eBay

prettywoman-2012 · ‎03-16-2020

Just saw this in the news:

"Amazon announced Monday that it was opening 100,000 full and part-time positions as delivery demands increase and people begin to limit their movements to slow the spread of coronavirus."

This is from an article on nbc.news https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/live-blog/coronavirus-updates-live-u-s-cities-close-publi...

I think, if the River expects online sales to pick up volume, the same will happen on eBay, also. As I mentioned earlier, this would be logical, because we may be facing more lock-downs as this situation enfolds. People will spend more time on eBay and perhaps locate something unique. Especially, I wanted to encourage my fellow vintage and antique sellers to not throw in the towel, or not just now. THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE A HUGE ADVANTAGE over Amazon, because it vehemently refuses to embrace vintage products, be they as rare or beautiful as they come. eBay, on the other hand, has always been a great place to find these treasures of the past, by connoisseur buyers.

Let's see what happens, before making decisions. I for one am an optimist! Think positive!

And no, I did not turn into a cheerleader, but my logical thinking tells me this is not the time for despair over sales volume.

PW

mam98031 · ‎03-17-2020

@viapalmbeach wrote:
Don't count on it. Amazon just closed ALL sales (3/17/20) except for medical and home supplies for the time being

@viapalmbeach

You made my heart skip a beat. That is correct in part, but very misleading as that isn't exactly what they are doing. Careful with that. Online sales is the way some of us put food on the table and keep the lights on.

This ONLY affects sellers using FBA. Not all sellers.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/17/amazon-limiting-shipments-to-certain-types-of-products-due-to-covi...

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

mam98031 · ‎03-17-2020

@prettywoman-2012 wrote:
@viapalmbeach wrote:
Don't count on it. Amazon just closed ALL sales (3/17/20) except for medical and home supplies for the time being
I haven't heard about this yet - and certainly not when I posted my thread first - so are they going to NOT need all those 100,000 employees now? Something must have happened, some deal perhaps, worked out between the River and our Gov, for Amazon to change course. Do you happen to have a link or reference to where this information comes from?
Thanks
PW🐿

While not perfect, there are 1,000's and 1,000's and 1,000's of jobs opening up quickly for online ordering for groceries and drivers to deliver. Safeway, Kroger's, Fred Meyers, etc. just to name a few. So this will help with some of the economic impact to those finding themselves in the middle of a temporary lay off. Restaurants are hiring delivery drives right and left too.

Certainly not perfect, but it may help some get through this serious situation.

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

coffeebean832 · ‎03-17-2020

@viapalmbeach wrote:
Don't count on it. Amazon just closed ALL sales (3/17/20) except for medical and home supplies for the time being

They're not suspending any sales on their site.

They're limiting FBA inventory shipments from 3rd party sellers to their warehouses for most categories.

friedsambob · ‎03-17-2020

Wrong...they have in stock and are allowed to sell items we can't

prettywoman-2012 · ‎03-17-2020

@mam98031 wrote:
@prettywoman-2012 wrote:
@viapalmbeach wrote:
Don't count on it. Amazon just closed ALL sales (3/17/20) except for medical and home supplies for the time being
I haven't heard about this yet - and certainly not when I posted my thread first - so are they going to NOT need all those 100,000 employees now? Something must have happened, some deal perhaps, worked out between the River and our Gov, for Amazon to change course. Do you happen to have a link or reference to where this information comes from?
Thanks
PW🐿
While not perfect, there are 1,000's and 1,000's and 1,000's of jobs opening up quickly for online ordering for groceries and drivers to deliver. Safeway, Kroger's, Fred Meyers, etc. just to name a few. So this will help with some of the economic impact to those finding themselves in the middle of a temporary lay off. Restaurants are hiring delivery drives right and left too.

Certainly not perfect, but it may help some get through this serious situation.

@mam98031 Glad you have clarified this for all of us, especially, for @viapalmbeach When I saw his post, my heart also about stopped, but had to leave so I could not immediately verify whether the statement he made was correct. Looks like some misunderstanding on his part. I could not imagine Amazon announcing such thing as in my opening post, then 2-3 days later walking back on it. So, back to my positive mood again! Especially after having read what you wrote above, re: other companies also hiring.

Even with the food assistance program (I am thinking here about the food home-delivery assistance that they are considering for those who cannot leave their home, elderly etc.) we will need lots of delivery drivers and somebody also has to prepare that food, and carry the raw materials from a delivery truck inside a kitchen, so there will be other jobs, too. Although I am not sure how they will be able to keep all that food preparation safe from getting the virus on it. But maybe there is a way.

Ever since this virus raised its ugly head, I kept thinking of how we are heading towards a new world of automation and robots. But this situation has and will continue to teach us that perhaps relying on technology alone is a mistake and humans cannot fully be replaced by machines.

It will also teach us many other things, about ourselves and others, about our limits and vulnerabilities, greed and compassion, as well as strength, civility and resilience - or the lack of these.

I just so wish this learning experience came at a far less severe price to pay.

Peace to all

PW

mam98031 · ‎03-17-2020

@prettywoman-2012 wrote:
@mam98031 wrote:
@prettywoman-2012 wrote:
@viapalmbeach wrote:
Don't count on it. Amazon just closed ALL sales (3/17/20) except for medical and home supplies for the time being
I haven't heard about this yet - and certainly not when I posted my thread first - so are they going to NOT need all those 100,000 employees now? Something must have happened, some deal perhaps, worked out between the River and our Gov, for Amazon to change course. Do you happen to have a link or reference to where this information comes from?
Thanks
PW🐿
While not perfect, there are 1,000's and 1,000's and 1,000's of jobs opening up quickly for online ordering for groceries and drivers to deliver. Safeway, Kroger's, Fred Meyers, etc. just to name a few. So this will help with some of the economic impact to those finding themselves in the middle of a temporary lay off. Restaurants are hiring delivery drives right and left too.

Certainly not perfect, but it may help some get through this serious situation.
@mam98031 Glad you have clarified this for all of us, especially, for @viapalmbeach When I saw his post, my heart also about stopped, but had to leave so I could not immediately verify whether the statement he made was correct. Looks like some misunderstanding on his part. I could not imagine Amazon announcing such thing as in my opening post, then 2-3 days later walking back on it. So, back to my positive mood again! Especially after having read what you wrote above, re: other companies also hiring.

Even with the food assistance program (I am thinking here about the food home-delivery assistance that they are considering for those who cannot leave their home, elderly etc.) we will need lots of delivery drivers and somebody also has to prepare that food, and carry the raw materials from a delivery truck inside a kitchen, so there will be other jobs, too. Although I am not sure how they will be able to keep all that food preparation safe from getting the virus on it. But maybe there is a way.

Ever since this virus raised its ugly head, I kept thinking of how we are heading towards a new world of automation and robots. But this situation has and will continue to teach us that perhaps relying on technology alone is a mistake and humans cannot fully be replaced by machines.

It will also teach us many other things, about ourselves and others, about our limits and vulnerabilities, greed and compassion, as well as strength, civility and resilience - or the lack of these.

I just so wish this learning experience came at a far less severe price to pay.
Peace to all
PW

Don't over think things. That will drive you nuts or the need for medication. Hardly worth it.

BTW I should have also mentioned that at least for Fred Meyers, hiring the are directly going after food servers that have temporarily lost their jobs in the restaurants. Which I personally thought was terrific.

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

prettywoman-2012 · ‎03-17-2020

Well, it looks like now they are talking about "significant" amount of $$ (=stimulus check) going to Americans before mid-April.

One thing I keep wondering is, how will this virus affect all the homeless people and whether they, too, get any money. Most likely, not. But there are so many who (even with kids!) have jobs but living in the streets, in their car, or at the mercy of others who let them stay - for a few weeks at a time. With no permanent address and bank account, many will end up in an even worse situation than they are, now ,not only health-wise but also, I am not sure they would get any stimulus check...

And if anybody believea that only drunkards and junkies can become homeless: no need to respond.

As for businesses: there are MANY who are self-employed so they may not qualify for the small-business tax deferment - that is also going to be part of the stimulus bill (businesses with more than 500 employees who owe to the IRS will get up to 90 days after April 15th to pay, and smaller businesses "can apply" to get the same postponement).

PW🐿

@pburn wrote:
I see:

free CoronaVirus tests
paid emergency leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave for impacted workers who are employed by a company with fewer than 500 workers. (There is an exemption for businesses with 500 employees or more.)
expanded federal funding for Medicaid to government entities (not individuals per se).
The proposals address paid sick leave for people who work in small businesses, but that does not address people who have their hours cut or completely lose their jobs because of the virus. As horrid as this pandemic is, there were about 4,500 cases as of this morning. I'm sure not all of those people are in the workforce, much less working for a small business. This provision doesn't seem to me to help all that many people on any kind of widespread scale.

The OP's statement was that the "stimulus package will make up for a lot of loss in income." Other than paid sick leave for workers in small businesses, I don't see it; nor were there any provisions at all for "the average person" in the $8.3 billion stimulus package signed by the president March 6.

mam98031 · ‎03-18-2020

Wow, when did that change. It must have been just in the last few hours. It was around $1,000 for those that don't exceed certain income caps. POTUS wanted the check to be a bit more than that but didn't say how much. And most important it was to be mailed out within 2 weeks.

That is too bad that it may take a month or more for it to get sent out. A lot of people will miss their rent payment without the help. But we know politicians are none too fast!

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

prettywoman-2012 · ‎03-18-2020

@mam98031 wrote:
Wow, when did that change. It must have been just in the last few hours. It was around $1,000 for those that don't exceed certain income caps. POTUS wanted the check to be a bit more than that but didn't say how much. And most important it was to be mailed out within 2 weeks.

That is too bad that it may take a month or more for it to get sent out. A lot of people will miss their rent payment without the help. But we know politicians are none too fast!

I watched the videos about the announcement where Mr. Mnuchin stated, it will go out to Americans "within the next couple of weeks," because "the President instructed him to do something. " But the commentary beneath that recorded press conference said, "by Mid-April." It was on FOX and I haven't yet checked nbc or BBC etc. I usually read a wide variety of sources.

From what I gathered, it looks like the vote was postponed on this new package, until tomorrow (because Rand Paul wants to add an amendment about ending the war in AFGHANISTAN and also wants some change to the stimulus disbursement in that only those with a SSN should get money). We shall see tomorrow what happens.

Nighty nite

PW👀🐿