Has the current Corona Virus outbreak worldwide affected your sales?

[citrine146]

I was planning to go back selling on Ebay on a larger scale but this time the Corona Virus which has affected most countries worldwide happened.  It could get worse, no one knows.

With airlines and all being affected ie flights slashed to a lot of destinations,  I was concerned that perhaps it could affect sales too.

Any experIences worth mentioning so far ?  Any comments would be highly appreciated.

[tootterri]

ME TOO

[j2774]

Well, that is a very good thing because the World Health Organisation has officially declared it a Pandemic.

I had to go to Walmart last night as I had a variety of items to pick up from all over the store.  I was very uncomfortable.  I use the hand sanitiser at the door, but not everyone does.  I imagine some employees enter at other doors, too, and there may not even be hand sanitiser at those entrances, not that I think hand sanitiser is going to totally protect anyone.  The store is so huge, and there are so many employees and customers coming and going all day and night.  I would not be surprised if someone contracts the virus and spreads it to a ton of people via Walmart, or Target, or a ton of other big shops out there that have a lot of traffic.  I am very worried I might contract it.

[nobody*s_perfect]

New research indicates that the new virus can survive on porous surfaces (such as cardboard) for 24 hours and on hard surfaces like metal and plastic for up to 3 days. So after you do your shopping, just set the stuff aside for 3 days and wash your hands.

[sin-n-dex]

---

@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

New research indicates that the new virus can survive on porous surfaces (such as cardboard) for 24 hours and on hard surfaces like metal and plastic for up to 3 days. So after you do your shopping, just set the stuff aside for 3 days and wash your hands.

---

I am buying in bulk, as in, fill the cupboards... it's minimizing trips to the store. I'm still good with food since my big $600 shopping spree on food and toiletries two weeks ago, but I'm out of fresh stuff... going to head out after work tomorrow and pick stuff up. In Canada a lot of produce comes wrapped up so people aren't touching the actual food (cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, celery, carrots).

I want to save my canned and frozen stuff in case I need it, and get sufficient fresh stuff to make my lunches and dinners for the week. (I'm big on pasta salad, greek salad, and cooked pasta that can be served cold the next day, sadly all I really know how to make is various types of pasta).

C.

[j2774]

Thanks.  If anything was on my shopping last night, I have already contracted it.  I think next trip to the market I am going to wear surgical gloves.  I was worried just leaving the market and touching my keys and steering wheel to drive home again.

[j2774]

There is also the worry of touching the petrol machines at the petrol station.  I always used to use a paper towel to lift the handle to use it and then put it back, but now I am extra concerned.  There is so much we touch in the world every day without thinking about it.  

I have a package coming from France hopefully by next week, and then another one coming from Spain in a couple of weeks after that.  I am not really worried about either one of them until they arrive in New York and then have to make their way across country.   In the last seven years, counting full timers, part timers, and temps, I have had well over 40 different postal carriers.  Stopped counting after 40, but I estimate the number must be getting close to 50 by now.  That never sat well with me even before this virus emerged.

[nobody*s_perfect]

---

@j2774 wrote: ... .  I am not really worried about either one of them until they arrive in New York and then have to make their way across country. ...I estimate the number must be getting close to 50 by now.  That never sat well with me even before this virus emerged.

---

Are you planning to pick up the package with your teeth?  Just bring it into the house, set it aside for a day or two, and wash your hands as I expect you do whenever handling incoming mail from those suspicious characters.

[j2774]

Well, now I know the restaurants are worried about business.  Just received an email from Golden Corral (mainly an all you can eat buffet restaurant) that mentioned these points.  I believe they will work hard to keep things sanitised, but I still will not be eating there until this virus is under control.  I had a feeling these sorts of restaurants would be amongst the first to be hit hard by a loss of customers.  It is so sad because the people who work there do not have a lot of other job options, so if they are laid off even temporarily, it is going to hurt them a lot I am sure.

• We have established a task force to continue to closely monitor this dynamic situation and are fully prepared to adapt and modify should circumstances dictate on a restaurant by restaurant basis 
• We are strictly enforcing our longstanding policy of requiring team members to stay home if they show or report any signs of illness
• Sanitizing the surfaces of all key guest touch-points a minimum of every 30 minutes
• Changing all serving utensils a minimum of every 30 minutes
• Diligently following current cleaning procedures using approved and effective sanitizing products
• Reinforcing stringent hand-washing practices requiring employees to wash their hands a minimum of every 20 minutes or between tasks
• Making sure all hand sanitizer stations are stocked and operating properly, as well as adding additional sanitizing stations throughout the restaurant

[joliefran]

It's not Trump's fault. But the poor and delayed federal leadership is Trump's fault and continues. The states are basically on their own.

[sell-vil]

Yes .. NO SALES 

[rluce29]

Any normal item that is not in high demand will not sell well on eBay these days, especially items over $100.  Covid-19 is keeping many people without extra cash to spend on items even when shopping malls are closed. In addition, charging local State Sale Taxes has hurt eBay sales.  People would rather buy, especially new items, from other online stores, who DO NOT CHARGE STATE SALES TAXES, on outside state buyers.  Also, many eBay Sellers do not allow returns.  Also, eBay charges state sales taxes on all USED ITEMS.   Also, eBay is illegally charging state sales taxes on international purchases, which is not required by State or Federal Laws.  All these factors are causing eBay sales to go down.

[bar-29368]

You are mistaken. For one thing the new "Internet Sales Tax" isn't actually a sales tax, it's a USE Tax and is governed by the buyer's location, not the seller's.