The good news
A lot of people have been asking about the effects of COVID-19 on ESINEM-Rope orders. The good news is that we have plenty of stock and our suppliers are still shipping.
The first delivery of our new custom-made premium jute has arrived and we have more bamboo rope in transit.
The bad news?
Thankfully, there isn’t much bad news for ESINEM-Rope customers. On the down side, my borough is the epicentre of London’s known infections and neighbouring Lambeth is second. That said, it is possible that these figures are skewed due to two large local hospitals. We don’t know if patients are being counted by where they were diagnosed or where they originate.
So far, we are both well. As we tend to be very home-based, either working on-line or holding court here, we aren’t feeling the impact too much. Obviously, we miss our visitors and it has meant a lack of models for ShibariClasses. However, lockdown has found work for idle hands with lots of time for tying and study, so business is going well. I think quite a few people are finally honouring their New Year’s resolution to learn shibari or improve their skills.
Despite, the Royal Mail and courier services battling with coronavirus and lockdown, orders are still being delivered, albeit a little slower. Some courier collections have not been as prompt as usual but seem to be running well.
The main impact has been on Royal Mail’s tracking service, which seems to be very slow updating. We have had one batch of mail held up for a week or so, but I suspect that was an one-off local problem. I got the distinct impression that the person receiving it was unfamiliar with the process. However, after chasing this up, they later appeared in tracking and delivery was confirmed.
Royal Mail live updates
I found a very useful site, in addition to Royal Mail’s own coronavirus updates. This site is driven by public comments and shows which areas are experiencing an issue and the nature of it: Downdetector. The site confirms the recent tracking issue mentioned in the previous paragraph with 92% of complaints relating to this.
You will see pop-ups with the latest situation and links at check-out on ESINEM-Rope. I will also post any major updates here on my site.