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Old 13th October 2020, 13:13
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Varley Isle of Man Varley is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Isle of Man, G.B.
Posts: 2,404
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.
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David V
Lord Finchley tried to mend the electric light
Himself. It struck him dead and serve him right
It is the duty of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisan

Last edited by Varley; 13th October 2020 at 13:16.
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