According to a breaking report by Buisness Insider seven StockX employees have tested positive for COVID-19 when the retailer neglected to shut down its Detoirt authentication center following the state of Michagan’s lockdown rules that were set in place on March 24.
Although the company seemed to be surviving during the current pandemic, seeing as customers were turning to online retail sites and less towards conventional brick-and-mortar locations, StockX has now been plagued by safety concerns, an overload of product at authentication centers, and several employees contracting COVID-19.
In an email sent out to employees by StockX co-founder and Cheif Operating Officer Greg Schwartz on March 23, Schwartz stated the Detroit center would remain open, despite the stay-at-home order. However two days later on March 25, StockX decided to close the doors to its Detroit center. In turn, internal sources have estimated that StockX has had seven confirmed cases of COVID-19, although a StockX representative has not confirmed the number. This has caused internal confusion as to why workers were still allowed to go to work, with some employees citing fears of “profit over people.” When Scott Cutler CEO of StockX was asked if the company was trading the safety of its team for profit he stated, “A hundred percent no.”
With the Detroit center being closed, packages had to be rerouted to other centers, leading to an increase of volume in other locations around the US. Head over to Business Insider for the full story.
Update (April 29, 2020): StockX has just shared an official statement via its social media platforms in response to Buisness Insider‘s breaking report.
“Today, a sensationalist article was published with a misleading headline that prioritized click-throughs over actual reporting. The truth, which is buried in the article (and behind a paywall) is this: the health and safety of our team has always been and always will be our top priority,” reads the statement. “In a situation where information was fluid and fast-evolving, we acted swiftly and decisively to safeguard the welfare of our team members. And it’s because of these dedicated team members during this extraordinary time, that our global marketplace remains open, stable, and strong.”
We have taken extensive measures to ensure the safety of our team members globally. StockX will continue to act proactively based on the latest information. https://t.co/eCmI4bMzWr pic.twitter.com/pcgFmXn6Hq
— StockX (@stockx) April 29, 2020
In related news, StockX laid Off 12% of its staff in response to coronavirus
