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Amazon Flex

flex.amazon.com

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Re: Amazon Flex

#31

Post by user24 »

suvelx wrote: post #8

I've got a suspicion that Amazon has been trialling/building this in the UK since their purchase of Yodel, perhaps earlier. A number of times some bloke in a car has turned up and delivered me a package. No uniform, no branding. Just a phone running Amazon software. I can't say it's the greatest experience.

I've had the same experience, also in the UK!

But as to it not being the greatest experience, well, yes they are not always as professional as real courier companies. And a lot of the time they've just said "User24?" while handing me the package, so Amazon probably need to put a bit more effort into training. And I wonder how easy it would be to provide fake ID to Amazon and just steal a whole load of admittedly random packages? But, maybe that was the point of this possible trial, to identify issues like that so that the launch experience would be better?

Re: Amazon Flex

#32

Post by mseebach »

hmmdiggy wrote: post #18
joshstrange wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How was the experience bad? I never see my UPS delivery guy so I can't imagine it matters one way or the other to me how my packages "magically" show up on my front porch.

We've had packages delivered by an individual similar to survelx, and the guy clearly smokes in his car as the package stinks of smoke and it even penetrates the items inside on occasion (clothing). Issue here is that he's not bound by company policy of smoking in a company vehicle, so he's free to smoke away.

It won't take many packages returned because they smell of smoke for that to become company policy.

Re: Amazon Flex

#33

Post by chipgap98 »

jblok wrote: post #4

So I imagine the question every self employed person with a car will be asking themselves right now is this: will I make more money driving for Uber or driving for Amazon?

I imagine that people will be doing both. I already see a lot of people driving for both Uber and Lyft. Soon there'll be drivers delivering packages and people

Re: Amazon Flex

#34

Post by dogma1138 »

arethuza wrote: post #7
jblok wrote: post #4

So I imagine the question every self employed person with a car will be asking themselves right now is this: will I make more money driving for Uber or driving for Amazon?

Somebody needs to work out how you drop of packages for Amazon while driving passengers around for Uber. Actually - not completely crazy - how willing would you be as a passenger to take a few detours to get a saving on your taxi bill?

In London you see them working for food and other delivery services on the side quite often.

Re: Amazon Flex

#35

Post by abluecloud »

hmmdiggy wrote: post #18
joshstrange wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How was the experience bad? I never see my UPS delivery guy so I can't imagine it matters one way or the other to me how my packages "magically" show up on my front porch.

We've had packages delivered by an individual similar to survelx, and the guy clearly smokes in his car as the package stinks of smoke and it even penetrates the items inside on occasion (clothing). Issue here is that he's not bound by company policy of smoking in a company vehicle, so he's free to smoke away.

I thought that because they were making money on the side, and therefore would be either a company, or sole trader, utilising their car that (in the UK anyways) it would fall under the banning a number of years back.

info:

Re: Amazon Flex

#37

Post by amazing_jose »

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #15
suvelx wrote: post #8

I've got a suspicion that Amazon has been trialling/building this in the UK since their purchase of Yodel, perhaps earlier. A number of times some bloke in a car has turned up and delivered me a package. No uniform, no branding. Just a phone running Amazon software. I can't say it's the greatest experience.

No uniform? The least Amazon could do is send their drivers a hat and a sticker, or something.

NOPE! That could imply that they are employees and we all know that's impossible ;)

Re: Amazon Flex

#38

Post by andrewstuart2 »

joshstrange wrote: post #13
suvelx wrote: post #8

I've got a suspicion that Amazon has been trialling/building this in the UK since their purchase of Yodel, perhaps earlier. A number of times some bloke in a car has turned up and delivered me a package. No uniform, no branding. Just a phone running Amazon software. I can't say it's the greatest experience.

How was the experience bad? I never see my UPS delivery guy so I can't imagine it matters one way or the other to me how my packages "magically" show up on my front porch.

Well to be fair, "not the greatest" doesn't mean it was bad. Just probably not as super friendly as the marketing photo they chose. :-)

Re: Amazon Flex

#39

Post by suvelx »

joshstrange wrote: post #13
suvelx wrote: post #8

I've got a suspicion that Amazon has been trialling/building this in the UK since their purchase of Yodel, perhaps earlier. A number of times some bloke in a car has turned up and delivered me a package. No uniform, no branding. Just a phone running Amazon software. I can't say it's the greatest experience.

How was the experience bad? I never see my UPS delivery guy so I can't imagine it matters one way or the other to me how my packages "magically" show up on my front porch.

Drivers from Amazon (and only Amazon) consistently flag first-attempt deliveries as "Unable to deliver package", then successfully deliver the package the second time around without any issue. And although these deliveries could be from either Amazon-Randoms or Amazon-Yodel couriers, the issue is still a recurring one.

Trying to get any sort of resolution out of Amazon is impossible, as they insulate their logistics department from any customer service complaints. All you can do is point out that it happens nearly every delivery.

Plus it's just plain weird, that some guy in joggers turns up and hands you a package. There's no way to associate the courier as a courier, and as such my first thought is usually "Why does this man have my stuff? Did I just let a random guy into my complex?"

Re: Amazon Flex

#40

Post by ekianjo »

deanCommie wrote: post #12
bkanber wrote: post #3

Great idea on Amazon's part; they're already set up to handle the logistics for this kind of last-mile delivery stuff. Of course, one could argue that moves like this and pushing us towards the gig economy are a net negative for our future economy. They seem to be compensating fairly (for now?) at least.

My theory is these jobs need to last only long enough for society to get it's head out of it's ass and introduce a universal basic income policy

> and introduce a universal basic income policy

here we go again with this... What's wrong with such jobs ? AS mentioned by Amazon you don't need to work 9 to 5, you can just work for extra if you need. Even if you HAD basic income this kind of part-time job could make sense to make a bit more money that the nothing you would get to survive on your own.

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