Walmart+ delivery driver tipping? Really??

[Aerides]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplesky My main focus is on the Multi-billion dollar companies like Walmart and Amazon and Costco and Target and Kroger. Restaurant dining and restaurant delivery and tipping is a different discussion.

The line is blurred, somewhat, however, when it comes to food delivery. This used to not really be a thing large scale, perhaps small local groceries but not say, Publix. So, I can see where a food company that delivers (instacart or direct from the store) might think tipping is ok to suggest much like pizza or prepared food delivery.

And when some of these companies do both - walmart - then it gets muddier. The service of the delivery is different too. One is a box left on your porch - done. The other is a ring of the doorbell and handing you your box of fresh veggies and stuff.

The consumer shouldn't have to do the gymnastics of understanding the company structure and staffing in order to know when tipping is a good idea or isn't.

[single2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplesky My main focus is on the Multi-billion dollar companies like Walmart and Amazon and Costco and Target and Kroger. Restaurant dining and restaurant delivery and tipping is a different discussion. I understand the independent contractor scam that companies like Fedex implemented about 30 years ago. Fedex ground was born and the large scale independent contractor scam was introduced . The start of low pay disposable Fedex ground drivers who have ruined the Fedex Express job. So now the same independent contractor scam is still happening in 2022 with Walmart and Amazon using disposable underpaid independent contractors who really just are employees of Walmart and Amazon. I am just the messenger. This is the business model that Walmart is using. Customers who help Walmart pay a living wage to their delivery drivers using software designed to digital beg and digital tip are just making things worse by allowing Walmart to not pay their delivery workforce a set living wage.

Walmart+ delivery prices (unlike Instacart) are the same as in store. Walmart+ pays for someone to shop for you. You get the best produce since it’s picked from inside. DoorDash employee delivers for peanuts. I tip them well (assuming good service) because I choose to.

On the other hand Instacart from Costco involves an Instacart employee shopping in store, paying in store prices and delivering them. You are charged MORE than the store price (per item) and pay a service fee on top of delivery charges. I have seen the actual Costco receipt with in store prices but getting charged more for “delivered prices”.

I think Walmart+ is a bargain for the customer. I like to tip the driver generously because they are providing a service I value. I am fortunate enough to help them out

[harllee]

I don't know about the Walmart delivery drivers but in my area Walmart is paying more than most other groceries and restaurants. A friend who works there says starting pay is now $20 per hour and they do have benefits--including health insurance and tuition assistance. Local restaurants say they cannot hire good workers because Walmart pays so much they get all the good workers.

[youbet]

The Walmart, Amazon Fresh, etc., grocery delivery model is very different from the model of delivering out of a distribution center in a company owned vehicle. UPS, Fed-X, USPS, Amazon, etc., all involve full time employees driving company vehicles and working fixed hours.

The Walmart grocery, etc., drivers are driving their own vehicles and work whatever hours they wish. Feeling energetic and there's nothing to watch on TV this evening (after work at your full time gig)? OK, let's make a couple of deliveries! Checks phone app, agrees to do an order and takes off. I think it's a substantially different labor pool.

If you don't like the tipping system (I don't), don't use the delivery service. I just got back from a curb-side pickup at Walmart a couple of hours ago. Placed the order late last night. It went great. Two good (to my advantage) substitutions that I had pre-approved. Everything else accurate. Produce looked fine. I'll drive over to Caputo's (a local chain with great deli products) tomorrow.

For the drivers....... if you're under-compensated in your opinion or there's something else you don't like about the job, make the decision to not do it as opposed to doing it. It's your choice. There are jobs available everywhere right now and if you're driving for Walmart grocery or similar, it's because you want to, not because you're being hijacked. Our country really needs full time drivers.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harllee I don't know about the Walmart delivery drivers but in my area Walmart is paying more than most other groceries and restaurants. A friend who works there says starting pay is now $20 per hour and they do have benefits--including health insurance and tuition assistance. Local restaurants say they cannot hire good workers because Walmart pays so much they get all the good workers.

This does not apply to Walmart grocery delivery drivers. See post #18.

[purplesky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerides The line is blurred, somewhat, however, when it comes to food delivery. This used to not really be a thing large scale, perhaps small local groceries but not say, Publix. So, I can see where a food company that delivers (instacart or direct from the store) might think tipping is ok to suggest much like pizza or prepared food delivery. And when some of these companies do both - walmart - then it gets muddier. The service of the delivery is different too. One is a box left on your porch - done. The other is a ring of the doorbell and handing you your box of fresh veggies and stuff. The consumer shouldn't have to do the gymnastics of understanding the company structure and staffing in order to know when tipping is a good idea or isn't.

The consumer should not be shamed with digital begging software asking for a digital tip to subsidize underpaid delivery drivers at companies like Amazon or Walmart.
It is very simple.

Walmart made a choice in the boardroom in Arkansas when they had to compete with Amazon.
Everything related to Walmart delivery is approved in Arkansas.

Walmart Hiding behind the independent contractor scam and digital begging software is pathetic in 2022.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplesky Walmart made a choice in the boardroom in Arkansas when they had to compete with Amazon. .

Do you mean "Amazon Fresh?" They use approximately the same system Walmart grocery is using. But shipping from Amazon distribution centers does not.

[Chuckanut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplesky The consumer should not be shamed with digital begging software asking for a digital tip to subsidize underpaid delivery drivers at companies like Amazon or Walmart. It is very simple. Walmart made a choice in the boardroom in Arkansas when they had to compete with Amazon. Everything related to Walmart delivery is approved in Arkansas. Walmart Hiding behind the independent contractor scam and digital begging software is pathetic in 2022.

There is not Walmart near me, but, I am happy to order things for delivery in the next few days. No tipping required for that.

I don't know what the low income people in my area would do without Walmart. Not eat one or two days a week?

[Morgan22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronc879 Amazon drivers are not independent contractors. Amazon contracts out to Delivery Service Partners(DSP) who then own their own business and hire their own drivers. The drivers are not Amazon employees but rather W2 employees of the DSP. They make around half the pay per hour of a UPS driver with far less benefits but are still employees unlike Walmart drivers who are independent contractors working for a different company and paid per delivery rather than per hour.

I thought I heard a few years back Amazon broke off agreements with small delivery companies? Maybe it was regional/where I was living at the time? But Amazon does have a "flex" program where you are an independent contractor. You pick the times you want to work. (Or they did back a 4 or 5 years ago when my other kid was thinking of doing gig work during his free time. I called our insurance agent to ask about driving, they said absolutely not, unless you want your premiums to go way up.)

[youbet]

There seems to be some confusion between Amazon and Amazon Fresh and between Walmart and Walmart grocery. I posted a link in #18 which does a pretty good job explaining the Walmart grocery delivery driver job and its compensation. You can find similar information for Amazon Fresh here:

https://bestreferraldriver.com/amazon-fresh-driver.html

[aaronc879]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morgan22 I thought I heard a few years back Amazon broke off agreements with small delivery companies? Maybe it was regional/where I was living at the time? But Amazon does have a "flex" program where you are an independent contractor. You pick the times you want to work. (Or they did back a 4 or 5 years ago when my other kid was thinking of doing gig work during his free time. I called our insurance agent to ask about driving, they said absolutely not, unless you want your premiums to go way up.)

Amazon definitely still has the DSPs. Some areas also have Flex where people use their own vehicle to deliver smaller loads of packages for a few hours a day. Flex is not available around my area. Anyone delivering in an Amazon branded sprinter type van is working for a DSP.

[harllee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet This does not apply to Walmart grocery delivery drivers. See post #18.

Reading that article--looks like Walmart delivery drivers can easily make $20 an hour.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harllee Reading that article--looks like Walmart delivery drivers can easily make $20 an hour.

Yeah, but they're driving their own vehicle and paying the expenses on that and get no benefits. Both of those are big deals.

The article boasts of benefits such as working your own hours and listening to whatever music you want while working. They're definitely trying to dip into a different labor pool for grocery delivery drivers than for full time, in-the-store employees.

[purplesky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet Do you mean "Amazon Fresh?" They use approximately the same system Walmart grocery is using. But shipping from Amazon distribution centers does not.

It all falls under the Walmart and Amazon Corporate umbrella.

You are buying a product or service from Walmart or amazon.

Buying peanut butter or a computer makes no difference.

Just pay your professional drivers or independent contractors a living wage and stop the digital begging to subsidize your low wages.

[purplesky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut There is not Walmart near me, but, I am happy to order things for delivery in the next few days. No tipping required for that. I don't know what the low income people in my area would do without Walmart. Not eat one or two days a week?

Hopefully those low income people qualify for food stamps or welfare.

If I understand correctly Walmart has thousands of employees who qualify for welfare and Medicaid.
So does McDonalds.

[GenXguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplesky Hopefully those low income people qualify for food stamps or welfare. If I understand correctly Walmart has thousands of employees who qualify for welfare and Medicaid. So does McDonalds.

Heck some wealthy early retirees qualify for expanded Medicaid until they are 65.

Of course, these higher wages that Walmart and others are having to pay to get people to work these days is helping drive up inflation and costs for everyone.

I've never used Walmart's delivery service.

[purplesky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by single2019 Walmart+ delivery prices (unlike Instacart) are the same as in store. Walmart+ pays for someone to shop for you. You get the best produce since it’s picked from inside. DoorDash employee delivers for peanuts. I tip them well (assuming good service) because I choose to. On the other hand Instacart from Costco involves an Instacart employee shopping in store, paying in store prices and delivering them. You are charged MORE than the store price (per item) and pay a service fee on top of delivery charges. I have seen the actual Costco receipt with in store prices but getting charged more for “delivered prices”. I think Walmart+ is a bargain for the customer. I like to tip the driver generously because they are providing a service I value. I am fortunate enough to help them out

I just got back from a Costco run and I saw a Instacart shopper buying stuff.
I am frugal so I would rather go to Costco myself and save money.

If Walmart+ works for you that's great and I am sure the driver appreciates your generosity.

[purplesky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GenXguy Heck some wealthy early retirees qualify for expanded Medicaid until they are 65. Of course, these higher wages that Walmart and others are having to pay to get people to work these days is helping drive up inflation and costs for everyone. I've never used Walmart's delivery service.

Yes and creating more record profits.

Back to square one for the front line workers.

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sojourner But the most galling thing about the service, IMHO, is that it asks you to tip the delivery driver when you're going through the checkout process. The default tip is $5, but you can select any amount you want, including $0.

Right before the Pandemic started I signed up for the Walmart delivery. At least back then, you could elect to do the tip after the delivery. That is what I always did. I would get the delivery and then tip.

However, after a few months I quit using the service altogether and switch to curbside pickup. Walmart was using door dash for its delivery. Every single delivery my delivery was first delivered to the wrong house.

My address is something like 123 Main St. S. However, there is also a 123 Main St. N. My deliveries always went to North! The delivery person would often call me and say they were there and I wasn't answering the door. Of course, I would explain they were at the wrong house. The app for Walmart gave me the option to text or call them but often the numbers were wrong! So I would wait for them to contact me and then redirect them.

I spent weeks trying to solve the problem. Walmart blamed Door Dash. However, "regular" direct orders for us with Door Dash went fine. Also, one of the drivers showed that he was specifically told by Door Cash to deliver to North! I called Door Cash who blamed Walmart. After working on this with many calls I eventually found out that Walmart was taking my correct address that I gave it and their software was stripping off the South. Then when they went to send the request to Door Dash it was wrong since it didn't have the South on there. The software would then search for the address and it would find North first (due to the alphabet) and would fill that in. So Door Dash would always get info saying my address was North and not South. I finally just quit using the service since I couldn't fix this.

The other thing I didn't like about the Walmart system was that you could agree to substitutions but couldn't give any info about what would be an acceptable substitute. With Kroger, you can specify what you want as a substitute. So we just switched to curbside delivery at Kroger. I noticed the other day that apparently Kroger now has a similar membership program to Walmart for deliveries. In some areas that might be a reasonable alternative IF you get your discounts when you use them. I looked in Instacart back then and if you used it you could not use your Kroger discount card and many items had upcharges on them so using Instacart was horribly expensive for stores where you really need the discount card.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplesky It all falls under the Walmart and Amazon Corporate umbrella. You are buying a product or service from Walmart or amazon. Buying peanut butter or a computer makes no difference. Just pay your professional drivers or independent contractors a living wage and stop the digital begging to subsidize your low wages.

But they do pay their drivers a "living wage." Where did you see otherwise?

https://careers.walmart.com/drivers-...4aAsHLEALw_wcB