Ordering during COVID-19

[anneminette]

So I just wanted to see how everyone feels about ordering nonessentials online right now. I do admit I have ordered from Sephora last week cause I was low on my foundation and eyebrow pencil. I see so many sales(clothes, shoes, makeup) but I feel guilty ordering. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me. What are your thoughts?

[olgaol3]

No, I think it`s a good way to buy the thing you want cheaper than in the store. When I read the reviews I buy a lot of things online. I recently bought a bag and heels much cheaper than in the store itself. I think it`s cool and economical 

[mybffmakeup]

I can totally relate to everyone posting comments about certain things not being essential at the moment such as makeup. But I am right there with everyone who’s purchasing non essential items online because we’re supporting someone’s wellbeing as well as the business. I have for years struggled with depression and one day I happened to walk into an ULTA about 15 years ago. My life has forever been changed. Now this global crisis has me feeling completely helpless and worthless being that I was laid off in mid March. I’m home now everyday with four children and am trying my hardest to cope with all that has changed in their lives as well. Therefore I made a purchase of makeup. I felt anxious and really uneasy because I spent a decent amount of money when I knew that I can be using it towards a bill or even save it instead. But Makeup for me transforms my day. When I spend time getting all beautified I feel good and confident. In the end I think that by me purchasing the makeup I helped someone as well as myself. ❤️

[AMK721]

@mybffmakeup  I've been ordering non-essential items as well because:

1. If everyone stops ordering (except essentials) lots of businesses are going to go under, more than what has happened already, so I'll continue to order. I'm happy to wait a bit longer for my packages, since they aren't full of essentials if it means my favorite stores can keep their businesses alive.
2. Makeup/skincare, clothes, books will help me keep my sanity.
3. The sales are simply too good to pass up!

I consider this a no judgement zone. Do what is going to make you happy and good for your physical/mental health.

[anneminette]

@mybffmakeup I totally get that feeling! Thank you for sharing

[SilverBeet]

In my "essential" profession (social services), most of the clients I work with have lost their jobs, and if my purchase can keep some people working (safely) then I want to support people keeping their jobs.  In my state, unemployment checks for jobs lost due to COVID-19 have not been sent to people who otherwise wouldn't qualify (didn't work long enough, didn't work enough hours, etc), so basically, some people haven't received any income since March.  I'm hoping that my purchases will help people have a job to come back to.  Some businesses may not reopen due to loss of capital for 2 months.  So yes, waiting how ever long it takes for Sephora order is fine with me. 

[jigi5287]

My friend works at DC, said "We want to be safe then working with many people at work for 10 long hours and 6 days/week. I feel like I am going to get sick from just working this much. People should feel guilty ordering at this point, you never know virus is on your boxes from people working in DC's? orders are coming over 100,000, people are ordering like crazy, Sephora is doing more sales on top of that, sales will come and go, nothing is going anywhere, if you have lives left then u will be able to buy and sell, this situation is temporary, if everyone cooperates  it will end soon and we can get back to normal. So please stop ordering to save other peoples lives. business don't care, if they limit hours and days no one will have any complains but this is just too much on us working in non-essential business."

I do agree with my friend. 

[Linah123]

In my opinion, (which is what each of the comments only are), whatever you decide is the thing you will do, never feel guilty. It is not good for your mental health and so it can reflect on your physical health - your protective immune system. Read all of these comments, think it over, decide how YOU feel and go with that. I find that if we connect to what we truly feel, be true to ourselves, have no unhealthy guilt, then proceed - you can't really go wrong. I.m.o. Cheers. 

[JOJO2019]

My current feeling is ... I know I don't need make-up, but it does make me feel better.  I am of course out of it all mostly.   I so miss the routine and it brightens my families days.  I also worry about if it's a good thing to be spending money with uncertainty, but overall I could buy a few things so far and be ok.  I think about the drivers who are not home with kids.  I see that it could help ppl with wages by stimulating the economy.  I do worry about the chemicals used being effected somehow.  2nd I wonder if it's wrong to be focusing on myself in a time like this too.  Overall I am uncomfortable and unsure  with opening packages in my home and it effecting anyone here or that I pass by.  This is me being openly honest, because I am sure that many feel the same way.  And I feel an education on product development and safety when ordering from a pro in that field would give me a bit of confidence.  I think overall people just feel uninformed about where things are coming from outside of the US and if they can be contaminated.  I know I want to understand it more.  And I have been using make-up heavily for years.  

[JayJayyy]

I don’t feel bad per se, but I do hate when people complain about extended shipping times. I just expect to get it whenever. Also, I don’t expect companies to have more sales just because their physical stores are closed.  This situation has really showed how entitled and spoiled shoppers have become. People are literally risking their health (customer service departments, delivery workers, warehouse workers, managers, etc) to keep these companies afloat and provide non-essential goods to us. 

[JOJO2019]

I am very curious about overall production and availability, because not just in US, but outside where many of the products are made ... people may not have the overall ability to get there hands on the materials to create these products.  And maybe there use could be for something more important as well.  I am really out of my league in knowing about that process.  but if the oil production in down .. so in plastic and many other things and so on.  And the issue is also that physical production is down and importing is restricted.  On the flip side of that ... we are uncomfortable ordering for 2 big reasons.  Is it safe to open things?  And next overall how will the economy be overall effected by these huge changes that are being made in the importing production process and workforce ability to keep up.  

[BeijingGirl1990]

I do rely on Sephora to make the appropriate decisions regarding the safety of their associates and vendors during this very scary time and I think they did the correct thing when they acted swiftly to close their stores here in North America. However, I do not feel particularly guilty utilizing the online services being offered partially because the revenue from our purchases will certainly help the company keep as many associates on the payroll as possible. Also to be honest, sometimes I truly need an escape from the horror show that's going on outside in the world and when I'm shopping online and trying on new products when they arrive is a time I can forget about everything for at least a few minutes.

[grizzlymaze]

Yea, I feel bad. I had been overhauling my kitchen and made a lot of purchases from Crate and Barrel or Pottery Barn. Neiman Marcus had some good offers too so I placed a few orders with them. TheRealReal lured me in. Ive bought a lot of cookery books online. The LaMer promotion here at Sephora had me place an order. Ive probably made at least one online order every day for the last month. Its only been the last few days Ive noticed articles about delivery drivers being slammed and how they are not happy about it. So yea, I feel like I need to tone it down a bit. A lot.

[mmmiu]

I was debating what I should have in my cart for the Sephora sale and whether I actually need it, considering i'm barely even going outside!

That said, I'm looking at this as a "what if i only had 1-3 products I can't live without" situation. So I'm going to restock on ABH brows, Coola sunscreen and the Kosas Revealer concealer. Doing my brows and concealer makes me feel a bit more put together, even if I'm just at home and walking around the neighbourhood.

I thought of getting foundation bcuz I'm low on it (same with a LM caviar eye stick I've been eyeing), but I'm not even using it and no one knows when things will get back to normal. 

I noticed all these sales too!! It's definitely tempting, but at the same time I personally don't want to overspend and keeping it in my savings instead. (plus, who's gonna see all my cute outfits haha)

[Linah123]

A "brows and concealer only" day makes me feel alright too.

[anneminette]

@mmmiu LOL! I have been thinking the same with clothes! I put things in the cart but then I realize I’d rather buy them when I’m able to wear them out 😄

[mpas]

For me, I do feel bad about making the delivery people come to my house for something that I can wait for.  I am sure they have other more important deliveries that are more pressing.  I want to take advantage of a good deal, but I wouldn't mind waiting for it.  It's nothing I need in this exact moment.

[AnneMCC]

I’m just curious - to the oP and others, do you feel guilty because you should be saving $ or feel guilty because many are facing financial ruin, sickness, stuck in bad homes etc? Just wondering. I bought clothes at Saks and some things for the home during Neimans sale. My regular SAs are at home but can place orders for me through their apps. I mostly bought to help them (and it was stuff I wanted) I do actually feel concern for people and kids closed up in small or difficult home circumstances during this pandemic. But I don’t really relate that to myself buying. I buy what I can to suppprt smaller businesses or SAs that I know.

[Linah123]

The people who are employed to deliver are using that income to possibly support their family at home living on very little. If you can afford it during this time, I think it is a good idea to buy from stores so they can pay their workers instead of laying them off.

[anneminette]

@AnneMCC I feel guilty cause delivery drivers are probably overworked right now. Also, I saw some warehouse workers are saying they have unhealthy conditions... but then again, not every company is the same. Like the others have said though, I also feel bad for not supporting businesses not making enough which leads to more people getting furlough. It’s so complicated 

[ShortErica]

@AnneMCC very good question. For me personally, it's a bit of both. I'm working for home so I don't have the burden of not knowing where the next paycheck comes from on my mind. But I don't know if that will always be the case and I'm the sole income for myself, husband, and our twins. We were planning to have him go back to work soon and put the boys in daycare but well...that's not happening now. So though my financial situation is okay now, I don't know that it's forever okay depending on the length of this. Also, I do feel guilty about spending when others are worried about food. Though another part of me is like I should spend to stimulate the economy and keep jobs going.