Frequently Asked Questions
Who are you?
My name is Lela and though I am a university student out of town, I am also a Smith's Falls resident. I am someone that has seen the effect this virus, and how we have to deal with it, is having on my community, and the world, and I want to do something to help flatten the curve as much as possible so we can get back to normal lives ASAP. I'm lucky enough to have a healthy immune system, free time, clinical masks and gloves, and a bike, so I think it would be wise to put them to good use.
Is this service safe?
I want to make this service as safe as it can be. I will be washing my hands between each individual run, using gloves where useful, wearing a mask the whole time, and including a few disinfectant wipes with each delivery just in case. If you are still worried about possible contamination on your products, it has been suggested you leave them on your front porch, or elsewhere outside, for 3 hours, as the virus cannot live longer than that on cardboard. for more information, you can visit the official CDC website using the link in the footer.
Do you accept cash?
If you absolutely cannot use eTransfer for whatever reason, I can accept cash, but you need to let me know ASAP so I am not waiting on an eTransfer from you for too long. If you are using cash, please use the following steps to help ensure the safety of both of us:
- put the money in a plastic bag or envelope
- I will contact you when I am on my way to your house to pick up the money so I may shop for you. Once I get to your house, you may put the money outside the door so that I may retrieve it without breaching 6 feet
- do NOT place your money outside BEFORE I get to your house so that it will not be stolen. I will not be responsible for any money lost or stolen if it was left outside before I am there and ready to receive it.
How can I trust that you won't just keep my money?
Unfortunately, we are just going to have to trust each other, just as I am trusting you to pay me my delivery fee (which I understand is much less money, but it is the same principle). I have no interest in stealing money from anyone, because I know what it's like to be scammed. It's horrible.
All I want is to be able to help flatten the curve so we can all get back to normal, I just so happen to still need to pay for my education, hence the $2 per km fee (this fee has been waived as I am getting more hours than expected at work). If there is a way I can make you more comfortable in the process, let me know.
How will I know when you're on your way / buying the groceries / etc?
I will email or text you, depending on your preference, every step of the way (picking up / depositing the money, headed to the store, checking out, dropping off, etc).
How far are you willing to bike to deliver?
I have to bike 8km to school in the Fall, so I would be willing to bike about 5km away from downtown Smith's Falls (with some flexibility).
If you would like an interactive map displaying a 5km radius from downtown SF, you can go to this site, or approximate from the following images
Do you still deliver if it's raining / bad weather?
I won't melt in a bit of rain, but I will use my best discretion regarding my own safety, and the safety of your groceries. As with any other delivery, I will keep you updated regarding any delay in deliveries.
How quickly will I get my groceries?
I will do my best to get you your groceries as soon as possible, but I do also have work outside of this, so what few shifts I do have will take priority, past that, I will use my best judgement to get the orders out that need to go out. Generally, I will be filling orders in the order I get them, unless someone marks an order as being wanted later in the week, or whenever I get to it. My goal is for you to have your groceries at your door within 3 - 4 days of placing the order, depending on how many orders I have.
I filled out a form and haven't heard back from you. Do I need to fill out a new one? Is it broken?
If you have filled out a form, please allow me 24 hours to catch up with everything, as I do have my own work and life outside of this, and may be preoccupied. If I have not contacted you within 24 hours, it is possible that my responses are not loading properly. If this happens, send me an email at nerd.socks.25@gmail.com and I'll be sure to get back to you ASAP.
Why the name Ding-dong Ditch Delivery?
Ding-dong ditch is a game that's sometimes known as ding-dong dash, or nicky nicky nine doors where the players will knock on the door or ring the doorbell of an unsuspecting victim, then run away. That is, more or less, the plan for this service. I knock on your door or ring your doorbell and run away, except I leave groceries and goodies on your doorstep, and I'm not pranking you, I'm helping to stop the spread of a virus. I don't know, we thought it was clever.