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Amazon Flex

flex.amazon.com

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Re: Amazon Flex

#381

Post by tomschlick »

mseebach wrote: post #188
IkmoIkmo wrote: post #186

I wonder how long it'll take for an online thievery marketplace will pop-up selling Amazon Flex delivery data. For example, if you know you delivered a $10k gold apple watch (hypothetically), I can bet you that a local thief would pay you at least $100 for you to tell him which house it was delivered to. In fact, my neighbour's home was broken into last year. Turns out (unbeknownst to us), he apparently had a safe in…

I've never received an Amazon package that listed its contents on the outside. The reason for this appears fairly obvious.

But if you're delivering on the product launch day and you've delivered 20 of the same shape/size/weight with the same sender information (no matter how obscure) it would be easy to infer.

Re: Amazon Flex

#382

Post by vhold »

digikata wrote: post #351
thieving_magpie wrote: post #315

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Man I couldn't care less who hands me my package if it arrives intact and on time. I'm not looking for a "delivery experience".

Isn't the probability of something going wrong higher if the delivery infrastructure isn't staffed with full time people? I would guess that mishandling, loss, misdelivery, theft would all be more likely under the flex model.

I think Amazon already operates on a risk-taking model for package delivery. When I first started using Prime it was very conservative about requiring signatures, and overtime that became relaxed and I'd come home to find packages on my doorstep. Now sometimes they aren't even at my door, but instead downstairs away from my apartment. I think they'll just keep taking more risks to save money until they start losing packages.

Re: Amazon Flex

#383

Post by tormeh »

magic_beans wrote: post #319
tormeh wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about the local post office or your mail box?

I don't know about you, but my local post office opens at 10 and closes at 5pm, which are when I'm at work. And my mailbox is a slot in the door. It's not going to accept my packages for me.

Oh, yeah. We don't actually have any real post offices where I live; post office functions are handled by select grocery stores and are available as long as the grocery stores are open.

Re: Amazon Flex

#384

Post by duderific »

caskance wrote: post #285
djur wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The pizza delivery driver doesn't get any of that delivery charge. Not tipping the driver because of the delivery charge is essentially punishing the driver for the owner's desire to take their tips.

The owner taking their tips is punishing the driver. It's not my responsibility to insulate the driver from that. I am paying a surcharge for delivery. That's reasonable. If the driver doesn't get the cut of that he feels he deserves, he can work somewhere else.

...said someone who has obviously never worked for tips.

Re: Amazon Flex

#385

Post by prawn »

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.

I've often thought about starting a delivery-as-a-service company where the deliverer wears their phone (or a phone) clipped to their chest (or diagonal satchel strap) where branding might otherwise go. And the phone would automatically show branding of whoever they were representing for that particular delivery.

If the rest of their uniform were neutral, it might work out.

Re: Amazon Flex

#386

Post by luckygomez »

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 seen the same in US too, random private car, person without any amazon branding/attire stopping by and dropping off Amazon packages. Might have been a beta trial in Silicon Valley. It was a little disconcerting watching someone stop by like that and drop off a package.

Re: Amazon Flex

#387

Post by slr555 »

Amazon can't even effectively manage their second tier delivery vendors like Lasership in NYC. They dump packages in unsecured areas (I had one stolen last week). They scan packages as delivered to make their SLA with Amazon and then deliver after 9pm. And now Amazon thinks some random folks with cars are going to do great delivering merchandise in one of the country's most congested urban areas. Maybe bricks and mortar aren't so bad after all.

Re: Amazon Flex

#388

Post by sib »

Someone1234 wrote: post #164
suvelx wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I don't understand, is why I can't pick my delivery slot for free. Everybody has jobs. Everybody finds it annoying to buy something on line. You never know when it's going to turn up. You have to take a day off, and hope your driver is competent at his job. Why can't you just say "I'll be at home on Thursday after 5pm. Call me on #555-333-9999 if you have any issues". Courier delivers the package after 5pm on Th…

I think we would all love to see this. Amazon do have their lockers. The problem with Amazon Lockers is that they're expensive. Even with prime it still costs extra on top (similar to one day shipping) to have it delivered to a locker. I've noticed Amazon require a signature a lot LESS often now which does reduce this problem (since it can be left), and I guess Amazon are picking up the cost of the 1-5% of stolen pac…

Is this geography-specific? "Even with prime it still costs extra on top (similar to one day shipping) to have it delivered to a locker." I've never been charged extra for Locker delivery.

Re: Amazon Flex

#389

Post by [deleted] »

tzier wrote: post #365
digikata wrote: post #351

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't the probability of something going wrong higher if the delivery infrastructure isn't staffed with full time people? I would guess that mishandling, loss, misdelivery, theft would all be more likely under the flex model.

The issue rates aren't as high as the media leads you to believe. For example, Airbnb has a policy with Lloyds for any catastrophic events, but they actually don't have that many issues and so just pay for them themselves when they happen. (Or at least this used to be the case.) The media just sensationalizes it when something goes wrong, so you fall into availability bias. Plus, your costs are offset by having labor…

[deleted]

Re: Amazon Flex

#390

Post by twistedpair »

vhold wrote: post #382
digikata wrote: post #351

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't the probability of something going wrong higher if the delivery infrastructure isn't staffed with full time people? I would guess that mishandling, loss, misdelivery, theft would all be more likely under the flex model.

I think Amazon already operates on a risk-taking model for package delivery. When I first started using Prime it was very conservative about requiring signatures, and overtime that became relaxed and I'd come home to find packages on my doorstep. Now sometimes they aren't even at my door, but instead downstairs away from my apartment. I think they'll just keep taking more risks to save money until they start losing p…

Amazon (ala UPS) requires signatures for the most random things. I get a $500 phone left on the porch, but a $2 cat toy requires a 2mi drive to a local quickie mart drop of facility because it needs a sig. From what I've heard, the signature requirement is driven my Amazon's merchants, not by them, so it's a crap shoot.
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