Being a delivery driver is often a thankless profession. Drivers can work in sweltering conditions while delivering packages, and they are frequently tasked with taking what some drivers believe is more deliveries than they can handle.
Given this, it’s no surprise that some companies have trouble maintaining staff in this field. In 2022, leaked documents claimed that Amazon had a turnover rate of 150% for hourly workers; Amazon later alleged that the documents were “early drafts that weren’t appropriately refined or vetted, let alone finalized.”
That said, online shopping is now an essential part of the average American’s everyday life. As the holiday season approaches, more Americans are ordering goods to be delivered directly to their doorstep.
Some may wish that there was a way that they could thank their delivery drivers during this time. Now, an Amazon driver says, you can.
How can I tip my Amazon driver?
In a video with over 450,000 views, TikTok user Bridgette (@yeah.right.bridge) explains how one can, per the video’s caption, “help a sista (or brotha) out who delivers.”
“Hey, if you guys have an order from Amazon from now until the end of December, if you have an Alexa, say, ‘Alexa, thank my driver,’ and Amazon will automatically tip your driver $5,” she says in her video. “Happy holidays!”
Bridgette is correct. The best part? Amazon is paying for it.
As noted in a Dec. 4 blog post from the company, “Starting December 4, when a customer says, ‘Alexa, thank my driver,’ from an Alexa-enabled device or searches ‘thank my driver’ on Amazon (app or web), the driver who completed their most recent delivery will be notified of the customer’s appreciation.”
However, there’s a catch: while the first 2 million thank-yous will come with a $5 bonus for drivers, subsequent “thank yous” will simply have the driver receive the message with no cash bonus.
“After that, customers can continue to thank their driver via the feature all year round, and drivers can see the number of times they are thanked within their app,” states the company.
@yeah.right.bridge Help a sista (or brotha) out who delivers! 🥲 @Amazon #amazon #amazonflex #amazondriver #delivery #deliverydriver #fypシ ♬ original sound – 𝕭𝖗𝖎𝖉𝖌𝖊𝖙𝖙𝖊
Has Amazon done this before?
This isn’t the first time that Amazon has implemented its “Thank My Driver” program. Amazon has had the program since 2022, with videos on the topic often go viral around the holiday season.
For example, in 2023, one user explained how shoppers could thank their Amazon drivers. Before that, when the program was first implemented, a considerable amount of online discussion centered on the comparatively small budget of the “Thank My Driver” program when viewed against Amazon’s net worth. At the time, the funding for this program represented just .0005% of the company’s net worth, per the Daily Dot.
The Daily Dot reached out to Amazon via email and Bridgette via TikTok comment.
Update 3:49 pm ET Dec. 10: In an email to the Daily Dot, an Amazon spokesperson provided more information about the program:
“Starting December 4, when a customer says “Alexa, thank my driver,” on an Alexa-enabled device or searches “thank my driver” on Amazon.com or the Amazon app, the driver who delivered their most recent package will be notified of the customer’s appreciation and, with each of the first 2 million ‘thank yous,’ drivers will also receive $5, at no cost to the customer. You can check out our blog for the latest details on the Thank My Driver program.”
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