft items and baby items, etc You might think craft stuff is non-essential but what are you going to do with your time, why is it perfectly socially acceptable to buy up all the puzzles to the point where now you can't get them much anymore but someone wanting to paint some wooden letters (for example) is wrong?

What I think is at least a middle ground is allowing for purchasing online but I do know that for places like Walmart their in-store inventory is horrible in respects to what is listed on their app (so not normally very accurate). And the lead time for me on most products with Amazon is 3-4 weeks, understandably but I get it if you could get the item at your store today or within a few days by way of curbside or in-store pick up, why someone would buy it from there.

 

[sam_gordon]

Lowe's may have bays as well honestly can't remember off the top of my head

They do. I had to pick something up at Lowe's last week. I looked online before I left the house. It told me the row and bay the product I wanted was in. I went right there and found it. It took me ~5 minutes in the store total.

 

[sam_gordon]

people are complaining that you should only be buying essentials and that letting people buy other things in big box stores unfairly punishes smaller stores because they don't sell food.

I understand their reasoning, but I think it's flawed. Since you can purchase the same items online, doesn't that "unfairly punish smaller stores"? Sorry, IMO, if a store is open, a store is open and you should be able to purchase anything in that store.