The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Some merchants able to offer delivery and pick-up services yesterday argued that the absence of an e-commerce platform is not hindering their return to business following the six-week lockdown.

Anwar Knowles, Variety Disposable Products’ assistant general manager, told Tribune Business: “It’s going pretty good. We’re just trying to adhere to the safety protocols that have been established, but we have had compliant customers who are complying with the orders.”

Suggesting that the absence of an active website has so far not impeded the retailer’s efforts to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, he added: “I doubt things are going to be the way they were after this, but as with all things you have to adjust to change.

“I think that if it continues the way it is going, where few new cases are coming up, there is going to be a continuation of the country opening back up and getting back to full economic function. I do think that a lot more Bahamian businesses will pop up and will begin to do a whole lot better.”

Kartland Culmer, Customs Computers’ general manager at its Cable Beach store, said: “Today we have been pretty busy. We’re always busy. We have been serving customers 24/7 all the time. Deliveries have been out from the morning.

He added that the company has been doing both “curbside pick-up and delivery”. While Custom Computers’ website is operating, Mr Culmer said the business was still making “modifications” to it and “working on” getting its e-commerce platform operational. These issues will be resolved shortly.