New website takes you out of the queue
Alert system indicates how long the wait, while one New World outlet texts shoppers waiting outside in their vehicles
A Dunedin man has come up with a website to alert people to how long queues are outside supermarkets.
Gareth Hayes would rather go home and come back later than queue outside a supermarket.
That preference arose partly from living at Wuhan in China, where the virus first took hold, and seeing reports of the virus spreading among people queuing at close quarters outside Chinese supermarkets.
New Zealand is also seeing lines of shoppers at supermarkets. And consumer chains such as Mitre 10, The Warehouse and Briscoes say they are running low on toasters, electric blankets and heaters as worried Kiwis make urgent purchases.
Hayes said: “I’m a software engineer, so I created a website called howlongistheline.org to help with this.”
The website lists a supermarket or other essential shops like a pharmacy with one of three status alerts: No Lines, A Wee Wait or Busy, Stay at home. This last status is for five or more people in a queue.
People are able to update the status but only if at the shop using the location setting on their mobile phone.
Hayes said people can also add a new shop to the website without having to log in.
The website was launched two days ago and so far there are 17 shops, mostly in the South Island, although Supervalue in Raglan was listed yesterday.
It is also a totally open source, which means other web developers can add new features or tweak existing features on the site.
If the website flattens the curve of people going to the supermarket and makes a tiny difference to the spread of Covid-19, it will be worth it, said Hayes.
Foodstuffs is using a text-to-queue service at its New World store in
I’m a software engineer, so I created a website called howlongisthe line.org to help with this.
Website creator Gareth Hayes
Kumeu. It works by people driving into the car park, where signs display a text number and code. After sending a text, customers get a return text saying they are in the queue.
Customers then wait in their cars before receiving another text saying they can enter the supermarket.
Meanwhile, in a message on its website yesterday, the Warehouse said it was experiencing high demand for essential items and apologised if consumer’s first choices were not available.
The notice came as Mitre 10 launched an online home delivery service for essential goods.
Key products include heaters, dehumidifiers, light bulbs and globes, hand tools, padlocks, firewood, batteries, sealants and silicones, work boots and gumboots, work wear, torches, spouting, down pipes, smoke alarms, child safety items and small household appliances.
The chains are permitted to sell products only online. Supermarkets, dairies and pharmacies remain open and have controls in place for customers to stick to the two-metre physical separation rule.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said in order to protect public safety, there would be conditions around the selling of items by businesses.
It said the firms had to operate responsibly and make available for sale only genuinely essential goods.
It expected the public to order responsibly, buying items only that were necessary to facilitate life and work during the lockdown period.
In order to sell these essential goods, businesses must:
● Only take orders online or by phone and keep storefronts shut.
● Take orders for only essential nonfood goods.
● Home deliver all essential goods in a contactless way and not allow people to visit stores to select or collect goods.
● Take all appropriate public health measures to protect staff and customers, including physical distancing, hygiene basics, appropriate personal protective equipment.
● Notify MBIE that they meet these conditions and intend to offer essential goods for sale and provide a list of those products.
MBIE has warned if businesses can’t meet these conditions, they should not offer to sell essential goods while the country is at alert level 4.
“If businesses are too generous in their interpretation of what is ‘essential’ or flout these rules, Government will take further action.”
Essential goods are those that will keep people warm, replace key household appliances and maintain people’s health. Examples of essential products are blankets, fridges, heaters and computers or tablets to work from home or do distance learning, or simply connect with people.
“If people can’t buy these, then we risk people venturing out of their homes more often,” MBIE said.