Walmart+ delivery driver tipping? Really??

[GenXguy]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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...J_4HYrBF-qhywUH8BQGKEEU-oUeMeYw4aAsHLEALw_wcB

 

[haloFIRE]

I believe drivers from Favor and Door dash do these deliveries. They don't make min wage exception CA. Tips are their pay. I use Wal-Mart plus for most if my shopping. If I order on weekends they have unavailable items. They also have specialty items in warehouse nor avail in store they will bring same day seperatrely.

 

[ivinsfan]

I believe drivers from Favor and Door dash do these deliveries. They don't make min wage exception CA. Tips are their pay. I use Wal-Mart plus for most if my shopping. If I order on weekends they have unavailable items. They also have specialty items in warehouse nor avail in store they will bring same day seperatrely.

Are you saying some get paid nothing but tips? This does not compute...

 

[ivinsfan]

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

How do you know that DoorDash people get peanuts? I see these comments all over this thread but no actual numbers.



Technically Walmart + pays the shoppers by paying their wages which is what they do for store pickup orders. No difference there between plus and just Walmart. I've always been amazed that my Walmart chronically runs short of checkout clerks but is OK with an employee running around the store and handpicking your order. Between lines at the regular checkout and the hassle of running a big order thru self check I'm fine if I never go into a actual wal mart store again.

 

[single2019]

How do you know that DoorDash people get peanuts? I see these comments all over this thread but no actual numbers .

One my friend’s daughter is a dasher. She typically makes $5/delivery + tips

 

[purplesky]

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

https://careers.walmart.com/drivers...J_4HYrBF-qhywUH8BQGKEEU-oUeMeYw4aAsHLEALw_wcB

Those are CDL drivers that drive over the road. Tractor trailer division. Making real money. Tough job.

The local delivery drivers are not really paid a living wage especially with Corporate America price gouging now using every possible excuse they can to erase any wage gains made by workers on the frontlines.

 

[Scuba]

I don’t even like it when DH does our shopping. Even at the height of the pandemic, I continued to buy our groceries in store. There is no way I would pay for this service unless I had no other option.

If I were to use it, the tipping request would have surprised me given that online merchants don’t ask for it. I suppose tipping a person who is personally choosing and delivering your produce makes sense to me. Tipping someone delivering products that can be ordered online and shipped free doesn’t. YMMV

 

[youbet]

Those are CDL drivers that drive over the road. Tractor trailer division. Making real money. Tough job.

.

Just going by what you said 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

So, these Walmart drivers, delivering those computers you mentioned, are doing OK wage-wise. And, as you say, doing so under the Walmart Corporate umbrella. Never thought about it that way until you brought it up.

 

[youbet]

Tipping someone delivering products that can be ordered online and shipped free doesn’t. YMMV

Tipping is whined for but not required.

Where do you find free delivery for ice cream, produce, milk, pizza, Chinese carryout, etc.? (There is a difference between shipping and delivery.)

I don't do grocery delivery either. It's too easy for me to do curbside at Walmart, Jewel or Amazon Fresh, all nearby. But I get it that it's convenient for non-driving geezers, handicapped folks and others for whom it's a bitch to get to the store. And for some things, like deli and bakery stuff, I still prefer to go inside myself and pick and choose.

 

[wrigley]

I’ve been a Walmart + member since January 2021.
I do a grocery delivery order at least once a week.
The delivery driver for groceries in my area is from door dash not Walmart. I tip typically $10. You have 24 hours to adjust the tip amount.

Missed items are typically the responsibility of Walmart employees. The driver just delivers them.
One time Walmart put the wrong ID on someone else’s order and I got both mine and theirs. They can’t come back and collect it.

You also can make substitutions for items out of stock. You can accept or decline the substitution available.
My biggest issue has been with getting expired milk. I just submit a return online so I’m not charged but it’s annoying. Again this would be the Walmart person shopping not the delivery driver.

Shipping items is completely different and you are not asked to leave any tip for those. They are processed separately.

I’ve actually found it to be a worthwhile service. I get groceries for my house and my mom.
Now that I’m not working I usually do pick up. I’ll see how that goes over the next few months to determine if I renew but that’s the way I’m leaning.

Personally, this sounds like a huge hassle to me. The woman 2-doors down from me orders EVERYTHING delivered to her home and she complains about the deliveries on a regular basis. She's healthy, young, doesn't work, has no kids, and there is a Walmart and 2 grocery stores within 5 miles of her home. I've been in many Walmart's before. I haven't run into too many employees I'd trust picking out my groceries and delivering them to my home. I realize there are certain situations where an individual cannot get out of the house and shop on their own. If I ever get to that point I can assure you Walmart will not be delivering my groceries!

Mike

 

[CaptTom]

This is a long thread, so maybe this link @youbet posted early on bears repeating:
https://getcircuit.com/route-planner/blog/how-much-do-walmart-delivery-drivers-make

The drivers aren't Walmart employees, which didn't surprise me. What did was that they actually wander through the store to pick out the order. Somehow I assumed Walmart employees did that, and the drivers just delivered.

Knowing that, tipping makes a lot of sense. I don't want anyone else picking out my groceries anyway. But if they're going to, I'd want them to know they'll be rewarded for looking out for my best interests. The most obvious example is produce, but choosing a substitute for an out-of-stock item, or looking at the expiration date, are important too.

One reason I wouldn't want anyone shopping for me is that I make a lot of decisions in the store. If the avocados look good, I might pick up some hamburger and all the fixin's to make tacos. Or maybe there's a nice cut of meat marked down because it's expiring tomorrow. Perfect to throw on the grill tonight. Perhaps something in the seafood section looks fresh.

By far the biggest issue for me is produce. I almost never bring a list to the produce section. I wander around, looking for anything good. Some days I find nothing. But if I find something fresh and ripe, I'll buy it. No way I'd trust anyone else to do that for me. Even in my 20's, little old ladies would see me picking out produce and ask me to find a good one for them, too.

 

[FindingForward]

Personally, this sounds like a huge hassle to me. The woman 2-doors down from me orders EVERYTHING delivered to her home and she complains about the deliveries on a regular basis. She's healthy, young, doesn't work, has no kids, and there is a Walmart and 2 grocery stores within 5 miles of her home. I've been in many Walmart's before. I haven't run into too many employees I'd trust picking out my groceries and delivering them to my home. I realize there are certain situations where an individual cannot get out of the house and shop on their own. If I ever get to that point I can assure you Walmart will not be delivering my groceries!

Mike

I think the quality varies so much by store. Just to share a different perspective: I don't do delivery, but walmart curbside pickup has been one of the only bright spots for me to come out of the pandemic.

Their shoppers have done an excellent job for me - the produce they select has been, with very rare exceptions, top quality - just perfect. Fresh, not overripe or too green. No bruises. Showroom perfect. Meats are also very good. "Sell by" dates for dairy and other expiration-sensitive items have been well in advance. Just terrific quality on every order.

The prices are great - even in these crazy inflationary times. Maybe a bit higher than Aldi's - but I'll gladly pay to avoid in store shopping, screaming kids, long checkout lines, etc. And it's the same price as in-store. No extra "fees". No tipping. (Although we did sneak a few tips in during height of covid to the pickup guys hustling hard to haul out everyone's order.)

They always try to substitute where they can when something's out of stock. And when they occasionally sub a brand name for the store brand I ordered or a bigger size, they don't charge me more - they honor the original price.

I haven't shopped at a regular supermarket since 2020.

 

[Morgan22]

My non driving elderly mother uses Amazon Fresh. She said they are better than all the rest. She's tried Walmart, that usually only had 50% of the items she wanted, and Instacart at various other grocery stores. She really likes Amazon Fresh since they always seem to have exactly what she wants, so far no substitutions. And they deliver without making a sound. She gets a notification on her phone when the groceries are dropped at her door. She always adds on an extra tip too since she's so happy with the experience and quality of products and prices.

By the way, not that it applies with members of this site, but if you have elderly parents/relatives that use an EBT card (SNAP). Amazon Fresh is the only delivery service that takes EBT online. All the other grocery stores and walmart grocery will only run the EBT card if you pick up your groceries at the store.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Our Whole Foods pick up orders are almost always correct and the produce is fresh. We don't buy everything there, but their 365 house brands are competitively priced and the canned good are BPA free, which is otherwise usually very expensive. Amazon credit card holders get an extra 5% off. The groceries are packed by the store employees and there isn't any tipping option on the check out screen. We get what we can from cheaper stores like Trader Joe's or Grocery Outlet, but then buy our canned goods and any items the other stores don't carry, like organic turnips or organic radicchio, from Whole Foods pick up.

 

[youbet]

I think the quality varies so much by store. Just to share a different perspective: I don't do delivery, but walmart curbside pickup has been one of the only bright spots for me to come out of the pandemic.

Yes. The huge disparity in anecdotal examples being given by various posters shows that either the stores vary significantly in performance, the posters have different expectations and standards, or both.

My experience with Walmart curbside is similar to yours: close to flawless. Decent prices, accurate, substitutions are thoughtful and almost always in my favor (name brand for store brand, larger size, etc.). The folks who come out to the car are friendly and polite. But I'm not surprised some posters are having perceived less satisfactory experiences at their local stores.

I still go into a few independent or local chain groceries/shops for specialty items, bakery goods, deli items or their lost leader sale items.

 

[Chuckanut]

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

Chicken sandwich flippers in my area now start at $17.

Does that $20 an hour come before or after deducting car expenses? A friend of mine did meal deliveries for a while while he waited for SS to start at 62. He had to do it to pay living expenses. In his words, "I depreciated my car to pay the rent." Once SS started he stopped depreciating his car.

 

[harllee]

The Walmart closest to me is awful. I tried them for Walmart curbside pickup and I said never again. I then tried the next closet one--about 10 miles away (15 minute drive) and they do an excellent job on the curbs pick up. Unfortunately when I tried to do the Walmart plus delivery (when both DH and I were having health problems and delivery would have really helped), it was awful--WM delivery uses the closest store for delivery and it was the awful one.

 

[Turbo29]

Yes and creating more record profits.

Back to square one for the front line workers.

Record nominal profits or record real (inflation adjusted) profits?

 

[Sojourner]

In my experience so far, there is definitely a meaningful difference between Walmart+ delivery and curbside pickup. I've had very good experiences using curbside pickup since mid-2020. By and large, my curbside pickup orders have been punctual, accurate, and brought out to me by friendly people. The three W+ delivery orders I've placed over the past few weeks have been very hit and miss, however. One time an entire category of items (bread) wasn't delivered, yet I was still charged. Both other times, items that were listed as in-stock when I ordered did not get delivered. I've tried ordering the same bottle of olive oil twice now, and both times it's been listed as in-stock, yet becomes "unavailable" shortly before the delivery arrives. This never (well, very rarely) happens with curbside pickup. So, IME, something about the delivery process is fundamentally less reliable than the curbside pickup process. Once my free trial is over, I'll happily go back to picking up my orders from the store.

 

[Phroig]

In my experience so far, there is definitely a meaningful difference between Walmart+ delivery and curbside pickup. I've had very good experiences using curbside pickup since mid-2020. By and large, my curbside pickup orders have been punctual, accurate, and brought out to me by friendly people. The three W+ delivery orders I've placed over the past few weeks have been very hit and miss, however. One time an entire category of items (bread) wasn't delivered, yet I was still charged. Both other times, items that were listed as in-stock when I ordered did not get delivered. I've tried ordering the same bottle of olive oil twice now, and both times it's been listed as in-stock, yet becomes "unavailable" shortly before the delivery arrives. This never (well, very rarely) happens with curbside pickup. So, IME, something about the delivery process is fundamentally less reliable than the curbside pickup process. Once my free trial is over, I'll happily go back to picking up my orders from the store.

Walmart, for all its faults, really stepped up during the pandemic. Free curbside pickup has been a godsend. I'm always impressed with how hard-working and cheerful those employees are in all kinds of weather. We get dented cans (occasionally) and cracked eggs (every time), but pickup still beats navigating the crowds inside.

 

[cathy63]

Chicken sandwich flippers in my area now start at $17.

Does that $20 an hour come before or after deducting car expenses? A friend of mine did meal deliveries for a while while he waited for SS to start at 62. He had to do it to pay living expenses. In his words, "I depreciated my car to pay the rent." Once SS started he stopped depreciating his car.

That's $20/hr before expenses. In my volunteer tax prep role, I usually do taxes for several uber and door dash drivers each year. The bottom line on Sched C, even for people doing this nearly full time, is almost always in the 4 figures and they are all earning so little they qualify for earned income credit.

They feel like they're making a lot of money because they get a nice deposit in their bank account every month, but in actuality their expenses are very high. The ones who do deliveries make out a little better on taxes than the ride share guys because the standards for what type of car they can drive are lower, but the ride share guys have more opportunity for cash tips which may not all end up on their tax returns.