To help flatten the curve, many buy, sell, and trade groups on Facebook and other e-commerce sites, are switching up how they operate.
Some are going cashless, while others put a pause on non-essential business all-together.
Sarah Turner is the group admin for OZ/NS (Ozaukee/Northshore) KidsShare. Her group decided to suspend non-essential buying and selling during the health crisis temporarily.
"We just thought it would be best, nobody excluded, that we need to be safer at home right now," said Turner.
"Hopefully, we can do our part to flatten that curve," she continued.
Buyers like Milwaukee mom, Heidi Williams, are still shopping on different buy, sell and trade groups.
"If there are things I am going to be purchasing from someone, I go to their doorstep. It's on the porch; it's left on the porch," she said.
Similar to Facebook, e-commerce sites like Letgo are encouraging buyers and sellers to follow the CDC guidelines, cleaning and disinfecting items, and avoiding close contact with anyone who is sick.
"That way, we're not exchanging germs potentially," said Williams.
Turner admits, for those relying on selling secondhand items for a source of income, the transition hasn't been smooth.
"If anyone is upset that we're not doing it or it's not open reach out, reach out, because they're scared, and if that is their money, we want to help," said Turner.
Since the pandemic surfaced, people are gifting essentials like baby formula, or asking how they can help others. A real sense of community is forming Turner said at a time when families need it most.
TMJ4 News reached out to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to see if online marketplaces or e-commerce websites are classified as "essential" businesses under Wisconsin's Safer at Home order. We are waiting for a response.