Support our high street shops and save the planet

HollyTrees

Pollycat said:

giraffe69 said:

This is a very poor soapbox to be on. Deliveries from online companies are, for the most part, efficiently done and save on energy use but because one lazy journalist writes an article spouting nonsense it turns up on a thread like this. I order some wine online which was delivered today. The van that delivered it was punctual and had many other items on board for other customers. Indeed the email I receive often say something like "Your delivery will between time x and time y and you are customer 37 of 88"  I didn't drive 17 miles each way to the Majestic warehouse to pick up my wine. That, like many other of these sort of purchases saves time, effort and energy.

I'd be interested to hear exactly what the OP heard.
The OP of this thread started a thread about the best face masks (since deleted) based on something he/she heard on the radio.

I happen to listen to a lot of these topics on Radio 4 on my way to work in the mornings, and late at night. 
These were all people being interviewed ie spoksmen for companies like Amazon, the delivery van companies etc.
They were on about if people think that doing all their shopping online is environmentally friendly they are seriously mistaken.
And went onto say for every item ordered another van is sent out which very often is seperate from another item that same person might have added to their Amazon basket. 
So they were urging listeners to support their high street stores if possible because if all we end up doing is everything online will be detrimental to our environment and pushing traffic levels up ie more vans. 
Thats all I know, so felt I should share it here. 

Spank

An official from Amazon told people not to buy from them? If that's true guess they will be looking for new employment soon.

coachman12

HollyTrees said:

Pollycat said:

giraffe69 said:

This is a very poor soapbox to be on. Deliveries from online companies are, for the most part, efficiently done and save on energy use but because one lazy journalist writes an article spouting nonsense it turns up on a thread like this. I order some wine online which was delivered today. The van that delivered it was punctual and had many other items on board for other customers. Indeed the email I receive often say something like "Your delivery will between time x and time y and you are customer 37 of 88"  I didn't drive 17 miles each way to the Majestic warehouse to pick up my wine. That, like many other of these sort of purchases saves time, effort and energy.

I'd be interested to hear exactly what the OP heard.
The OP of this thread started a thread about the best face masks (since deleted) based on something he/she heard on the radio.

I happen to listen to a lot of these topics on Radio 4 on my way to work in the mornings, and late at night. 
These were all people being interviewed ie spoksmen for companies like Amazon, the delivery van companies etc.
They were on about if people think that doing all their shopping online is environmentally friendly they are seriously mistaken.
And went onto say for every item ordered another van is sent out which very often is seperate from another item that same person might have added to their Amazon basket. 
So they were urging listeners to support their high street stores if possible because if all we end up doing is everything online will be detrimental to our environment and pushing traffic levels up ie more vans. 
Thats all I know, so felt I should share it here. 

What a mess your thread about a stupid journalist's ramblings has caused. Most people who listen to journalists make up their own minds independently and do not get frightened by idiotic theories and then bring them to an on online Forums which is dedicated to financial matters and not about incorrect information about saving the planet !
I totally agree with giraffe69; and also Pollycat. The only things to say about your vans is that they are essential and needed for the whole transport system of goods across the UK and the world. And in due course they will all be electric anyway. 
End of my postings on this non-thread.

[Deleted User]

HollyTrees said:

I think the point they were making was its become too easy just to order things willy nilly online,  people don't realise they dont appear on our door step by magic. It takes a lot of travel. 
Compared to if we did a weekly shop for things like clothes or whatever just like we do our groceries, it would mean less delivery vans would need to come out on the roads. 
I ordered 5 music cds a while ago, all purchased in the same transaction on Amazon, but the cds all came on seperate days. Meaning separate vans. Compared to if I physically went to HMV myself. 

They're not just delivering to you and doing willynilly journeys, they're delivering to the whole town/area and they will have planned a route to drop off items in an organised manner - all orchestrated to be as efficient as possible thus reducing such unnecessary and frequent journeys. 

Pollycat

HollyTrees said:

I happen to listen to a lot of these topics on Radio 4 on my way to work in the mornings, and late at night. 
These were all people being interviewed ie spoksmen for companies like Amazon, the delivery van companies etc.
They were on about if people think that doing all their shopping online is environmentally friendly they are seriously mistaken.
And went onto say for every item ordered another van is sent out which very often is seperate from another item that same person might have added to their Amazon basket. 
So they were urging listeners to support their high street stores if possible because if all we end up doing is everything online will be detrimental to our environment and pushing traffic levels up ie more vans. 
Thats all I know, so felt I should share it here. 

You posted on the Praise, Vent and Warnings board.

It's a Discussion Time type of topic (it's really not a warning).

MSE closed DT 6 weeks ago.

Last ooorders!… We’re sorry but for now, due to resources, we need to close the Money Savers Arms including Discussion Time.

It’s not easy to write this. We love the forum, but we also have a job to do to protect it, our users and MoneySavingExpert, and at the moment, with all our resources focused on Coronavirus information, and all the team at home, we don’t feel we have the resources to do a good enough job.

For four months, we’ve been struggling to cope with the huge volumes of messages we’ve been getting from Forumites – many of whom are in desperate and dire straits with their finances. The team have been working all hours to try and keep on top of it. At first we thought it’d be a short sharp spike, but it isn’t, it’s continuing, so we have had some difficult choices to make about prioritisation.

Unfortunately in, and likely because of, these stressful times, the Forum team have also been receiving an increasing number of complaints about posts made on the Money Savers Arms and Discussion Time. The team have done what they can to try and walk the tightrope of balancing all the various interests, but for now we need to draw a line under this and temporarily close this Board, so we can keep the key, MoneySaving boards – where people are supporting each other through this crisis - running smoothly.

We know this board is important to you, but as the MSE stance has been forbearance throughout this crisis, now we ask that of you. We’re sorry. Of course you can post on other boards, but we’d ask you to stick to the subjects of those boards, and not use them as a surrogate Money Savers Arms or Discussion Time. And as always please be kind and friendly to each other, especially any newbies.

Thanks
MSE Forum Team

dacouch

HollyTrees said:

Pollycat said:

giraffe69 said:

This is a very poor soapbox to be on. Deliveries from online companies are, for the most part, efficiently done and save on energy use but because one lazy journalist writes an article spouting nonsense it turns up on a thread like this. I order some wine online which was delivered today. The van that delivered it was punctual and had many other items on board for other customers. Indeed the email I receive often say something like "Your delivery will between time x and time y and you are customer 37 of 88"  I didn't drive 17 miles each way to the Majestic warehouse to pick up my wine. That, like many other of these sort of purchases saves time, effort and energy.

I'd be interested to hear exactly what the OP heard.
The OP of this thread started a thread about the best face masks (since deleted) based on something he/she heard on the radio.

I happen to listen to a lot of these topics on Radio 4 on my way to work in the mornings, and late at night. 
These were all people being interviewed ie spoksmen for companies like Amazon, the delivery van companies etc.
They were on about if people think that doing all their shopping online is environmentally friendly they are seriously mistaken.
And went onto say for every item ordered another van is sent out which very often is seperate from another item that same person might have added to their Amazon basket. 
So they were urging listeners to support their high street stores if possible because if all we end up doing is everything online will be detrimental to our environment and pushing traffic levels up ie more vans. 
Thats all I know, so felt I should share it here. 

As an example Amazon use 38t HGVs who ferry items from their Warehouse Hubs to their Delivery Hubs where the parcel will be delivered to you by a courier who will deliver to around 150 other customers within an area of around 1 square mile of your home (If in an urban environment)
Ten Vans being sent for ten items is ridiculous claim, to keep costs down online delivery companies do everything possible to stream line the process
I would be very surprised if an Amazon courier driving your parcels 10 miles from the local delivery hub is not more environmentally sound than 150 customers all driving into town to buy and collect their items

powerful_Rogue

HollyTrees said:

JJ_Egan said:

Problem often is with the High Street  a lack of choice .

Frequently i go out and try  6 or so shops  fail to find what i want and buy online .

I just purchased Diesel cleaner from Amazon as Halfords etc far to expensive .Likewise some Lumbar support stuff . Amazon choice of at least ten and easy to try and return .

Plus High Street tends to be an identity in every town .many stores have moved from the High Street to Retail Parks with free parking .

I support local small shops as and when i can .

Yeah true. I guess both have their pros and cons. I think its easier to take things back to the high street store, clothes that didnt fit or something. Its nice to actually try on before you buy. 

There is no automatic right to a change of mind refund if buying in store, however there is when purchasing online.

So you drive 10 miles to purchase a top, then 10 miles to take it home. Realise it doesn't fit, another 10 miles to take it back and 10 miles back home with the refund.

Manxman_in_exile

HollyTrees said:

Pollycat said:

giraffe69 said:

This is a very poor soapbox to be on. Deliveries from online companies are, for the most part, efficiently done and save on energy use but because one lazy journalist writes an article spouting nonsense it turns up on a thread like this. I order some wine online which was delivered today. The van that delivered it was punctual and had many other items on board for other customers. Indeed the email I receive often say something like "Your delivery will between time x and time y and you are customer 37 of 88"  I didn't drive 17 miles each way to the Majestic warehouse to pick up my wine. That, like many other of these sort of purchases saves time, effort and energy.

I'd be interested to hear exactly what the OP heard.
The OP of this thread started a thread about the best face masks (since deleted) based on something he/she heard on the radio.

...
They were on about if people think that doing all their shopping online is environmentally friendly they are seriously mistaken.
And went onto say for every item ordered another van is sent out which very often is seperate from another item that same person might have added to their Amazon basket. 
So they were urging listeners to support their high street stores if possible because if all we end up doing is everything online will be detrimental to our environment and pushing traffic levels up ie more vans. 
Thats all I know, so felt I should share it here. 

You heard somebody say:  "for every item ordered another van is sent out..." and you immediately and unquestionably accepted it as true?  Think about it...

And traffic levels will only be pushed up if people still do as much driving as previously to go and do shopping that, er... they don't need to do because it's been delivered to their door.  If internet shopping has gone through the roof during the Covid lockdown, then the evidence would seem to suggest that traffic pollution etc has, er, gone down, not up.  (And I know that's also because people are working from home, but maybe that's what we ought to be doing to save the environment rather than stopping buying stuff on the internet.)

It's obvious to me that everybody buying their groceries etc on the internet and having it delivered is far less polluting then everybody making separate journeys to the supermarket.  Same as with people using public transport or their car to go to work. 

SingleSue

molerat said:

Councils need to support the high street as well, make it a place where people want to go. High rates, little convenient parking, high parking charges, unfair parking enforcement, the list goes on. Chatting to a local small shopkeeper the other day.  The council have closed the high street to vehicles to enable social distancing.  It has worked - there is no longer anyone on the high street to bump into. He says his busiest time is before 11am which is when the closure starts ! Business was getting back to "quiet Saturday" volumes and now it has tanked. He can't even get deliveries after 11am.

Same has happened in our high street except it is closed to traffic after 10am, an issue is that few shops are opening prior to 10am (and none of the banks) and are closing at the same time or just after it reopens again. The other wrinkle there is that the main disabled parking was down that bit, so it effectively cut the shops off to a whole sector of customers.

I used to support local, I've continued purchasing online post lockdown as the shops are no longer accessible to me.

Mickey666

HollyTrees said:

Pollycat said:

giraffe69 said:

This is a very poor soapbox to be on. Deliveries from online companies are, for the most part, efficiently done and save on energy use but because one lazy journalist writes an article spouting nonsense it turns up on a thread like this. I order some wine online which was delivered today. The van that delivered it was punctual and had many other items on board for other customers. Indeed the email I receive often say something like "Your delivery will between time x and time y and you are customer 37 of 88"  I didn't drive 17 miles each way to the Majestic warehouse to pick up my wine. That, like many other of these sort of purchases saves time, effort and energy.

I'd be interested to hear exactly what the OP heard.
The OP of this thread started a thread about the best face masks (since deleted) based on something he/she heard on the radio.

I happen to listen to a lot of these topics on Radio 4 on my way to work in the mornings, and late at night. 
These were all people being interviewed ie spoksmen for companies like Amazon, the delivery van companies etc.
They were on about if people think that doing all their shopping online is environmentally friendly they are seriously mistaken.
And went onto say for every item ordered another van is sent out which very often is seperate from another item that same person might have added to their Amazon basket. 
So they were urging listeners to support their high street stores if possible because if all we end up doing is everything online will be detrimental to our environment and pushing traffic levels up ie more vans. 
Thats all I know, so felt I should share it here. 

Did you consider actually THINKING about what was being said?  Do you agree with it?  Do you agree with everything you hear or read in the media?