Dear Sir,

I write with reference to the article in today’s Royal Gazette (January 4, 2024) under the headline “Population cannot support large inventory, say couriers”.

Is it any surprise that this comment is coming from the courier services?

Let's face it, many of us buy overseas and ship to Bermuda. I have found that purchasing and shipping to a freight consolidator for onward shipping to Bermuda is very easy. Companies such as Amazon and others offer direct shipping to the island; in many cases via DHL, which is very efficient. However, remember that “free shipping” does not apply to Bermuda.

I won’t dispute that it’s relatively quick and you can get what you want. (My husband is convinced that I’m a shareholder in Lands’ End.) I will order online when I am unable to find certain clothing items here. Women’s petite sizes are available only at Seasons in Paget. It offers good choices for some of us “height-challenged” women. If it’s not available at Seasons, my other choice is to have clothing altered. This service is always available, but it means a further expense.

Having said all this, the concern uppermost in my mind is that buying overseas does not pay Bermudians’ salaries — except those working for courier companies. Before buying online, ask yourself: do I really need this? If the answer is no, think carefully about the order.

When we hear about retail stores closing owing to lack of business, or reducing staff for the same reason, remember that some of those people might include you or your family members. Retail is tough: trying to decide whether to import certain items or not, and hoping you don’t have to add numbers to the unemployment statistics.

The message is: think twice before hitting that computer key for “place order now”.

LIBBY MADEIROS

Devonshire