Amazon - "Thank my driver"

[cabanafrau]

Is it a positive for the drivers? Sure, who wouldn't appreciate extra cash compensation.

Is it simply a magnanimous gesture by Amazon to reward hardworking employees doing a good job? I don't have enough objective evidence to support that idea. The skeptical part of my brain wonders if this is Amazon floating a stealthy boat out there to feed them information about the potential for customers to abandon the notion of Prime membership providing blanket free delivery for items currently covered by Prime. My guess is this is highly likely to be a test balloon in sheep's clothing because Bezos gonna Bezos -- preferably in a manner and lifestyle that can afford to do things like literally upend infrastructure to build a massive yacht and then move it around at Bezos' whim and convenience.

 

[sam_gordon]

OK, I'll try to explain my view one more time because I apparently didn't do a good job previously...

* There's obviously "tip creep" in many facets of the US. We've talked about it here. Most people are against tipping people who make at least minimum wage and are doing their job (ie: having a tip jar at a counter service restaurant). To me, Amazon drivers are similar.
* The fact that Amazon will provide the "tip" has me questioning two things... 1) Will the drivers actually get the tip? They wouldn't know if anyone okayed it presumably and 2) as PP said, what else is this leading up to?
* How many people would participate if Amazon WASN'T fronting the money?
* While I'm home a lot, I don't think many people actually see the driver "gently placing the package on the porch", so how would they know?
* IMO, Amazon would be better off sending out a "how did we do" email or notification. If someone answers with 5 stars, reward the driver with $5.
* If my package gets delivered by FedEx/UPS/USPS, and I'm not around, but it's "placed gently on the porch", and I decide to tip the driver, who does it go to?

Obviously something's not sitting right with me on this. But, as others (who are participating in this thread) have said... "These are my feelings and I'm entitled to them".

 

[cabanafrau]

Unfortunately Amazon's current system where they do send out the emails asking about how delivery went lead directly into a mission creep of rating the item(s) in the shipment. Many times the item(s) I'm ordering are a gift and I'm not necessarily opening actual items up immediately as I'm not the person who's going to use the item and therefore am not prepared to do an immediate item review. If they're actually concerned with gathering information about driver performance and customers' satisfaction on that front, ask that question and I will actually provide much more feedback on a consistent basis.

The fact they tie the driver feedback directly into further information gathering that there's no way they don't already understand customers are quite often unlikely to be able to provide with any degree of accuracy immediately after delivery, thus skewing many of the reviews they actually do collect on items sold causes me to cast an extremely skeptical eye at precisely what they intend to derive from customer response to the driver tipping. Amazon business practices have a tendency not to look or smell too good with the perspective of time, good lighting, thoughtful consideration and the kicking over of too many rocks IMO.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Great idea but I never see my Amazon drivers or their packages until the door staff logs them in.
Guess I’ll ask the doorman to send me a text as soon as possible. He’s giving out homemade brownies to all the residents so I’ll take that as a reminder its time to tip him again .

 

[NYCgrrl]

OK, sorry, why?

First, I don't think I've ever had the same delivery driver for Amazon, to say nothing about sometimes packages get delivered by UPS, FedEx, USPS.
Second, while it could be a tough job, it's still one they chose to do.
Third, this is more "tip creep".

In general, at least 2 Amazon deliveries are made to this building a day. During the holiday season that shoots up to at least four. Doesn’t include the other delivery companies either.

Back when I was still managing buildings I encouraged Bd of Directors to identify space and budget funds to expand for the now delivery onslaught. Some heeded the advice, some did not .

Honestly, I’d rather tip the delivery persons once a year than some other workers I can think of.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

OK, I'll try to explain my view one more time because I apparently didn't do a good job previously...

* There's obviously "tip creep" in many facets of the US. We've talked about it here. Most people are against tipping people who make at least minimum wage and are doing their job (ie: having a tip jar at a counter service restaurant). To me, Amazon drivers are similar.
* The fact that Amazon will provide the "tip" has me questioning two things... 1) Will the drivers actually get the tip? They wouldn't know if anyone okayed it presumably and 2) as PP said, what else is this leading up to?
* How many people would participate if Amazon WASN'T fronting the money?
* While I'm home a lot, I don't think many people actually see the driver "gently placing the package on the porch", so how would they know?
* IMO, Amazon would be better off sending out a "how did we do" email or notification. If someone answers with 5 stars, reward the driver with $5.
* If my package gets delivered by FedEx/UPS/USPS, and I'm not around, but it's "placed gently on the porch", and I decide to tip the driver, who does it go to?

Obviously something's not sitting right with me on this. But, as others (who are participating in this thread) have said... "These are my feelings and I'm entitled to them".

Think of this as more of a bonus than a tip. Amazon is just soliciting feedback from customers. Yes they could do a survey but the return rate on those is low.

Frankly, if it was coming out of my pocket I wouldn't be doing it. Bezos can afford massive yachts though so anything I can do to give a little of his money to others is a win in my book.

 

[sam_gordon]

Think of this as more of a bonus than a tip. Amazon is just soliciting feedback from customers. Yes they could do a survey but the return rate on those is low.

Frankly, if it was coming out of my pocket I wouldn't be doing it. Bezos can afford massive yachts though so anything I can do to give a little of his money to others is a win in my book.

To me, a bonus and tip are the same thing. And we still don't know that the drivers actually see the money.

 

[china mom]

To me, a bonus and tip are the same thing. And we still don't know that the drivers actually see the money.

But if they don't then why the whole charade? Why have the option to thank the driver at all? Is it Amazon virtue signaling?

I can see the suspicion of you were paying the tip and wondering if the driver sees it.

I see your perspective on bonus and tip being the same thing but in my view, a bonus is something that is paid by the employer - i this case, based on customer feedback, where a tip is paid by the customer.

 

[ClaraOswald]

OK, I'll try to explain my view one more time because I apparently didn't do a good job previously...

* There's obviously "tip creep" in many facets of the US. We've talked about it here. Most people are against tipping people who make at least minimum wage and are doing their job (ie: having a tip jar at a counter service restaurant). To me, Amazon drivers are similar.
* The fact that Amazon will provide the "tip" has me questioning two things... 1) Will the drivers actually get the tip? They wouldn't know if anyone okayed it presumably and 2) as PP said, what else is this leading up to?
* How many people would participate if Amazon WASN'T fronting the money?
* While I'm home a lot, I don't think many people actually see the driver "gently placing the package on the porch", so how would they know?
* IMO, Amazon would be better off sending out a "how did we do" email or notification. If someone answers with 5 stars, reward the driver with $5.
* If my package gets delivered by FedEx/UPS/USPS, and I'm not around, but it's "placed gently on the porch", and I decide to tip the driver, who does it go to?

Obviously something's not sitting right with me on this. But, as others (who are participating in this thread) have said... "These are my feelings and I'm entitled to them".

If you look at the links earlier, it's only for Amazon drivers, not deliveries made by Fedex/ups/usps.

Many people have doorbell cams that they could check if they wanted to see how their thing were handled.

I get a "how did they do" notification with every amazon delivery (the ones from actual Amazon drivers), which shows a picture of my package and I can click if I was satisfied or not.

And during the holidays, it's basically the same thing but with the added $5 tip.

This isn't required or expected by anyone so if you don't like it, don't do it. No one cares.

 

[JBRB828]

I always thank my driver through Alexa.

 

[mjkacmom]

I tipped 3 Amazon drivers today!

 

[cabanafrau]

If you look at the links earlier, it's only for Amazon drivers, not deliveries made by Fedex/ups/usps.

Many people have doorbell cams that they could check if they wanted to see how their thing were handled.

I get a "how did they do" notification with every amazon delivery (the ones from actual Amazon drivers), which shows a picture of my package and I can click if I was satisfied or not.

And during the holidays, it's basically the same thing but with the added $5 tip.

This isn't required or expected by anyone so if you don't like it, don't do it. No one cares.

When you click the thumbs up and thumbs down you are immediately prompted to then do a comprehensive review of the item itself and often the seller as well. Amazon knows customers are by and large likely not in possession of the information necessary to do a product and seller review when acknowledging how delivery went, so why is that how they've set the system up? It's almost like they're hoping for a knee jerk five-star review from a customer that is acknowledging their delivery has arrived timely and apparently in good shape according to the shipping container.

Frankly, unless I'm giving a thumbs down on delivery itself I no longer respond to those emails. Not that I even can remember giving a thumbs down on delivery, ever, even when things arrive late. It is however yet another reason I'm skeptical about online reviews on Amazon about products I'm unfamiliar with already myself.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I don't think I get emails. But I get a notification in the app. I honestly never click it because I'm lazy.

 

[Planogirl]

I like this. We get good service and order a lot so I'm on it. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Unfortunately Amazon's current system where they do send out the emails asking about how delivery went lead directly into a mission creep of rating the item(s) in the shipment. Many times the item(s) I'm ordering are a gift and I'm not necessarily opening actual items up immediately as I'm not the person who's going to use the item and therefore am not prepared to do an immediate item review. If they're actually concerned with gathering information about driver performance and customers' satisfaction on that front, ask that question and I will actually provide much more feedback on a consistent basis.

I tend to get the "how was the delivery" as a push notification from the app and it's just asking about the delivery of said item (more and more has a picture of the actual delivery like you would hope it would be all the time). I don't always actually rate the delivery but I have before using the app.

The rate your recent purchase is an e-mail at least as far as I can remember.

They do ask the questions separately.

 

[ronandannette]

It's a tip for your last Amazon driver, specifically. When I clicked it, it showed the picture from our most recent delivery. So it's for that person specifically.

It's just something for the holiday season and only for the first 2 million people.

No one is making you do it. It's just something nice that I thought some people might want to do.

Wow - that is a potential expense for Amazon of $10,000,000. Even for Amazon, that's not chump change. There must be some larger purpose (research, marketing, etc.) beyond just a novel, nice gesture somebody at HQ thought up. I wish we had an Amazon driver among us here. It would be really interesting to hear how this program has been framed for them and if they are informed which addresses have "tipped" them.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As an FYI this is the 3rd year they've been doing this promotion.

 

[focusondisney]

As an FYI this is the 3rd year they've been doing this promotion.

That’s interesting! I’ve never heard of it before. So there probably isn’t a sinister motive.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That’s interesting! I’ve never heard of it before. So there probably isn’t a sinister motive.

I don't think there is either though I do understand people's skepticism over it. I'm trying to think back but I don't think I saw a ton of in your face adverts over the program.

 

[_19disnA]

Anything that says............"......at no cost to you....." makes me ask where does the money comes from? Obviously it doesn't just fall out of the sky.............LOL. Generally have NO idea who delivers something, perhaps out shopping or at work when packages arrive during the day. Even if we are home, most deliveries are just left at the front door. Only on the rare occasion when you have to sign for a delivery do I even know who the driver was. Tipping started as a way to supplement the income of those (like a server in a restaurant) where the laws permitted them to get paid LESS than minimum wage. Now it seems like EVERY job expects to be tipped for doing the job they are already getting paid for.