“I Need to Get These Kids Braindead:” Inside the Panic-demic
The Tech Department at Target rarely sees high-demand, but right now video games and home office supplies are just as hard to find as toilet paper. Telling customers that we are out of stock of the item they want has become my job. A media-driven craze on hoarding supplies has created long lines, barren aisles and insatiable demand.
When I walk through the store on my way to the backroom I see shelves that remain almost permanently empty due to tremendous demand these past few weeks. As soon as these items are put out around noon, lines of people waiting for them nearly eradicate them from the shelving. Other aisles are fully stocked as customer prioritization remains in the “essentials” section of our store. These essential items include toilet paper, hygiene products, paper towels, hand sanitizers and soaps. However, as more people have been sheltering in place, the need for video games for kids and home office supplies for adults has skyrocketed.
I work in the Tech department of a small-format Target in La Canada. I have been able to observe how the general public has been reacting to this pandemic. The Tech department is in the back left corner of the store, exactly opposite from where the “essentials” are sold. Over the past month, the only real rush from people was in that corner of the store. Then the parents had to find a way to both work from home and keep their kids occupied. Since then, we’ve been selling out of anything from Chromebooks and webcams, to Nintendo Switches and video games within a matter of an hour.
The fact that our average customer has a lot of disposable income really magnifies the amount of over-buying at our store. The more empty the shelves, the more people find a need to over-buy because they think we are “running out”. This causes an endless cycle of unneeded purchases. Supply has not diminished but an artificial demand has been created. Both the media and social media have encouraged the false narrative that people need to hunker down and prepare for an apocalyptic scenario. It is easier to panic than it is to be rational in times like this. There is a sense of comfort for these people in knowing that they are “all set.” They don’t think about all the people who won’t get these items later that day.
Social distancing is the main strategy to prevent the spread of coronavirus. I can completely understand the people that have been coming in to buy food, paper towels, toilet paper, hygiene products and medicine. While video games are not as necessary, the demand has been just as high for these items. “I need to get these kids braindead” was a personal favorite I heard from a parent recently.
An unforeseen problem arises from those who are not coming to buy essential items. I would say roughly a third of the people in our store walk around shopping aimlessly. With no intent to buy anything they desperately need, they are putting themselves and others at risk for no reason. The amount of people walking around with empty carts and hand baskets is appalling.
Corporate is just waiting until there is a large outbreak at a store to limit the number of customers allowed in the store at one time. It took until April 4th for this to happen. Most grocery stores and retailers have been doing this for weeks, such as Trader Joes and Vons. Here is all of the official information regarding Target’s response. Corporate greed remains at its highest during the first two quarters of the fiscal year when sales are often the lowest and hours are cut for most workers. That is not the case right now. Both work hours and sales have gone through the roof and there is no way they’d let money go out the window.
The coronavirus is slowly closing down not only the nation but the entire world. Many people are losing their jobs and many others have been in “quarantine” for about two weeks or so now. I am glad that I still have a job. Although, I could leave my job and still pay all my bills for a while. If anything, I remain at my job because they are allowing us to get our own essential items without waiting in the long lines. It is a great perk to have right about now. The looks on the eyes of some guests who see us getting our items without waiting in lines are worth a million dollars
My family is working from home and staying inside with the only exception of grocery shopping. I am the only one still going to work. I wash my hands almost every opportunity I get. When I get home from work, I shower and wash my hands to try and avoid spreading any germs. The power of the media has amplified the coronavirus into being something much scarier than it really is. Sadly some people have died, but the current 1.7% mortality rate in the US should shed plenty of light on its danger. This is a matter to be taken seriously but it has been blown up by the media. My demographic has a very small risk of death but I am afraid of giving it to my parents as they are at high risk in their 60s.
My biggest worry is the fact that we don’t have a timeline of when this may end. It could be a month or longer than a year. It has already affected school drastically and many aspects of daily life. The problem with coronavirus isn’t biological, it is the fact that it has completely turned our lives upside down.
