What Do You Think of Regular Folk Delivering Amazon Packages?

by: Orwellwasright

In addition:

Who will be responsible for misdelivered packages

What will happen when a customer
Pulls an "I received an empty box"

What will happen with damaged merchandise? can you hold one of these intermittent drivers responsible if they lose a $500 iphone?

Will the driver get paid if the package is refused?

will customers want ununiformed laymen walking onto their property ?

Will customers accept the fact that they leave themselves WIDE OPEN to legal claims, as these non professionals , slip, fall, get bitten by dogs, hurt on fencing etc

This is not the same as uber where anybody with a car can provide a ride, be paid and be done with it

This is a really bad idea

by: Basset

One thing I have always wondered about Uber drivers that applies to this post as well:

What happens when this type worker tells their auto insurance company that they are driving a lot of extra miles using their vehicle for work purposes.  Or in Uber - Lyft cases: actually transporting people.   I am guessing their rates skyrocket?   Maybe there are special policies written for this type use of vehicle?  

Just curious - seems like it would take a large bite out of the paycheck.  


Otherwise - I assume there will there be a tracking system that allows a scan?  What about scans showing as ''delivered'' but in reality that iThing was never received.  It would seem an employee would have a lot more to lose than someone working on call.

by: The End

Only if the deliverers can some how be verified. Otherwise, it's a disaster waiting to happen.

by: tango

I would not purchase a thing that isn't delivered by fedex ups or usps -  amazon is not the only place to shop online :)

by: I Must be Crazy

There are days I could make more delivering for Amazon than selling on Ebay.  

by: Bloggo

Wall Street seems to love it when Amazon starts another venture that's guaranteed to lose money.

by: Massachusets Howler

I started to sign up for Uber- they wanted insurance info and I chickened out.
If my insurance co got a whif of that, my rates would at least double, or I would be DROPPED.

I was hit by a dominoes pizza guy 3-4 years ago and his insurance co said- NOT COVERED- Commercial driver- my company paid the car.

(He had Geico, we sued dominoes and geico).

Liability ALL on YOU- hope you never hurt a passenger or you could lose your HOUSE.

That accident allowed me to sit on my sofa for a year- DID NOT LIST A SINGLE ITEM and it WAS THE BEST YEAR OF MY ADULT LIFE (2013).
I was sore but happy.
MH

by: tango

btw... background checks - if the problem the Driver had is over 7 years ago (meaning he just didn't get caught in the past 7 years) - it will not show up on the 'background check'  I sure want some slimeball staking out the property where delivering for Amazon is his part time job when he is not hitting those homes for theft or worse...see Attorney General of San Francisco - case filed against uber.  NOT just NOT needed!  I mean how friggen messed up does your life need to be to rely on an uber like driver to deliver to your home????  really...lol not

by: iheartjacksparrow

@Basset - I found this information on the internet:

"While you’re driving for Uber, you’re covered by their insurance. While the app is turned off, you’re covered by your personal insurance. But while the app is on and you’re looking for a customer, you’re covered by neither. And in some cases, personal auto insurance policies are being canceled once the insurance companies find out that the driver works for Uber or Lyft, so they’re stuck with no personal auto coverage."

As far as the question asked, I agree with everything Orwellwasright states. If you open a box and there's nothing inside, how can you prove that it was empty when delivered? Amazon better do serious background checks on these drivers or there's a potential for serious issues.

by: Basset

Thanks Jacksparrow - I knew there HAD to be an insurance catch.

Looking around for the person to be picked up is probably distraction enough to run into something - while in insurance limbo.  


Maybe Amazon will provide some insurance for their delivery ''on call'' people.

by: toolguy

This will turn out to be just like Uber where drivers make $9 an hour to put excessive wear and tear on their own vehicles.

by: RKTOYS

Looks like Amazon gets two for the price of one here; they get to dump even more liability on somebody else _and_ attack the USPS, pleasing the liebertarian crowd to no end.

by: Rexford

RKTOYS says "they get to dump even more liability on somebody else"

It's the eBay and Amazon way.  :)

by: Barbbie

No, I would not like some non professionally affiliated person lurking around my home. I get deliveries here by ups,fedex,usps. The last thing I need is some stranger dropping off a 20.00 amazon item and taking my other packages, customer returns or general mail while staking out the place.
Some of these big cities delivery drivers are actually killed when criminals think there may be money on them. Who is that going to be on?

by: Coolstraps

I like the idea. Many of the issues raised, like background checks, apply pretty much everywhere, from Uber drivers to school teachers. As to packages not delivered or delivered damaged, anyone tried to collect on USPS insurance lately? :-) I think most people are honest and conscientious and this creates a way for them to make money and provide a service and wearing a uniform or driving a truck with a logo does not assure that person is any more honest or conscientious than the person driving his/her own car.  

by: Chicago48

Bad idea, esp when the first package comes up empty.  Which reminds me -- I was walking down the street and passed an apartment bldg and at the foot of the steps was an AMZ box in full view.  I could have easily taken the box.  Easily, and no one would know.  This was a Sunday in the afternoon.

I do believe thieves are going to have a field day this holiday stealing packages.  AMZ should do like UPS and install lockers, customers enter a code and get their packages out.  We have only a few UPS lockers in the city, but they are very nifty.

by: felyne

I only want bonded people sending or delivering my items. Packages will go missing. If you steal an orange from a fruit basket at the PO, the feds are on you in a minute. I know this happened once. No to satellite PO's in Staples, too. Bonded USPS workers only. This is a rediculous idea they will regret.

by: topdog

While I do see tons of potential problems with delivery reliability, I'm not going to sweat it. Presently if there's a delivery problem for an item sent from their warehouse, they cover it, and we're not liable for any negative feedback. Will this cause them to lose some money? Likely. Will they care? Heck no. They already lose an obscene amount of merchandise at their warehouses (we've had weeks where 20% of our $ came from lost item reimbursements). They seem quite happy to open up their deep pockets in exchange for more market share.  

by: Randy

Just look at the FedEx business model. Other than Express, FedEx parcels are delivered by independent contractors and they seam to make it work. I imagine the only difference is that FedEx Ground, Home Delivery, etc. vehicles are marked with the FedEx name and logo even though they are not owner by them.

by: JohnGermaine

Another good reason I don't sell on Amazon. What next??  FedEx Home/Ground is a complete nightmare. Drivers get paid per package they deliver. They don't care if your package gets damaged by them or not. I don't and won't ever use them either. I can see this Amazon mess working the same way.