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Should we be still buying on ebay?


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The bigger professional seller on ebay might have arrangements sorted for collection of parcels, but I'm thinking about individuals just selling a few items.

If we buy something that seller has to then go out to the post office to send a parcel which if we are being honest isn't an essential purchase for us.

By buying the odd watch or clock on ebay are we possibly adding to the spread of COVID-19 by making someone leave their house and go to the postoffice?

I'm also guessing if the seller is in a 'lockdown' area he also wouldn't be able to go to the post office

Heaven forbid but should the government be shutting down ebay like they have auction houses?

I guess it comes down to how far do we need to shut down everything to contain the virus.

This is just some internal thoughts I'm having with myself, I'm interested to see what other people think.

Thankfully I have enough projects already I could be kept locked in my house for a year and I still wouldn't finish them all.

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In the last couple of weeks listings have dropped off on ebay anyway there is far less of interest to me being listed on a daily basis, some auction houses have closed down totally but some are trying to muddle through by having online bidding only, which is fine but their postage charges are so astronomical it's not worth bidding.

I made my last local auction house purchases 2 weeks ago and thought then its a risk not worth taking.

I bought some gut line last week on ebay and paid for next day delivery still not received it whether this is down to the post office or seller I do not know but I will be holding off on any more purchases until this is over.

I hope restrictions will get tougher so we can get it over with, yesterday I made a short trip to pick my partner up from work whilst most people are heeding the need to stay indoors, I saw plenty of people not sticking to the rules, and even saw one chap spitting on the floor.

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We are probably 2 weeks behind in the progress than the UK but they have now restricted gatherings to just 2 people so things are tightening up here and after Wednesday I cant leave the metropolitan area, not that is that much a restriction as our metropolitan area is about 80 by 30km.

For the last 3 years we have had chickens and I noticed during the week we were getting low on their bedding and pellets so I told my wife we better go get it this weekend as next weekend we might not be able to. Apparently many people in the continuation of panic buying food have been panic buying chickens for eggs (I wonder if they realise they will have to wait at least 6 months before their hatchlings will give them eggs or that we are heading into winter so chickens malt their feathers and stop laying) so I had to go to 3 different stores to find pellets and bedding material as people had been panic buying that out too.

 

On the plus side I did manage to buy toilet paper today. :D

These are certainly different times we are living in, if you told me last year that buying an 8 pack of toilet rolls would make me smile I would of laughed at you.

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I have been concerned about the coronavirus being transmitted via the mail from the beginning. I thought that it may be the reason why so few young children seem to have been contracting the virus. After all, with few exceptions, mail is usually retrieved and handled by adults. Just a hair-brained theory I had. Who knows if it has any validity.

With one stupid exception, I have washed my hands immediately after opening the mail. After that brain-flatulence, I know bring in the mail and drop it in a bin. Two days later I open it. If something is in a plastic container/envelope, I will handle it more carefully, as it is reported that the virus can last 72 hours on plastic. Our overuse of plastic may get us yet.

So yes, I agree that mail transmission has to be considered as we work our way through this pandemic. Gloves, hand-washing, mail quarantine bins, whatever it takes to outlast the spiky little devils. Stay healthy all. Cheers.

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I did ponder the mail thing as well, I received a letter from the head of European operations saying that it was vital to stay safe during this period and thanking us for working during this period ( Believe me I wouldn't be if I had the option ) and outlining measures to take, this is a multi national company that until three days ago didn't have hand sanitizer or disinfectant available I had to bring my own.

What struck me about this letter was how totally unnecessary it was because the day before I had read the exact same message on a email he had sent to everyone, why on earth send it as a letter ? Prat

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They sent letters out over here also.  Sent them via TV, sent them via internet, sent them via Fakebook and then finally via post.  The wife ventured in to collect the postal box in town and found many of them laying on the floor of the post office.  Got them by rural post also.  We HAVE been notified.

Today:  Proper hand washing.

Tomorrow:  Proper use of turn signals on cars.

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