Shopping online was predicted to take over traditional methods in the coming year, but with COVID-19 online shopping is now the only choice in some situations.
It has been convenient for customers to order things and get them shipped right to their door without leaving the house, but is requiring workers to leave the house during the pandemic to deliver nonessential things the right thing to do?
The ethical dilemma of having things that are not needed delivered during this time of panic has been a trending topic. Some say that this is not the time to shop leisurely for items that aren’t needed. On the other hand, this time of uncertainty brings stress upon a lot of people and shopping can be their coping mechanism.
Retail stores’ sales have skyrocketed during this time and it has encouraged more and more consumers to spend the money they are sitting on during quarantine.
The 2nd Mister Clark Atlanta University, Darius Roddy-Moore, weighed in on his shopping experience during COVID-19 thus far: “I’ve been shopping online because there are essential items that I need and there essential workers that need jobs. Essentials for me are deodorant, I buy online because it’s cheaper, a specific soap and facial cleanser.”
Roddy-Moore knows that certain things he could buy himself but during these times, but the risk of him getting the virus is higher if he leaves the house and interacts with people in the store.
Arionne Keaton, a doctor of pharmacy candidate at FAMU, has partaken in online shopping but for different reasons.
“I’ve been taking advantage of the sales and shopping often, I had to buy someone a gift. I haven’t been shopping unnecessarily though,” Keaton said.
Most of Keaton’s purchases have been from Amazon, which she says she trusts the most.
“I have confidence in the brand. I know that they are taking precautions during this time and Amazon is a more quality service than others,” she said.
Arionne added that she feels safe because she has no contact with these workers, “They deliver to our office where we usually pick up packages but since we can’t go in the office, the workers leave it at my apartment door.”
People say that this pandemic is not a time to self-indulge when there are people dying from this virus, but it is also an essential part of keeping the economy going.
“The market would go downhill extremely fast if people just stopped buying things. These businesses are staying open, consumers should buy,” Roddy-Moore, who majors in business with a dual concentration in marketing and management, said.
Without retail, jobs would be lost and businesses would close and a lot of these workers are considered essential during this time.
Roddy-Moore expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the people working to make these deliveries, because he knows this comes with a lot of risk.
“There should be regulations on the deliveries, such as no contact delivery. Also, I think all the workers should have free testing to keep the virus from spreading.”