Community Chat

[stevieb]

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@Boehm Collector wrote:

@Sooner    I have relatives in the central part of Italy.  As you are probably aware, Italy has been hit especially hard.  However, none of my cousins have had any difficulty buying food!   I'm in New Jersey and the shelves in my local supermarkets are virtually empty.  My cousins in Italy have trouble believing me.  Go figure!

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@Boehm Collector  I think all of us are having trouble believing how this mess is unfolding... Some folks seem to think the US has cornered the market on wall to wall competence when clearly we haven't...

[stevieb]

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@Sooner wrote:

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@tototwo wrote:

@CalminHeart - you have toilet paper?!?!? I don't care what brand it is, we just want some!  We are also out of paper towels. Our stores order it, but don't receive it. Yes, I've asked.

I place pick-up orders at my supermarket, but only receive a fraction of what we ordered.  .

How can this happen in the good ol' USA?

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@tototwo How can this happen in the USA?  Well, everybody raced out on no notice and bought 4 to 6 weeks worth of groceries and other needed products.  No store or supply chain can handle that.

Especially since the advent of computers, the supply chain is much smaller than it used to be beause you have a tighter control on inventory, therefore can have a smaller stock on hand and less capital involved in having to warehouse more.  That's a big part of the problem.

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Fine... That explains how it happened, Now, the more important question is WHAT is anyone doing about it, because from where many of us sit, it doesn't appear there's any rush to address the problem...

[juperier3]

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@Shawnie wrote:

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@hopi wrote:

@manny2 They will text you while they shop.

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I have not experienced texts while they shop.  For each item their is a choice of Approve Best Replacement ot selct one in the app.  If they don't have the item i know when the order is finalized and they send you the receipt.

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I've used Instacart exclusively for groceries for almost a year now. Most of the time I do receive some type of notification if there's an issue. (I already have chosen substitutes for most items I normally buy since the ones chosen by the Instacart app are a bit strange at times). Some drivers do initiate more contact than others.

Under "Account"/"Your Account"/"Notifications" you are able to enter a phone number for them to text or call  you. I also have the app installed on my phone. But I mostly use my laptop or pc to place orders. I typically also receive a copy of the text notifications there, but there can be quite a gap, it's a good idea to have your phone handy.

I monitor online while they're shopping and can see if an item is being substituted or refunded. As long as they are still shopping, you can initiate contact with them. Note that sometimes a "substitution" will appear to be the same item...it typically is, just got coded in the system differently.

[Spurt]

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@stevieb wrote:

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@Boehm Collector wrote:

@stevieb ... we are also having trouble finding food: ie meat, poultry, eggs, milk, etc. Sanitizing cleaning supplies and hand sanitizers are no where to be found.  But yesterday I went to a supermarket near my brother's house.  With the exception of sanitizing cleaning supplies and hand sanitizers I was able to find everything I needed.   I don't understand how their shelves could be so well stocked while the shelves in our supermarket are virtually empty.  Both are in New Jersey.  

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@Boehm Collector  Exactly... Because there's no one in a position of authority to regulate how supplies are divided up and under these conditions, there needs to be...

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@stevieb 

I think part of the problem was that no one wanted to take the main responsibility and be "the bad guy"......and it was more of everyone for themselves type of mentality.....and we've seen how "well" (sarcasm) its worked....from beaches open during spring break, and cities not wanting to lose tourism dollars....

It seemed to matter how pro-active the Execs at the individual grocery store chain did to prepare for the crisis too... The CEO of our chain, HEB, started preparing for this with his suppliers and distributers way back in Janaury....and we are also fortunate that here the stores rely on many local farmers and local companies for many of the products too.....This is where it would be difficult for one person in a position of authority to make decisions that would apply for all states....Each state and with its own population has its own unique problems and also assets, so decisions were left up to local authorities which knows their area best....

BUT you are right....from the very beginning from past experience of natural disasters like hurricanes for example---nationally there should have been a limitation placed on certain essential products....I guess no one ever imagined that GREED and HOARDING would rear its ugly head as suddenly LOTS of Amazon/Ebay vendors appeared with TONS of stock for sale of these products that are hard to find locally ...and people in local cities saw it as a way to make a quick extra buck....

It also didnt help that the source of the virus provided either little or inaccurate information to other places and instead said, "we got it covered"......even help by U.S. medical specilists and researches was declined....

Just another example of poor planning---it seems like no one wanted to stop and prepare for a national crisis even though there were things that occured that should have given a clue....   things like natural disasters (hurricanes, floods, snowstorms etc....and 9/11.......)

[suzyQ3]

If the government isn't reponsible for overseeing all aspects of this crisis, then we shouldn't have a federal government. Of course, the states play a big part as well. Our governor has shined during this pandemic.

The last thing that I'm worried about right now is Big Brother taking over. I expect action, honest words, and follow-through -- oh, and clear, concise words that don't conflict with the next words that are spoken.

[lovesrecess]

I would check other grocery stores in your area. Kroger in my area has been out of very few things I have needed. I did read a food shortage may be coming. I see no real reason for one unless we are getting all of our food from China, which we are not.

[Spurt]

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

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@Moonlady wrote:
Anyone who looks to China for a model to which to compare our response, has lost all credibility.

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Well, @Moonlady, they just sent 1,00 ventilators to New York, and that is a credible statement.

The governor must be thrilled to finally get some response somewhere.

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Because the rest of the world was getting ready to pounce and see that they were punished and hold them responsible for not fully disclosing accurate information on what was happening....

Also look at the history ....they did away with 20,000 hospital beds and cut their healthcare to minimum levels ....doctors and nurses were already complaining that they didnt have the proper staffs or supplies to handle the routine medical situations---these huge cuts started back in 2016...way before the  pandemic .....maybe NY shouldnt have invested in failing ventures that cost 950 mill......Im concerned people in other parts of our country will suffer because of one areas poor planning and management....

[lovesrecess]

No way would I use QVC as my food source. Outrageous prices on food I don’t want anyway. Wish I had a vegetable garden now,,,,

[Drythe]

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@Sooner wrote:

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@stevieb wrote:

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@Sooner wrote:

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@stevieb wrote:

No food, no Kleenex, no toilet paper, no cleaning products, no masks... Instead of our leaders at all levels rattling on and on about the medical aspects of the situation, which clearly they, nor the supposed medical experts, have a clue how to contain or eliminate, some of them really should, by now, have turned their attention to the fact that the population needs food and essentials. Whenever I see someone waxing eloquent about this great land of ours, I feel compelled to point out that no aspect of this crisis has been or is being handled at all well and in fact, others have done a better job. When something 'unprecedented' happens, we require creative solutions and we're not seeing any. We've essentially been relegatded to living in a 3rd world country.

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@stevieb Yes.  A pandemic tends to level to playing field to what is normal life in the 3d world.  Most of the 1st world has been shut down.  And in Europe, countries are a lot smaller and populations not as scattered or as large as the US. 

Nobody expected this or planned for it.  No country that I am aware of was prepaired for it.  So I think in light of everything our infrastructure is still at work--we have water, light, electricity and food and necessities, so in light of everything we are blessed. 

Do we have what we want exactly? No.  But we are trying to help those most affected, see that nobody starves, and for the most part pull together to get things done and food to people.  

It is an unprecedented global disaster, and considering I am not going to seond guess anything. 

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Different perspectives @Sooner. We're allowed... It's an oversimplification to belittle or to imply those who see this as more than a mere 'incovenience' are somehow unreasonable... In too many instances, it's not a matter of moaning about forgoing what we 'want', which we might all agree is unreasonable right now, but of not having what we need. There's a pretty big difference and as you see here, there are people who do not have adequate food, can't seem to find it and who also don't have other necessities. I too am seeing neighbors helping neighbors, which is heartening, but what I'm not seeing is any local, regional or national authority taking control and doing much of anything except telling us to wash our hands, keep our distance and stay in 'if we can', knowing full well that for most of us, if we want to eat, we can't... Agreed, a disaster tends to level the playing field, but some of us will have to be excused for thinking the supposedly 'best and brightest' would have had some kind of a game plan for disaster. Clearly we don't... And when it gets right down to it, yes we are a large country with a large population, but other larger countries with larger populations don't appear to be quite as continually devastated as are we...

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@stevieb Really?  And what would those countries be? 

I think one of the bigget problems is that we depend too much on the government and have been going down that path a long time.  After all, there is only so much we can expect or they can do when the whole country is shut down.  Who plans for that?  I don't know of any country who does.

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@Sooner 

You moved into the acceptance of a situation I WILL not GLOSS OVER, 

“That there is only so much we can expect, or they (Our Government) can do when the whole             country is shut down.’ ————

WAIT WAIT !!   Not AFTER the WHOLE COUNTRY IS SHUT DOWN,

                        BEFORE THAT HAPPENS

What in the world is the responsibility of our GOVERNMENT IF NOT to prepare us for what is coming our way, and release that information to us?

It is not to squander precious advanced time until forced to admit the facts, kicking and resisting, all the way.  It is to inform us, advise us.

WE have no National Emergency Health Management System / Supply Chain Plan.

We have a huge well paid government.  

We SHOULD have these things.

It is a simple reasonable expectation.

If these things had been left in place, along with those experienced to manage them, the Outcome you seem to accept (Being Shut Down) would be significantly mitigated/lessened.

For example: It is unreasonable to expect that individuals, should be left to determine such matters as Stay At Home on their own personal whim.  There should be timely expectations, because as a whole, people are just not that intelligent.

On this we will just disagree.

[songbird]

Instacart has a different group of stores to draw from, depending you your area.  I got two stores that I tried,  Both large supermarkets.  I got everything I ordered, but eggs.  No eggs in either store.  I download an app and chatted with the pickers at the stores.  They told me if something wasn't there and what subsitute I wanted.  I've since joined Instacrt express (free delivery)  I don't fully expect Ill get everything I wanted, but better then nothing.  I can no longer order from my old standby Amazon Fresh.  I can't get a delivery slot.  There is another food delivery similar to instacart called Shipt.  I haven't tried that one.