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While many stores are going back to regular hours as guidelines for COVID-19 loosen during summer months, experts warn that you should continue to use curbside pick-up whenever possible.
And while these practices are more safeguarded than say in-store shopping (aka, pushing a shopping cart around a store for an hour and touching the keypad at checkout, door handle, etc.), they don’t come without risk. We spoke to a leading shopping expert to discover the practices you should keep in mind when using curbside pick-up:
“One thing you need to do in order to remain safe is to look at the store’s policies,” personal shopping expert David Bakke of National Air Warehouse tells us, explaining that most companies have these procedures posted on their websites.
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"Since they all vary to different degrees, make sure the procedure is as safe as possible and there are no red flags," he warns.
So, what should you look for in the published policies? To start, make sure the experience is contactless, David explains.
"Typically the order is paid for online and you simply pull your car up and an associate loads your items in the back." Yup, that sounds pretty safe!
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What else does he recommend for best practices? "Some grocers and other retailers will have your order ready for you and you simply step inside the lobby or other designated area to pick up your order."
In any situation, David recommends limiting conversation at pick-up. "I'm surprised this hasn't been talked about more to prevent the spread of the virus, but in addition to coughing and sneezing, the virus can be transmitted by simply talking." So true! "
Maybe a quick 'Thank You' to the associate loading your order should suffice, and definitely avoid speaking to anyone if you're picking up your order in the lobby or designated area," he continue.
And don't forget the basics, too. Wear a mask! "I know that there's been a debate as to whether this is effective, and trust me, I've experienced mask-shaming first-hand, but there's no way it can hurt to wear a mask."
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