Why are certain shops saying they're going to stay open?

mankteln

Despite the government's announcement?

Case in point: Harvey Norman

https://www.harveynorman.ie/covid-19...formation.html

Hardly essential to keep their shops open when they could still run online sales and delivery while reducing risk to the public and their staff.

Becomes clear that it's simply profiteering when you see the kind of thing their founder is coming out with in Australia.

https://www.adnews.com.au/news/australi ... e-pandemic

What a despicable man

recyclebin

Not defending this particular shop but fridges, ovens, washing machines etc will still break down and need to be replaced. It's a lot of money to be spending online and the returns policy might not that simple or cheap if its delivered and needs to go back.

mankteln

But Curry's, who deal with similar goods, closed today.
There's nothing that couldn't be dealt with online/over the phone other than browsing/going out to buy items which people shouldn't be doing now anyway.

Queasy Tadpole

Whats the problem here?

Essential items break down that often needed to be replaced. These stores are huge, quite easy to keep 2m away from each other, get what you need and get out.

mankteln

Queasy Tadpole wrote: »

Whats the problem here?

Essential items break down that often needed to be replaced. These stores are huge, quite easy to keep 2m away from each other, get what you need and get out.

Even easier to get them online and be delivered no? And staff don't get to "get in andget out"

i57dwun4yb1pt8

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Queasy Tadpole wrote: »

Whats the problem here?

Essential items break down that often needed to be replaced. These stores are huge, quite easy to keep 2m away from each other, get what you need and get out.

freshpopcorn

The amount of people I know who hasn’t any type of bank card to purchase something either online or over the phone is very high.

Rodin

mankteln wrote: »

Despite the government's announcement?

Case in point: Harvey Norman

https://www.harveynorman.ie/covid-19...formation.html

Hardly essential to keep their shops open when they could still run online sales and delivery while reducing risk to the public and their staff.

Becomes clear that it's simply profiteering when you see the kind of thing their founder is coming out with in Australia.

https://www.adnews.com.au/news/australi ... e-pandemic

What a despicable man

Electrical outlets are permitted to be open as am essential service.

mankteln

freshpopcorn wrote: »

The amount of people I know who hasn’t any type of bank card to purchase something either online or over the phone is very high.

Really? No bank account? Is that you Bertie lol

If true what age are these people? Would they be elderly who are exactly the cohort we are supposed to be keeping away from shops etc over this period. I'd hope someone in their support network could get whatever they needed online instead.

mankteln

Rodin wrote: »

Electrical outlets are permitted to be open as am essential service.

Yeah we've diverted from UK/NI policy on that (where Harvey Norman is closed now btw) despite all the talk about of a unified response, I would've hoped that the retailers would interpret the advice ethically behave responsibly and move to online only, in the UK sports direct said they would stay open (allowed as a bike shop and apparently said sporting goods are essential) but luckily are now moving to online only after a backlash. This gives you an idea of the ethical standards of the type of company that are seeking to profit from this

Foweva Awone

recyclebin wrote: »

Not defending this particular shop but fridges, ovens, washing machines etc will still break down and need to be replaced. It's a lot of money to be spending online and the returns policy might not that simple or cheap if its delivered and needs to go back.

And also there are so many people working from home, some for the first time, looking for the necessary equipment.

Eire Go Brach

recyclebin wrote: »

Not defending this particular shop but fridges, ovens, washing machines etc will still break down and need to be replaced. It's a lot of money to be spending online and the returns policy might not that simple or cheap if its delivered and needs to go back.

Well buying online from stores in Ireland. Gets you the same rights as if you went in to the store an bought it.

I suggest the OP visits some of these stores. It’s 1:1 ratio of staff that customers are allowed in. You can not browse. You need to know what you want. Stopped at door and asked.

Curry’s closed. But are entitled to be open If they choose and follow the government guidelines.

listermint

While I'm all for calling out profiteering I don't think it applies in this case.

They're following government guidelines.

If you read this very website there are people needing printers , chairs , desks computers and all sorts for home working.

Not everyone has online purchasing ability and not everyone can wait a week for delivering as is the new norm Amazon is now in the 7 days plus range.

Not every store has online purchase stores either.


HN is big enough to allow for an effective smart distance policy

The chan chan man

The whole thing is geared towards keeping the country working. Its a good call in my view.

Pauliedragon

One of the off license chains had said they are staying open as they are deemed an essential service. Booze can be bought in supermarkets. I've no issue with it but it's a bit murkey deciding what's essential or not.

Sheep Shagger

You actually getting more rights buying online than you do buying in store- always clock and collect where possible for this very reason.

Power City are also open as an 'essential service' although their website does say opening is more to go in quickly, buy, then leave. They have requested no browsing in store.

The Jman

I like the idea of having someone at the front door ask what you want to make sure people don't just go in for a browse to kill time. I work in what I consider a very non essential shop which is hopefully closed today, the amount of people just going in to look around and have a chat is crazy. I've seen the same woman in there 5 times in the last week, just looking to get out of the house as she puts it!!

mankteln

Eire Go Brach wrote: »

Well buying online from stores in Ireland. Gets you the same rights as if you went in to the store an bought it.

I suggest the OP visits some of these stores. It’s 1:1 ratio of staff that customers are allowed in. You can not browse. You need to know what you want. Stopped at door and asked.

Curry’s closed. But are entitled to be open If they choose and follow the government guidelines.

Last week in the store I know about it was 50 customers they were limiting it to. Hardly one to one

antimatterx

My friend works in an off licence but he's boss isn't closing as he considers himself a essential service.

Last week was Christmas week levels of revenue apparently!

Working from home is keeping the phone and electrical shops open, one of mine now has phone calls diverted to her mobile phone took a few day to work out securely, she needed a new battery for the phone there are lots of example like that.

Mental health, gardening, and DIY is keeping some people going.

What would happen if you were working form home and your glasses broke and your spare pair are in the office?

The dentist not being open is going to run into issues for people eventually.

These things are not as simple as it seems.

newbie18892

Really don't understand how Holland and Barrett and Boots (the ones without pharmacies) are 'essential'

Cuddlesworth

newbie18892 wrote: »

Really don't understand how Holland and Barrett and Boots (the ones without pharmacies) are 'essential'

Keeps the hypochondriacs happy.

JustAThought

newbie18892 wrote: »

Really don't understand how Holland and Barrett and Boots (the ones without pharmacies) are 'essential'

Nappies, baby formula, baby wipes, disinfectants, deodarants, sanitary products, cosmetics, hairdye, etc - Boots IS a pharmacists - more to it than disprins and dispensing. Try making love to your wife with no soap, deodrant or razorbaldes in the house when she has skin like an elephants ares, wrinkles you could sew potatoes in, a tidemark for her hair down to her ears, more bodyhair than a silverback and no make up on! Its marriage councillers you’ll be needing then!

Muahahaha

Best one I saw was Sports Direct in the UK attempting to stay open because they believed sales of sweat pants are an essential service. It was just Mike Ashley chancing his arm as usual and the UK govt. forced them to close.

As another poster said dentists being closed is going to be a real problem, there'll be people showing up at A&E in severe pain from toothaches that need an extraction.

Live_In_UK

antimatterx wrote: »

My friend works in an off licence but he's boss isn't closing as he considers himself a essential service.

Best not to have the hospitals have to deal with a load of lads undergoing alcohol withdrawal.

freshpopcorn

mankteln wrote: »

Really? No bank account? Is that you Bertie lol

If true what age are these people? Would they be elderly who are exactly the cohort we are supposed to be keeping away from shops etc over this period. I'd hope someone in their support network could get whatever they needed online instead.

I was expecting this response.
People would be about 50 plus.
They'd have a bank account and some of them may have a standard ATM card but that's about it.
Of course you would like people to help them out but that doesn't happen all the time.

Eire Go Brach

mankteln wrote: »

Last week in the store I know about it was 50 customers they were limiting it to. Hardly one to one

Well then they should close if they can’t keep to the guidelines laid down by the government.

DID Electrical are doing one to one.

ax530

mankteln wrote: »

But Curry's, who deal with similar goods, closed today.
There's nothing that couldn't be dealt with online/over the phone other than browsing/going out to buy items which people shouldn't be doing now anyway.

was wondering about Currys as a printer may be useful when working from home and having stuff for kids to do

Grab All Association

mankteln wrote: »

Even easier to get them online and be delivered no? And staff don't get to "get in andget out"

But it isn’t. What good is it getting your fridge freezer or cooker in 7-10 working days when you need it immediately. Stakelums electrical in Thurles is encouraging people to call them and have the items ready to collect I believe. There’s no reason to shut this store when people are in need of these items Is there?

Mrs OBumble

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I was expecting this response.
People would be about 50 plus.
They'd have a bank account and some of them may have a standard ATM card but that's about it.
Of course you would like people to help them out but that doesn't happen all the time.

There are more than you would expect with no bank account. All ages. Some have credit union accounts, some don't.

mankteln

Well in an ideal world it'd be good if they were the only people who came to the shop now that it's still open but realistically that's not going to happen.
It's just strange that in most other jurisdictions essential businesses are pharmacies and supermarkets, realistically everything else can be managed without for a short while.
Here there's been mixed messages depending on the sector and some like Curry's, Argos etc have done the right thing for their staff and the population in general and have interpreted the government advice as meaning they should close, others such as Harvey Norman have decided to discount all that and stay open until forced to close.
Do you think Harvey Norman are staying open because they're worried about the people without bank accounts?

Muahahaha

mankteln wrote: »

Do you think Harvey Norman are staying open because they're worried about the people without bank accounts?

Harvey Norman came to the Celtic Tiger party just months before the bust and they're tied into massive rents in retail parks with upward only rent reviews. Back in 2008 their owner said setting up in Ireland was a big mistake but they couldnt get out of it

RETAIL giant Harvey Norman has compared Ireland's economic downturn to the return of the "potato famine", writes Billy Cantwell.

Speaking at yesterday's annual meeting, chief executive Gerry Harvey described the performance of his 13 Irish stores as "catastrophic" and said he regretted expanding into the Irish market. But he added that the investment was too big to pull out now.

"In Ireland, we are down 25- 40pc like for like on last year. It's catastrophic," he told reporters.

"Ireland is a real worry. I've never seen something get belted like Ireland. In Slovenia, it's holding up quite well, Singapore's sales are quite good, Malaysia is good. New Zealand, like Australia, its not that bad, but Ireland. Phew, just imagine you opened in Ireland; you'd want to go and cut your throat. The potato famine, someone said, the return of the potato famine in Ireland."

He said the two newest stores, in Northern Ireland, were "a bad mistake".

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/harvey-regrets-his-norman-invasion-26495110.html

Id say the main reason they're open is that those huge Celtic Tiger rents still have to get paid regardless

JustAThought

A few local ones are closed but have signs on their doors saying they will rsvp eventually after they check their machines daily but for emergencies only - seems fair. Pretty high risk being a dentist these days.

L1011

Pauliedragon wrote: »

One of the off license chains had said they are staying open as they are deemed an essential service. Booze can be bought in supermarkets. I've no issue with it but it's a bit murkey deciding what's essential or not.

The list specified food and beverage retailers. Just specifying supermarkets would bankrupt every butcher, greengrocer, baker and specialist foodstore in the country overnight. There's as many specialists in my town as there are supermarkets!

BanditLuke

There's no excuse for it. Pure greed. I'm keeping an eye on it anyway and I'll be spending my money in the places that took this situation seriously and not places like Harvey Norman's when the emergency ends.

Jayzee.

Muahahaha wrote: »

Best one I saw was Sports Direct in the UK attempting to stay open because they believed sales of sweat pants are an essential service. It was just Mike Ashley chancing his arm as usual and the UK govt. forced them to close.

As another poster said dentists being closed is going to be a real problem, there'll be people showing up at A&E in severe pain from toothaches that need an extraction.

^^
It's dentists we need to get open fuKk Harvey Norman

Rubberchikken

I for one don't have any cards, credit or otherwise.
And yes electrical items break and not everyone wants to purchase online so it makes sense that these shops stay open if they can.

They're hardly packed to the rafters on any given day anyway.

L1011

BanditLuke wrote: »

There's no excuse for it. Pure greed. I'm keeping an eye on it anyway and I'll be spending my money in the places that took this situation seriously and not places like Harvey Norman's when the emergency ends.

Have fun paying 30% more for the same stuff in Currys, cause Power City, DID and Soundstore are all still open too; and Expert are specifically advertising that their stores are open so I suspect most franchisees are.

Jayzee.

Prob all playing the DIY card to stay open

There's a lot of window dressing going on at the moment , business paying lip service to public health

Profit margin is the bottom line

mankteln

Yeah friend of mine works for B&Q in the north, still open but at least now all business is click and collect so no mixing with the public. He said they've been mental busy, which is really the crux of the issue: people are stupid and if something is open they'll feel it's essential that they "have" to go there and the risk for everyone is thereby increased

BoatMad

i Think its great that DIY and garden centres are open , it gives people stuff to do at home etc , keeps people busy , we cant all watch netflix all day !

beggars_bush

Having children at home causes accidents

Tvs get broken, fridges break down, kettles stop working

kildarejohn

Heard today that Dunnes Stores Clothing in Georges St was open (Mon 25th).
How is it that they are not complying with gov. directive that only essential shops to open.

Happy4all

kildarejohn wrote: »

Heard today that Dunnes Stores Clothing in Georges St was open (Mon 25th).
How is it that they are not complying with gov. directive that only essential shops to open.

Different information being provided on this one. No harm being able to get an emergency pair of kaks.

Beasty

Threads merged

freshpopcorn

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I was expecting this response.
People would be about 50 plus.
They'd have a bank account and some of them may have a standard ATM card but that's about it.
Of course you would like people to help them out but that doesn't happen all the time.

Yep my dad is the same also no broadband available where he lives in north county Dublin, to far from the exchange and no wireless operators covering the area.

BoatMad

kildarejohn wrote: »

Heard today that Dunnes Stores Clothing in Georges St was open (Mon 25th).
How is it that they are not complying with gov. directive that only essential shops to open.

there is a big list of whats essential and whats not

Sleeper12

freshpopcorn wrote:

The amount of people I know who hasn’t any type of bank card to purchase something either online or over the phone is very high.

I've stated this very thing over & over on threads but younger posters refuse to believe it

harr

Drove by a fishing tackle shop in a town local to me and open no problem.. loads of young lads in groups in buying bait.
Sure a tackle shop is not a required service...

Darc19

BanditLuke wrote: »

There's no excuse for it. Pure greed. I'm keeping an eye on it anyway and I'll be spending my money in the places that took this situation seriously and not places like Harvey Norman's when the emergency ends.

Pure greed in trying to keep their staff employed?


Seriously???

Chances are footfall has dropped dramatically, so stores would be operating at a loss.

How is that greed.

I hate this "retailers are bastards" attitude that permeates social media by self righteous eejits

BoatMad

DubInMeath wrote: »

Yep my dad is the same also no broadband available where he lives in north county Dublin, to far from the exchange and no wireless operators covering the area.

what hs living on Lambay or something , I find that hard to believe