Shopping and restocking updates

[ronin]

Nephew volunteered to go to Costco for us yesterday (L.A. area). Lined up 3 hours early w/ plenty of others. They were informed after a while by an employee that there were no paper supplies we needed available. He left and drove to the next nearest one and was told the same thing. We asked him to stop. 4 weeks now without any TP or paper towels available anywhere we could think to try. Next idea: hillbilly bidet in the back yard. Hope it warms up soon.

 

[GravitySucks]

Bought two weeks of provisions yesterday shopping Wegmans and Aldi's. Got everything but hand sanitizer and bleach. Aldi's was out of the cheap white bread. Both had very limited supplies of ice cream. Wegmans was low on frozen fruit but had lots of fresh, Aldi's low on fresh fruit but plenty of frozen.
Syracuse area.

 

[fh2000]

Nephew volunteered to go to Costco for us yesterday (L.A. area). Lined up 3 hours early w/ plenty of others. They were informed after a while by an employee that there were no paper supplies we needed available. He left and drove to the next nearest one and was told the same thing. We asked him to stop. 4 weeks now without any TP or paper towels available anywhere we could think to try. Next idea: hillbilly bidet in the back yard. Hope it warms up soon.

I installed one last month after I heard about it from this forum. Fairly easy to do. DW still refused to use it. At least our TP consumption went down at least 1/2.

 

[REWahoo]

ronin, several restaurants in our area have started selling TP along with their to-go meals. Might be worth checking to see if any are doing that in your area.

 

[Jerry1]

Nephew volunteered to go to Costco for us yesterday (L.A. area). Lined up 3 hours early w/ plenty of others. They were informed after a while by an employee that there were no paper supplies we needed available. He left and drove to the next nearest one and was told the same thing. We asked him to stop. 4 weeks now without any TP or paper towels available anywhere we could think to try. Next idea: hillbilly bidet in the back yard. Hope it warms up soon.

Go to Costco.com. I've been able to order TP there. However, it's usually out of stock. I sit at the computer a lot anyway, so throughout the day I check the TP and I've scored a few cases since this started. One I sent here and my DD already needed some. Another one I sent to a family member in AZ that couldn't get any. It's a lot easier and safer to "stand in line" on my computer than going out to a physical store.

 

[Chuckanut]

Next idea: hillbilly bidet in the back yard. Hope it warms up soon.

An old washcloths or rags, warm water and a squirt of liquid soap.

Launder the rags before you run out.

There isn't much more needed.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

WalMart pickup yesterday here in San Antonio. Rec'd everything I wanted minus bread and eggs (and screws and a puzzle??). Gallon and a half of glorious organic milk. Still OK, rolling the dice again with HEB today. Will be prepped for another 2 weeks or so. We never dug into our deep stock. DH wouldn't let me use anything from the freezer. Said that was for hard times. And wanting a chicken pot pie is not hard times.

 

[REWahoo]

An old washcloths or rags, warm water and a squirt of liquid soap.

Launder the rags before you run out.

There isn't much more needed.

Someone on our local area web page was offering free old socks to the TP deprived...

 

[Moemg]

I have gotten toilet paper,paper towels and tissues on amazon at normal prices .

 

[mountainsoft]

Supplies have been low but I have found TP at our local Safeway the last two times I went shopping. However, they're only selling small individual rolls with a limit of 4. That's better than nothing.


I found flour at our local mom and pop country store, but I still haven't found yeast anywhere, even online. I don't "need" it, but I have a recipe I've been wanting to make and yeast is the only thing holding me up.

 

[Ready]

What are people doing with all of this toilet paper they are buying? And what is happening to all the toilet paper that used to go to schools, restaurants, gyms, retail stores, office buildings, theaters, etc?

 

[harllee]

Nephew volunteered to go to Costco for us yesterday (L.A. area). Lined up 3 hours early w/ plenty of others. They were informed after a while by an employee that there were no paper supplies we needed available. He left and drove to the next nearest one and was told the same thing. We asked him to stop. 4 weeks now without any TP or paper towels available anywhere we could think to try. Next idea: hillbilly bidet in the back yard. Hope it warms up soon.

TP and paper towels are available on eBay. Of course the prices are more than normal but do not seem outrageous given the circumstances.

 

[Sunset]

One poster suggested trying the gas station store, as most folks don't think to shop there.
Maybe they have some TP ?

 

[ivinsfan]

One poster suggested trying the gas station store, as most folks don't think to shop there.
Maybe they have some TP ?

They might have but you could as soon wipe with dollar bills before you pay those prices..

 

[TrvlBug]

Nephew volunteered to go to Costco for us yesterday (L.A. area). Lined up 3 hours early w/ plenty of others. They were informed after a while by an employee that there were no paper supplies we needed available. He left and drove to the next nearest one and was told the same thing. We asked him to stop. 4 weeks now without any TP or paper towels available anywhere we could think to try. Next idea: hillbilly bidet in the back yard. Hope it warms up soon.

I was able to order some from Costco.com. I kept checking and one day, jackpot! They did delay delivery by a few days. Took them awhile to box up internally and once they got it to UPS, it only took 2 days to get to us.

 

[athena53]

What are people doing with all of this toilet paper they are buying? And what is happening to all the toilet paper that used to go to schools, restaurants, gyms, retail stores, office buildings, theaters, etc?

No idea on the first question, although some here have indicated that they're distributing it to others who need it.

As far as what's happening to the TP that used to go to places now closed- I think it's taking time to shift supply channels. AMC is ordering less, Costco is ordering more... the manufacturers need time to adjust, and possibly change quantities. Those giant rolls that are 4 feet in diameter meant for institutional bathrooms won't sell as well in retail stores. I'm guessing the same is happening with food suppliers- instead of sending rice and flour in 50-lb. bags to restaurants, they need to cut back on industrial sizes and increase home-sized packages.

 

[audreyh1]

Go to Costco.com. I've been able to order TP there. However, it's usually out of stock. I sit at the computer a lot anyway, so throughout the day I check the TP and I've scored a few cases since this started. One I sent here and my DD already needed some. Another one I sent to a family member in AZ that couldn't get any. It's a lot easier and safer to "stand in line" on my computer than going out to a physical store.

Ah, so that’s the trick! I do check occasionally, but it’s always out of stock.

 

[footenote]

DH reports this morning that our Central Minnesota Costco is looking more restocked (not quite back to normal, but getting there). Having said that they are still out of ... toilet paper.

 

[harllee]

I ordered something from Walmart.com about a week ago, was suppose to be delivered last Friday. Tracking shows that the package got to the local Fed Ex last Friday. I have been getting notices from Fed Ex every day for the past 3 days that the package was to be delivered that day and then each day around 1 pm I get another notice that Fed Ex was unable to deliver it that day and that it will be delivered the next day. I wonder what is going on--is there a shortage of drivers? Is Fed Ex so busy that my package never gets on the truck? Is it possible for me to drive to the local fed ex building and pick up the package (but I probably don't want to do that because of the virus.)

 

[GLM]

Have not had much of an issue.

We arrived back in the country March 19th after two weeks in Jamaica. ( Yes we got back just in time ) South of Atlanta Ga.

Went shopping the next morning to stock the rather empty fridge. We eat rather healthy - fresh vegetables, gluten free. there were lots of fresh foods available.. Meats and processed foods looked a bit ransacked but there were frozen options on hand. They were out of TP but I figure we had at least a month supply scattered around our bathrooms.

We were back out yesterday - found TP this time . Fresh food plentiful. Processed food aisle were rather battered - but we don't eat that stuff much anyhow . Meat options looked better ( still using my frozen stash) Eggs were picked over but again we buy the free range ones so they were available.

 

[fh2000]

I ordered Costco online delivery by Instacart last week. The delivery schedule was a week away and delivered yesterday.

I put a fresh order today thinking it might take another week to deliver. Well, when I checked 30 minutes later, delivery was available in 2 hours, so I quickly submitted a new order. I like how costco/Instacart website works. The progress for each step is clearly shown on my order, and the shopper sent me texts for replacement suggestions. Pork and eggs are gone, but everything else was available. We even got a 25 lb all-purpose flour. But no rice.

When he delivered the food, I ask if Costco is very busy, he said no. It is the lightest he has seen for the past 3 weeks. Looks like a lot of people have enough food stored or just use deliveries.

 

[Cayman]

Not shopping anywhere in person.

Amazon - TP and facial tissues go.in and out of stock. Have ordered several packages of both for friends and family. Much easier and safer than trolling the aisles of our local stores.

Instacart- Very good service for less than 10% upcharge. Good substitutions when needed, shoppers text me for input. Give them a rather large tip - these shoppers are risking their health and do a super job.

 

[The HalfBreed]

I went into Sam's club here in Illinois near Chicago and by accident, they were just putting paper towels and bathroom tissue on the floor.
I got one of each. Normally, that's just a daily occurence, but I felt as if I had just won the Lottery.


Anyway, I have more than I need, I have enough paper products til the end of the year, but more-so than ever,
I just LOVE my Sam's Club Scan & GO app on my cellphone. Pick it up, scan with my phone, flash the code at the door, and I'm gone gone gone.


I'm Loving It ~

 

[Telly]

I ordered something from Walmart.com about a week ago, was suppose to be delivered last Friday. Tracking shows that the package got to the local Fed Ex last Friday. I have been getting notices from Fed Ex every day for the past 3 days that the package was to be delivered that day and then each day around 1 pm I get another notice that Fed Ex was unable to deliver it that day and that it will be delivered the next day. I wonder what is going on--is there a shortage of drivers? Is Fed Ex so busy that my package never gets on the truck? Is it possible for me to drive to the local fed ex building and pick up the package (but I probably don't want to do that because of the virus.)

That sounds like the driver that usually drives your route is not there. Around last 4th of July, Fedex told me my package would be delivered the next day. The next day, it was out for delivery, until around 1 PM, where it suddenly switch to delivery the next day... O-kay... And on the next day, it showed out for delivery... and then that it was delivered! No, it was not delivered here! Sometime after 5 PM, it switched from "delivered" status, to "delivery the next day!" Well, it finally arrived the next day, the driver was surprised, and angry when I told him what the system had been showing me. He was on vacation for a couple days, he said it should not have been showing on his route, it should have been on someone else's since he was on a planned vac. He said that Fedex folks are being less than honest on some of the delivery issues, that this was far from the first time this had happened.

 

[JoeWras]

WalMart pickup yesterday here in San Antonio. Rec'd everything I wanted minus bread and eggs (and screws and a puzzle??). Gallon and a half of glorious organic milk. Still OK, rolling the dice again with HEB today. Will be prepped for another 2 weeks or so. We never dug into our deep stock. DH wouldn't let me use anything from the freezer. Said that was for hard times. And wanting a chicken pot pie is not hard times.

We did an online pickup at Harris Teeter (Raleigh, NC) last night (from an order made a week ago). Didn't get any meat we ordered, except lunch meat. Got the milk, both cow and soy. Got eggs.

We've tapped into the freezer, although we have precious little in there. We're good for another week. We will make another order this morning for next week. The meat thing may eventually get me to get out and cruise stores. Apparently everyone is still filling up their freezers and hoarding whatever appears.

We still want to stay away from stores. So far, so good.