Is anyone else stuck at home, doing more internet spending!?

Is anyone else stuck at home, doing more internet spending!?
Posted by crazydoug on 25 Mar, 2020 11:29
I've noticed my online shopping is increasing dramatically as we are homebound for a few weeks due to the coronavirus. Even though we were forced by the governor to close our storefront business down, we have noticed a dramatic increase in our online sales. Fortunately we live in a small town, so a daily trip to the post office is just a matter of dropping off pre-labled packages. There is never more than one customer at a time in our P.O. even before this epidemic, so social distancing is not a problem.
Since most local businesses are closed, we find ourselves buying more online than normal. I would rather support our local business, since i am one of them as well, but this seems to be where we are at with the current situation. i did get a new sledge hammer handle at the local Amish buggy shop, as they pretty much ignore much of what our government pushes on the rest of us.
Hope you are all finding ways to keep sane while being "holed up" for a time.
crazydoug

#1 Reply
Posted by Nick on 25 Mar, 2020 12:09
I would love to be online spending right now, but not knowing how long this will last, I have stopped.

With the current pound to dollar conversion, it is the best time to be buying some engines from the UK.

I would also like to support local businesses, but quite often they don't have what I am looking for and they tell me they can order it but I have to pay the shipping... if that's the case, I'll order it myself and have it shipped to my door. I explain to them that it is hurting their business, but they just seem annoyed, shrug their shoulders and walk away.

#2 Reply
Posted by Stoker on 25 Mar, 2020 13:10
I really can't call it "stuck" at home, because generally speaking there's no place I'd rather be. It's really about like pulling teeth to get me to go to town, so I do it as infrequently as possible, and that's even without the current virus concerns. My internet "looking" has increased some, but "shopping" remains about at the same level of excessive as is usual.

#3 Reply
Posted by Belugawhaleman on 25 Mar, 2020 16:35
McMaster-Carr is probably pleased that I'm at home, have a credit card, and spend a lot of time browsing their
website. From squeeze bottles to Tygon fuel tubing I've had items showing up my address just about daily.......I
think I need counseling.

#4 Reply
Posted by Hero on 25 Mar, 2020 17:01
I have 5 cats. Since I'm stuck at home, Amazon is helping out with cat food and cat litter.

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#5 Reply
Posted by J.Jackson on 25 Mar, 2020 17:19
The local situation in my part of Americas’ heartland is getting worse each day. Normal bloodshed and crime is down a bit, but still horrific. We live near the most violent city in the USA (before the virus!)
New cases of the plague and subsequent death tolls are starting to rise. It’s a bit of a double whammy on top of the normal violence. Deaths from the virus have taken young and old.
Our USPS local office is doing a great job of mail and package delivery (I quarantine mail and packages a day or so in the garage, just in case)
We are leaving cash tips for the brave delivery drivers, trash collectors, and postal people to show our appreciation for their service in these trying times.
I look at items on the internet and bookmark them for latter when times are more certain. To keep up some cheer I have been trolling The ONION and The Babylon Bee websites for much needed smiles. It helps a bit to look at my steam and motor collections to make a list of parts needed just in case this danger last months, and I have to tinker on steam engines from the bunker.

#6 Reply
Posted by crazydoug on 25 Mar, 2020 21:21
I keep looking at the several new engines Jin is producing- very tempting......
crazydoug

#7 Reply
Posted by curiosity on 03 Apr, 2020 00:14
Am I what, lol... Just bought a K40 laser cutter. Also bought an upgrade board before it even arrived and other accessories. Was thinking about buying a mail order bride as well, (even started reading my junkmail) wife has decided for me that for my continued health outside the covid I would be better served if I spent my money elsewhere.. sighhhh

#8 Reply
Posted by St Paul Steam on 03 Apr, 2020 05:09
Life for me is still pretty normal, driving a semi for FedEx we are considered essential , so off to work I go everyday, the town I service everyday has went to code red , so there's little to deliver or pick up from, I do have one large seed corn & farm chemical supplier that is doing a pretty good job of filling me up right now, but that is seasonal & will be dried up in 2 weeks. I try to find something to buy on the internet ...but nothing good has popped up that I must buy, I must admit...with this Covid-19 thing , it has me reevaluating buying from China , its not just the disease thing , but supporting Americans more when I can.

#9 Reply
Posted by Woe is me on 03 Apr, 2020 08:58
I've slowed down for a couple of reasons.

1. I was watching Ebay in different countries. I'm waiting for one more item that I bought on March 17th to show up from Germany. I do not
want to bring in any more possible contaminated item's, we have enough here in our country right now.

2. There hasn't been much of a turn over in item's for sale. A lot of them have been there awhile and relisted over and over, and this goes for foreign
Ebay's also. When I would search, let's say, Marklin Steam Engines. The number of items found would be 140 -180,85. That's 3-4 pages. Now there
MIGHT be half those number's.

This kind of sucks but I have a lot of steam projects that have been put on the back burner for to long. So now is a good time to get some done
and keep in touch with all of you.

Hunker Down, Stay Safe.

#10 Reply
Posted by jkbixby on 03 Apr, 2020 09:19
I found myself ordering my Christmas present from Roundhouse yesterday which is scheduled to be built in October but the way things are going who knows, by then I might be sitting on the mantle in my little vase so won't care if it's late or not. Also gave in to an idea to haul my cat Maggie around behind my RC4WD Cruiser - ordered a trailer to carry the "lion's cage" I'll have to build.

#11 Reply
Posted by Nick on 03 Apr, 2020 09:39
Hope it's awhile before you're on the mantle, but I can't wait to see Maggie in the lion's cage

#12 Reply
Posted by Stoker on 03 Apr, 2020 16:05
Mostly I've been a pretty good boy, even though there have been many temptations out there.

But I just recently ran into some really like new condition, old survey items from a North Dakota college that no longer offers those courses. Bought one item from ebay for a super bargain, and then got hold of the fellow handling the sales outside of the bay by email, and he seems to want to make me deals I really can't say no to, even though disposing of my small amount of disposable income this early in the month is always problematic ... more especially so now, during these very uncertain times! If I go for this deal, it is almost certain that some highly desirable, long looked for item will crop up shortly, and I'll not have a chance to try for it. On the other hand, the same can be said for these very items now under consideration .... thus the dilemma!?!?

Sometimes life just isn't fair .... but then one must always consider the Murphy factor, and realize that "he" is our lawd & master, and always watching out for us, so that he can dumpeth upon us at the most inopportune moments!!!

#13 Reply
Posted by Stoker on 03 Apr, 2020 16:10
Quote from: jkbixby on 03 Apr, 2020 09:19
Also gave in to an idea to haul my cat Maggie around behind my RC4WD Cruiser - ordered a trailer to carry the "lion's cage" I'll have to build.

Not any too sure that Maggie is likely to much appreciate that .... and may not be your best buddy for some time afterwards!?!?

Never forget that sooner or later .... you're going to have to get some sleep!!!

#14 Reply
Posted by AirSpyder on 03 Apr, 2020 17:07
I have been tempted several times, I feel like I'm missing out on some good stuff but you never know what else will come with it.
Besides there so many unfinished projects laying about my place. this is a probably a good time to busy myself with some of them.