Covid-19: In-Store Versus Online Shopping
Are you an avid shopper? Do you have a therapeutic experience walking down the supermarket aisles? Then you are as much in a dilemma as I am with this pandemic. You are probably thinking of making serious adjustments to the way you shop.
Photo by Bluehouse Skis on Unsplash
Old habits die hard, at least in my case. There are pleas for social distancing. There are pleas to avoid unnecessary travel. These are difficult to adhere to. I made changes gradually. First, I used hand sanitizers generously while shopping weekly. The sanitizers make sense when considering the non-practicality of washing your hands in transit. Then I went from weekly shopping to monthly shopping. I just aggregated my shopping lists into a major list.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Now a bit on the experience while shopping in-store; I began shopping at off-peak hours. I am not a fan of latex gloves, so I stuck to hand sanitizers. While shopping, I observed some shoppers using facial shields.
Oh, and the comedy that other shoppers and I created while in the aisles. It seemed like if I wheeled my cart to an aisle, some shoppers seemed to exit. I learned quickly and returned the favor. Imagine being in an aisle by yourself, even for bestseller items.
Photo by Phuong Tran on Unsplash
Post-shopping, I am catching up with an old friend on the impact of COVID-19. She very much agrees with infrequent shopping, but she adds a twist: “Why aren’t you shopping online? At least you can shop online and choose the option to pick up at the curbside…”. She argues in favor of social distancing.
And my mind extrapolates even further…. what about shopping online and getting it delivered home? Doesn’t it reduce my risk even further? It considers cost savings on trips to the store. There is an option to waive the delivery fee if I meet a certain threshold offered by lots of stores.
There is another angle: what if the grocery packer has COVID-19 but has no symptoms? What about the truck driver? What of those stocking the shelves? When my goods arrive, I arm myself with antibacterial wipes and a bowl of soapy water. I must do due diligence.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
You see the mental dilemma COVID-19 puts some of us through. We are planning, extrapolating, strategizing, and changing [the only constant thing]. Some are following public health guidelines. Others are copying their fellow humans. Some are doing what they think is right in their minds. There’s still another set that is a mix of all groups. I am sure there are those who are unclassified.
What team do you belong to? a. Team In-store shopping with gloves and masks, b. team online shopping but pick in store’, c] ‘team online shopping and deliver to my house’ or d. Team, please leave me alone but wake me when the pandemic is over’.
Photo by Perry Grone on Unsplash
Guess what…I have not decided on switching to online shopping. It is worth considering in the future, but can I sustain the restlessness that would come from a lack of human interaction? What about the therapeutic benefit of walking down the aisles?
Wanna read something different: