Given the long hours, traffic snarls, and other deliver snafus, being a driver for Amazon can feel like a thankless job — until this month. Amazon shoppers can send a $5 tip to their delivery drivers this December at no cost to the consumer thanks to a limited-time feature available on Alexa-enabled devices and the Amazon app. Simply say “Alexa, thank my driver" to your device, and your delivery driver will receive a thank you note and a tip, according to an Amazon press release.
The good news is that customers are showing their gratitude, big time. The offer began Dec. 12, and Amazon said in just two days, drivers received 2million thank-yous. Since this employee perk began in 2022, Amazon customers have thanked drivers 22 million times.
In addition to the tip, there are a few other perks available. Awards include $100 each for the 1,000 most-thanked drivers each day through the rest of December — $10,000 for the five top-thanked drivers each week until the end of the month (once, from December 18-24 and again from December 25-31); and $25,000 plus an additional $25,000 to the charity of choice for the top-five thanked drivers across the full promotional period from December 12-31.
Given Amazon’s reputation for how it treats workers — some drivers have had to urinate in bottles to save time — the company’s $5 thank you campaign seems to many like the least the company could do.
@katiewood____ TYSM DELIVERY DRIVERS @Amazon #thankyourdriver #amazon #free #christmaspresentideas #christmasgiftideas #christmaspresents #christmaspresentideas2023 #christmaspresentideafor #uniquechristmasgifts ♬ original sound - katie wood
Users of the Reddit r/youshouldknow responded to the news by saying that Amazon should pay its drivers more rather than relying on tips.
"You are not tipping them with your money. It's in reaction to a lawsuit for them withholding tips," pointed out commenter @Zewsey.
"Orrrr, Amazon could just pay their drivers properly and not rely on customers to do it for them," said Reddit user @vivi_t3h.
In a 2021 report from Motherboard, multiple Amazon delivery drivers said that they sacrificed their safety to meet high demand during the holiday rush, with one driver describing his experience as “hell.”
“Some drivers run their entire routes and buckle their seat belts behind them so they won’t have seat belt infractions” from Amazon’s tracking and monitoring app, a driver told Motherboard. “It’s a lot of getting around safety measures that Amazon has put in place. When package counts were lower, it was easier to not have to circumvent those safety things.”
Despite the difficult holiday working conditions, some drivers responded positively to Amazon’s $5 tip initiative, which will continue until 2 million drivers have received thank yous.
@elijahhh471 “Alexa, thank my driver!” #AmazonSavingSpree #amazon #flex #delivery #amazonflex #delivery #amazonmusthaves #fyp ♬ original sound - Elijah 💎
In a popular video on TikTok, an Amazon delivery driver named Elijah shared his experience after receiving a $5 tip from a customer.
“Alexa, thank my driver a million times over!” Elijah says after tipping his own delivery driver.
The five drivers who receive the most thank yous will receive $10,000 bonuses on top of their tips and $10,000 donated to the charity of their choice.
Cheapism has reached out to Amazon for comment and will update this article if and when we hear back.
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