Usually, our business is helping you find your people. Whether you’re a customer looking for just the right local business looking for quality customers, our product is all about connecting people. But when experts urge us to keep our distance from each other, that becomes challenging. Things are changing quickly, and we all face uncertainty in the months ahead.
At Spaza Shop, the health and safety of the communities we serve are our top priority. So we’re adapting, and thinking of ways we can help you adapt, too. Above all, we’ll continue to be here for you: our customers and shops. We’ll get through this together by staying informed, making safe choices and supporting each other.
Information for customers
What can I do to help shops at this time?
- Keep supporting small businesses when safe and possible.
- Keep your distance. Wear a cloth face cover or mask. Make sure your space is well ventilated.
- Ask shops about their ability to provide no-contact delivery options.
- Use digital payments instead of cash or check.
- Consider tipping, or paying now for work that you’ve postponed.
What safety measures are pros taking?
Spaza Shop is encouraging shops to review Dept. of Health safety guidelines and pledge to take preventive measures to limit their — and your — exposure to COVID-19, including:
- Maintain 1 to 2 metres of distance from customers
- Wear cloth face cover or face mask during the sale
- Wear gloves during the job
- Disinfect surfaces touched during the sale
Customers can see if a shop has pledged to take preventive measures in their profile.
Should I postpone my delivieries?
We encourage you to stay safe. Based on current Dept. of Health guidelines, we recommend wearing a cloth face cover, distancing yourself from shop staff while they work and sanitizing any involved spaces afterward. Please understand that any interactions with shop staff could carry some risk.
Always follow local health restrictions and be respectful of shop safety in and around your home.
Information for pros
What steps should I take right now?
- If you want or need to postpone deliveries, contact your customers as soon as possible.
- Let customers know you’re taking their health and safety seriously by keeping up to date on Dept. of Health guidelines. Your profile can show prospective customers that you’re taking preventive measures to limit their — and your — exposure to COVID-19. Click the link on your profile to get started.
- If you can’t sell right now, hide your business so you won’t get new leads you can’t take on.
- Prepare for fluctuations in demand. We expect demand to increase as COVID-19 is addressed. Use profile badges to tell customers if you’re offering discounts. You can add available badges by going to your profile. Make sure to download the latest version of our app first.
Should I postpone my deliveries?
We encourage you to stay safe. If you choose to take a delivery, based on Dept. of Health current recommendation, wear a cloth face cover, wash your hands frequently and distance yourself from customers while you work.
If your local health officials are restricting activity, make sure you follow their directions — some shops are considered essential, and others are not.
About COVID-19
What is COVID-19?
A coronavirus is a virus that causes respiratory infections. COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus.
According to the Dept. of Health, the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness and dry cough. COVID-19 can be easily spread by people who are asymptomatic — people who don’t feel ill at all. Older people and those with underlying medical problems are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.
How do I stop the spread?
Here’s what Dept. of Health recommends:
- Wash your hands. Washing them thoroughly for at least 30 seconds with soap and water helps kill the virus. An alcohol-based hand rub is the next best option if you can’t wash your hands.
- Avoid close contact. Put 1 to 2 metres of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
- Cover your mouth and nose. Everyone should wear a cloth face cover in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- Cover your cough or sneeze. Use your elbow, not your hands. Or use a tissue, and then throw it away immediately.
- Clean and disinfect. Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets and sinks.
- Monitor your health daily. Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath or other symptoms of COVID-19.
Where can I get more info?
The situation is changing hour by hour. We recommend listening to Dept. of Health and your local health officials. Some states and counties have stricter guidelines in place.