Because we are a global community, I would like to create a thread for talking about the COVID-19 how this has impacted you. 

I work for a smaller, Chinese-owned tool company. Our workforce after CNY and the extended break was only running at about 40%, of which this is actually on the higher side compared to what I've heard about other, much larger tech companies. While we haven't felt much of the impact here in the US, I am sure we will soon. The way that some companies flow in goods from overseas will really have an impact on store shelves; Stores like Walmart that have large DC's and reroute the flow and quantity of goods so that the shelves don't look as bare. Target specifically doesn't keep extra inventory outside of what it knows will sell in a specific amount of shelf-time and therefore bases reordering on that known formula. Given that orders from China are typically 30 days on a Boat just to arrive on the West Coast, and then separate amount of Customs and transport times to other places in the US, the effects will start to be apparent really soon.

Not trying to start a fear-mongering thread, but a place where we can talk about this like educated adults.

- Nathan

3 minutes ago, KvHulk said:

"The World Health Organization has announced that dogs cannot contract Covid-19. Dogs previously held in quarantine can now be released. To be clear, WHO let the dogs out."

 

10 hours ago, Jackson said:

New Study Finds That Toilet Paper Is A Better Investment Than Gold

https://www.godaddy.com/domainsearch/find?checkAvail=1&tmskey=&domainToCheck=tppicker.com

or

https://www.godaddy.com/domainsearch/find?checkAvail=1&tmskey=&domainToCheck=tphound.com

tper.com is going to cost you $4mill

tp.me is $25k

your work-free future is waiting for you...

Edited March 14, 20205 yr by cladner

I just registered www.buttpicker.com

 

3 hours ago, BricksBrotha said:

Crazy how people are still concerned with the economy

 

 

I don't think this is so easy to just brush off.

I know one small business owner that just moved into a new, larger space last summer to expand her business.   Her service-related business is linked with the school calendar, so when the local school district closed, she had to close.  She has struggled with staffing all winter, relying on college-age kids mostly.   Now, the local colleges are closed and 1/4 of her staff is not coming back even if she can re-open in 1-2 weeks, and they will be tough to replace with only 6-8 weeks left in her season.  Faced with losing 1/4 of her clients (that the missing staff supported) and a build-out loan on her back, she's on the razor's edge financially, and muses about declaring bankruptcy in her darker moments.

Hers is a classic case of why having 3-6 months of cash-on-hand to cover basic expenses in an emergency is a good rule to follow.  If she had that, she'd be fine.  But she doesn't, and doesn't have time now to build it up.  How many people are in a similar situation?  The common statistic I hear is that 70% have less that $1k saved, and live paycheck to paycheck.

My sense is that most folks on this board are risk takers that have an entrepreneurial bent.  Building a business is something we can all relate to. Quite a few of us are probably on stronger footing, but maybe some are in similar situations?    Although I hope for the best, our local lock-down could mean the death of my friends business. The result truly depends on how long the lock-down lasts.

p.s. If you like a local small business, buy a gift card or two to help them weather the storm.

 

Edited March 14, 20205 yr by SpaceFan9

1 hour ago, Foreman Porgy said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/technology/coronavirus-purell-wipes-amazon-sellers.amp.html
 

That’s a lot of hand Sanitizer. 

This is a great story thanks for the link. 

I messaged the guy on FB told him he could easily sell his 17K bottles of hand sanitizer here:

I'm very concerned about the economy.   Online sales have nosedived the last few weeks.  My in house sales are doing better which I find odd.   The liquidation side will be good as people will need deals on items they need for their family.   The high end sales will be there cause the rich will still be rich but those are always a smaller percentage.   The bulk of orders are probably middle class though so a huge chunk will be gone if people are having money issues.   Not talking just LEGO as I sell everything as most know.    

Doing less than 10 orders a day is not fun...

3 hours ago, BricksBrotha said:

Crazy how people are still concerned with the economy.

Crazy how people don't seem to understand what the whole capitalist system is fundamentally running on.

3 hours ago, elmaslıefendi said:

New LEGO RAFFLE PRIZE:

Case of toilet paper and Purell!!!

I should have said "care only primarily about the economy."  The economy will rebound. Suppose some people just need learn the hard way to plan ahead, learn from history, dont live off credit or the verge financial ruin, especially running a business or raising a family.  I do care about small business owners and what this position it puts them in. But I also care about the health of my family, first.  Period.  Most can be rebuilt, especially 30K on the Dow. Keep in mind, family lives but once.

Edited March 14, 20205 yr by BricksBrotha
typo

1 hour ago, ravenb99 said:

I'm very concerned about the economy.   Online sales have nosedived the last few weeks.  My in house sales are doing better which I find odd.   The liquidation side will be good as people will need deals on items they need for their family.   The high end sales will be there cause the rich will still be rich but those are always a smaller percentage.   The bulk of orders are probably middle class though so a huge chunk will be gone if people are having money issues.   Not talking just LEGO as I sell everything as most know.    

Doing less than 10 orders a day is not fun...

Interesting.  I have seen a healthy uptick of orders in past few weeks compared to last year.  I mainly sell LEGO though

8 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

Interesting.  I have seen a healthy uptick of orders in past few weeks compared to last year.  I mainly sell LEGO though

Same here...I sell LEGO, as well as Marvel, Transformers, Hot Wheels, and Star Wars items. Business has been very good!

just eliminating the non toy stuff and going off the last 2 weeks since March 1st when it progressed news wise down to about 1k a day in toy sales.  Previous 2 weeks before that was averaging $1700 a day.   23k to 14k the last part of the rolling 30 is a pretty significant drop.  LEGO does seem to be selling decent still but it's always been the consistent one.

Overall not as bad but about 20% down from February and 20% down from last year.  

 

Dont let this first few steps downward fool you. The economy will be going down to the ground. We now are at the beginning of a worldwide recession if not a depression. Only strong economies will turn out alright in 3-4 years. This **** is hitting us a lot harder thann 2001/2008....

https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/replacementparts Bricks and pieces down for now.

yeah... I would bet that this one is going to hurt... I would guess we are in 2008 territory by the end of the year... No one really ever had the balls to turn off the cheap cash, and so there isn't really much that the Fed can do now. 

On the plus side for me, I imagine it will be much cheaper to build an addition to our house next year.  I just hope that no one I love dies between now and then.

I am practicing social media distancing during this virus: staying as far away from social media as I can.

A different view...

https://newcriterion.com/blogs/dispatch/compared-to-what

3 minutes ago, LegoWalker4 said:

I am practicing social media distancing during this virus: staying as far away from social media as I can.

This IS my social media and as such I hope we stay on track, remain refreshingly civil, share info and converse without judgement or name calling. BRICKPICKER is sooo much more than it appears on the surface to the members that have navigated several historical moments together. Lets remain the oasis we all require for mature thinking and sanity in these uncertain and stressful times.   Look after family and friends and enjoy some hobbies new and old.

Haven't been too worried about this virus until recently.  Some of these reports/rumors that the virus attacks male fertility and damages lung function has me imagining a children of men kind of scenario. Add that to the fact it may never leave you body and flare up now and then has me kind of concerned. 

 

Anybody think the seemingly "overreaction" of governments could be related not to the death numbers of the old, but the nasty side effects awaiting the "survivors."

Edited March 14, 20205 yr by dennugsmello

9 minutes ago, dennugsmello said:

Haven't been too worried about this virus until recently.  Some of these reports/rumors that the virus attacks male fertility and damages lung function has me imagining a children of men kind of scenario. Add that to the fact it may never leave you body and flare up now and then has me kind of concerned. 

 

Anybody think the seemingly "overreaction" of governments could be related not to the death numbers of the old, but the nasty side effects awaiting the "survivors."

actually had one of my daughters friends who's a senior ask that question about lung damage long term if any.   Was around a friend of ours that works as a contractor at CDC.   Lot of unknowns.

44 minutes ago, Belac said:

 Lets remain the oasis we all require for mature thinking 

you had me at mature thinking...

Even more reason to push for and research a vaccine as quickly as possible.

My grandad used to joke( I assume) that in the field military received a single T.P. square, poked finger through, wiped ass with finger ,and then used square to wipe finger off.  It's taken some practice but I'm starting to get the hang of it!

43 minutes ago, dennugsmello said:

Haven't been too worried about this virus until recently.  Some of these reports/rumors that the virus attacks male fertility and damages lung function has me imagining a children of men kind of scenario. Add that to the fact it may never leave you body and flare up now and then has me kind of concerned. 

 

Anybody think the seemingly "overreaction" of governments could be related not to the death numbers of the old, but the nasty side effects awaiting the "survivors."

A lot of stuff out there right now and most of it is bull shit.  People on TV and on social media are capitalizing on the fear.  You have to sift thru the crap.  I shut off the TV because I cannot take the biased BS right now.  It's not helping.  I can see how the media changes the goal posts when they report something.  When something good happens, they attack something else.  

An example of local rumor mongering...My local Facebook town thread had all these stories about the local Shop Rite closing because of lack of food and fights and crazy behavior from customers.  I spoke with the local cops (they are my wash customers) and they said nothing happened at all.  Even the local people are spreading rumors and false information.  

On another note, here is an interesting article by a few doctors fromJohns Hopkins and Stanford about a possible preventative drug...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTi-g18ftNZUMRAj2SwRPodtscFio7bJ7GdNgbJAGbdfF67WuRJB3ZsidgpidB2eocFHAVjIL-7deJ7/pub