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Amazon Flex

flex.amazon.com

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Re: Amazon Flex

#91

Post by stephenc_c_ »

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.

The blank vans, oftentimes actually rental vans, are actually Amazon Logistics. This is Amazon's own delivery operation in the UK, and all Prime deliveries in my area use this service. It's been years since I have seen any third party delivery providers for Amazon orders.

Re: Amazon Flex

#92

Post by nowprovision »

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?

Why limit to one? Perhaps a fair logistic syndicator, where companies send their delivery requests when they've exhausted their permanent staff capacity.

Maybe something like milkthemiles.com - make the retailers agree to your demand pricing not the inverse (tm)...

Re: Amazon Flex

#93

Post by ekianjo »

jcfrei wrote: post #79
ekianjo wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

The problem with the ongoing commoditization of work is that it causes it to lose value. As a result the economy becomes more efficient. However the question is who benefits from this increase in efficiency? It certainly isn't the worker, whose labour becomes cheaper every year (there hasn't been an increase in real wages for over a decade now in the US). The consumer certainly benefits from lower prices. However who…

> However the question is who benefits from this increase in efficiency?

Who benefited from Ford making cars more efficiently ? Their employees as well, since they could buy cars on their own at cheaper prices than the then available cars.

Productivity gains improve life for EVERYONE, even the poorer ones. There's so many examples I don't even know what kind of point you are trying to make here.

Improvements in agriculture make food cheaper as well, which makes it possible for even modest household to have 3 smartphones on top of food of the table, and go on vacation more than 0 times a year.

Sometimes when I read comments here, I get the bizarre impression that nobody has noticed the massive increase of purchasing power that society got in the past 100 years. I must be living in a bubble.

Re: Amazon Flex

#94

Post by kaybe »

ekianjo wrote: post #41
officemonkey wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My theory is these jobs need to last only long enough for self-driving cars to get commoditized.

Oh yeah, and who is going to confirm that the delivery is done, or walk in apartment buildings to deliver to the right door ? A robot ? Going to the last mile actually means going to the last centimetre as well. The car is not everything.

I think most people would be perfectly happy to walk to the street and open the car with a code they just received per text if that saved them some money.

Re: Amazon Flex

#95

Post by kra34 »

doki_pen wrote: post #74
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.

Considering they are pushing cost for vehicles, vehicle maintenance, insurance, payroll taxes, fuel, unemployment insurance and uniform onto their workers, I'd say they are paying peanuts. You'd have to shortsighted to see why this is worse than a normal job. I'd also guess that the rates will drop the minute they get some traction, just like Uber.

Are Uber lyft and everyone other one of those companies pushing the same costs out to their drivers?

Re: Amazon Flex

#96

Post by suvelx »

SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #86
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.

E-commerce companies have 2 points of contact with the customer - the website and the courier. It makes no sense whatsoever to me why there's this ongoing race to the bottom on the courier side of things while companies spend more and more on the website side. I suppose at that point they already have your money, so what if this delivery experience is awful? Yodel are worse than useless, and I can't see this being mu…

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 Thursday.

One delivery. No wasted delivery attempts. If an attempt is failed, charge me for it.

Re: Amazon Flex

#97

Post by mattmanser »

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.

UK Prime customer getting terrible service from Amazon delivery - I think you're right, I complained the other day that Amazon are the only delivery people who demand I come down to the building entrance to collect my package instead of delivering it to my door.

Prime is an important part of Amazon's strategy, if they're not going to actually deliver packages properly then they're screwing themselves over.

I'll see how it goes but if there's many more problems I'm cancelling Prime.

EDIT: WTH am I getting d/ved for?

Re: Amazon Flex

#98

Post by dazc »

colinramsay wrote: post #52
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 can't find anything that says Amazon bought Yodel - do you have a source? That said, I think you might be right about Yodel's general model being like this. Their service is shocking. On the other hand, right now I am waiting on a parcel being delivered by DPD on behalf of Amazon. They have given a one hour window, I can track the location of the van online, and I could have text them this morning to rearrange the…

DPD are a fine example of how it should be done. It's just a shame the current home delivery option is such a lottery.

Re: Amazon Flex

#99

Post by ortusdux »

hellofunk wrote: post #61
tdylan wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Simple solution = rating system a la Uber.

I agree. When Amazon sends an order using one of these type of delivery services, they should send a followup email to the customer in a day or two after delivery asking for a simple rating on the delivery experience.

I guarantee that they have this feature planned out and are just waiting until they have enough drivers that firing some is an option.

Re: Amazon Flex

#100

Post by dorfsmay »

SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #86
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.

E-commerce companies have 2 points of contact with the customer - the website and the courier. It makes no sense whatsoever to me why there's this ongoing race to the bottom on the courier side of things while companies spend more and more on the website side. I suppose at that point they already have your money, so what if this delivery experience is awful? Yodel are worse than useless, and I can't see this being mu…

Unless we can rate the delivery person, AND somehow verify that the person ringing at the door is indeed the person making the delivery, say by checking through an apps on your phone that they should be at your door now, and a pic of their face.

Worked for Uber...

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