Amazon Delivery Employee Shortage - PSA

Llethalmoney on 10/11/2022 - 07:44

I am a regular prime shopper. Have
Approx 50 prime 1 day / 2 day items in the past 3 months.
The delivery service has been excellent, door to door by private Amazon couriers. I rave about the reliability to many. Being in metro Melbourne, I've never had an issue.

Unfortunately, this has come to a halt.
I purchased a $130 item (above threshold(, listed as prime 1 day delivery on Monday 7/11 for delivery on Tuesday 8/11.

At approx 8pm on 8/11 I got an email stating they would not be able to make the delivery and to check the tracking for more details.

To my horror, it showed a tracking number listed to Aramex.
It is now Thursday the 10th of November and the item is just static with Aramex. As the item has been handed over, Amazon are unable to help further. Aramex have never been able to help, nor do they care about a guaranteed delivery.

Rising fuel prices have possibly pushed away the private contractors? Amazon support said they are trying to get more workers.

Bit of a PSA/rant for those who rely on delivery time frames with Jeff.

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Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/11/2022 - 07:51
    +42

    Never thought I’d say it but yes there is an amazon sub contractor worse than aramex - DRAGONFLY. 🤷🏻‍♂️

    • lethalmoney on 10/11/2022 - 08:00
      +18

      That is a horrific thought.

    • too_much_boost on 10/11/2022 - 09:05
      +3

      Agree, Dragonfly are terribly unprofessional. They are just randoms that turn up in old tradie vans with the old stickers still visible. I'm surprised Amazon use them

    • yippy on 10/11/2022 - 09:53
      +18

      I've found Dragonfly to be good, it's always delivered on time and at 7am in the morning.

      • Fergy1987 on 10/11/2022 - 10:07
        +5

        I'm the same - always fast delivery - always show up between the times they list

        Unlike Aramex who just send my parcel to every sorting centre across Australia and are just inefficient.

        But yeah….Dragonfly is always some rando getting your parcel out of his 1995 Toyota Camry boot

        • Low Battery on 10/11/2022 - 10:23
          +35

          So they're using Ozbargainers to do deliveries?

        • BartholemewH on 13/11/2022 - 21:26

          Is the camry a widebody 4 speed automatic with a pushed in rear bumper?

          Ozbargainer's dream car.

      • Sleeqb7 on 10/11/2022 - 12:49
        +3

        They continually try to deliver to us at about 7:30am.
        However I specifically provide a business address with the business name on the order details, and we don't open until 8:30.

        Every time, no matter what notes on the order, they attempt 7:30am delivery for multiple days in a row, presumably without ever looking at the opening hours written on the door.

        • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/11/2022 - 15:38
          +1

          THIS IS MY EXACTY PROBLEM

          cept the other end of the day, i state close at 4.30 - and sometimes i will stay back till at least 530 - then they attempt to deliver at 7. wtf

        • pitiek on 11/11/2022 - 22:10
          +1

          You can adjust your delivery address setting to reflect your business opening hours on the Prime portal.
          I had a few deliveries to my work address attempted on the weekend by Dragonfly and Amazon support suggested to mark the address on the portal as business and you can set your opening days and hours…

          • Sleeqb7 on 12/11/2022 - 09:48
            +1

            @pitiek: Interesting, I'll give it a look.

            However in one of the many phone calls I've made to attempt to get Dragonfly to deliver within the business hours, they have told me that Amazon gives them no order notes or shipping notes other than the address.
            So I don't have high hopes.

        • Oz em on 13/11/2022 - 08:59

          Instead of business name write WE OPEN AT 8:30am

          • Sleeqb7 on 14/11/2022 - 09:43

            @Oz em: I have an upcomming order that I'm hoping to get sooner rather than later, so I've added the business hours in the address notes, and I've also changed the 2nd line of the order to say "BUSINESS HOURS DELIVERY ONLY".

            Fingers crossed!

    • Hybroid on 10/11/2022 - 10:17

      Nooooooooo! I won't have that!

      They're my absolute favourite Amazon delivery contractor in Sydney CBD. Best option for next day deliveries. They arrive very early in the morning around 7AM and the only ones that place it in the far corner of the building post room for security (away from door), take a picture of it and send you immediate notification it's there.

      Very very good service and never had an issue with them. Obviously YMMV as with all logistics companies.

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/11/2022 - 10:21

        They were really good the first time - but every other time has been terrible :(
        Also when questioned about ignoring the delivery time restrictions, amazon cs just said nah not their problem.

      • AdosHouse on 10/11/2022 - 12:26

        I super love Dragonfly. Got very surprised first time I ordered something Saturday afternoon and it arrived Sunday morning.

      • Vieira4 on 11/11/2022 - 17:49

        "There's a place in Eastbourne!"

        • Hybroid on 11/11/2022 - 17:51
          +1

          Haha! Waldorf Salad is a classic!

          • Vieira4 on 12/11/2022 - 19:44
            +1

            @Hybroid: “So that’s two vodkas and orange and you each need a screwdriver.”

      • nobby148 on 11/11/2022 - 22:47
        +2

        They are great in sending the photo to you, as a proof that it was delivered to the wrong building that you would have no access to. So I guess for that they are great they even assist with the evidence side of things.

    • Thrift on 10/11/2022 - 15:08
      +19

      No! Dragonfly are heaps better than Aramex - you get emailed a delivery photo so you can usually work out which house your package got delivered to.

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/11/2022 - 15:36

        wow ive never been emailed a POD photo from this mob … guess it works different in brisbane

      • KSMLJ on 11/11/2022 - 08:14
        +6

        I see what you did there lol

      • Grunntt on 11/11/2022 - 10:47
        +3

        Dragonfly are heaps better than Aramex - you get emailed a delivery photo so you can usually work out which house your package got delivered to

        This is unfortunately true for me.
        I know which neighbours' house to go for my pickup as this happens frequently since they started using Dragonfly.

        For some reason I have also been receiving deliveries for an address two streets away - no similarity in name or number.
        It's been often enough that I have the person's phone number to let them know when it happens.

        They also regularly send a message at about 7pm or so saying there was problem with the delivery and it will be here in two days approximately (for same day or 2 day Amazon delivery items).

    • HeWhoKnows on 11/11/2022 - 07:53
      +1

      Amazon are advertising on radio for drivers.
      So yes they are short and desperate

      Id say Amazon are paying Aramax the minimum amounts for delivery

      It will eventually get to OP
      Just need to be patient

      • randomusername2017 on 11/11/2022 - 09:25

        They constantly recruit due to high turnover.
        Currently have a 1 month waitlist of newly inducted drivers.
        Aramex/Auspost/Dragonfly cover areas outside of the flex distribution catchments and/or bulky heavy items(30 pack cans etc.)

    • reactor-au on 11/11/2022 - 09:21
      +3

      Cannot believe anything could possibly be worse than Aramex

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 11/11/2022 - 09:25

        I suppose like all couriers these days it Clearly just depends on the franchisee or sub contractor. Used to have a crap driver for our area but the new guy doing our area in last 12 months has been really good.

        • reactor-au on 11/11/2022 - 09:26

          In my area the typical time for Aramex is about 2 weeks even from 2 post code away. Had been like so for the last two years.

        • Jake17 on 12/11/2022 - 18:36

          Same experience. My driver was a prick would just throw shit at the door and not even hand to me if i was standing outside chatting to someone. Would still throw at my door. I called him a (profanity) for it and he continued leaving. For around a year now driffent guy. So much nicer. He'll knock. Or if im outside He'll say hello and just say he needs a quick photo of it near my door. Much better. This is with aramex. OTOH. Auspost changed the driver. He has gone downhill and just straight up doesnt turn up some days.

    • sirstiv on 11/11/2022 - 21:10

      Dragonfly deliver to my residence frequently via amazon. They are great and deliver saturdays too.

      • capslock janitor on 12/11/2022 - 13:33
        +1

        how do u know whos delivering?

        • sirstiv on 12/11/2022 - 13:48

          I get emails / sms

    • O15 on 12/11/2022 - 22:46

      The person/s who deliver for Dragonfly I'm my area are hopeless.
      I've had items left out in the rain (8 metres from shelter) and I once had a photo of roof guttering as the proof of delivery photo. Thankfully the parcel was not in the gutter nor anywhere on the roof but it made it terribly difficult to find where it was.

    • MrFrugalSpend on 13/11/2022 - 08:48

      Aramex hasn't been too bad in Queensland for me. I understand it is a franchise model so I guess it depends a lot on the local franchisee for the area.

      Anything sent by TNT has been bad for me - it goes to subcontractors in my area (I think), and it's not unusual to be 3-5 days past the expected arrival on their own tracking (often slipping into the following week) despite already being in my city and having paid for the overnight/express etc.

      I've even had delivery drivers lie on tracking updates (e.g. updating status to say something like they attempted delivery and couldn't access, and that the customer refused delivery … despite someone being available at all times to take delivery and cameras confirmed no one attempted to deliver anything also!)

      Who knows who they tried to give my stuff to or if they just entered that so it didn't seem like their fault they didn't compete their scheduled deliveries.

      Call up and they have a massive 'we don't give a f..k / we are too big' attitude

      • BepisCola on 14/11/2022 - 08:05

        I agree on TNT, my last delivery that came from them was stolen by the delivery driver. He rang on my intercom while nobody was home and after getting no response he marked it as delivered, put a random signature down (which I could see on the tracking lol), and walked off with it (I had to access the building’s security footage to find this out). Then the company insisted it had been delivered until I sent them the footage.

    • youknow on 13/11/2022 - 22:36

      I think "Parcel freight Logistics PFL" could easily win the award for worst courier company in Australia.

  • iamherenow on 10/11/2022 - 07:56

    My last two deliveries (last week) Amazon used Australia Post Express post whereas I normally get the Amazon drivers. Ordered two of the same item (within the same order) for $15 each and they came in separate deliveries on the same day about a week later!

    • lethalmoney on 10/11/2022 - 08:02

      Thats impressive. My item is somewhat bulky (light sabre -for an event it might not even make sadly), so maybe AP express wasnt a viable option.

      • Hybroid on 10/11/2022 - 10:30

        Maybe it's a particular issue with your specific item. I don't see how you managed to jump from one delivery having some sort of issue to a wide "PSA" about Amazon delivery shortages?

        • lethalmoney on 10/11/2022 - 11:28
          +2

          Customer support advised me of this being a known issue with heavier reliance on subcontractors like aramex over flex drivers.

      • bamzero on 13/11/2022 - 17:43

        Don't know about that. They used to send me the Quilton 45 packs via Express Post back in the day.

        I think its more a case of having a massively increased customer base and amount of orders to go with it post COVID, for one they can spread the load amongst couriers and Aramex is probably offering them a much cheaper rate than Australia Post.

  • 87percent on 10/11/2022 - 07:59
    +3

    I received delivery of an Amazon package last night at 12:38am

    • lethalmoney on 10/11/2022 - 08:03

      By their private courier or one of the big sub contractors?

      • 87percent on 10/11/2022 - 08:26

        no idea.. but there's no Aramex tracking number on the dispatch notification

    • Muzeeb on 10/11/2022 - 10:42
      +1

      last night at 12:38am

      Wouldn't that be this morning at 12:38am?

      • s1Lence on 12/11/2022 - 13:48

        It's called midnight for a reason

  • DemocracyManifest on 10/11/2022 - 08:02
    +21

    Their model isn’t sustainable in Australia, especially in this period. Employees need stability and people are getting out of the game just as Christmas starts, I don’t blame them

    • lethalmoney on 10/11/2022 - 08:04
      +12

      Im sure the fuel hikes havent been factored into their amazon flex model.

      • FoxJump on 10/11/2022 - 10:11
        +4

        Amazon prolly assumes all their flex drivers use Teslas right?

        • netjock on 10/11/2022 - 12:24

          They pay that way. Reality is different :D

        • TheAccountant on 13/11/2022 - 08:37

          Funny you say that - one of my recent Amazon delivery drivers turned up in a Tesla. We assumed he was doing deliveries as a 2nd job to pay off the car loan lol.

    • netjock on 10/11/2022 - 12:24
      -3

      people are getting out of the game just as Christmas starts

      Just when it all heats up people can't hack the pressure and check out. Typical! It is summer so people can't use the excuse they are going to Bali to escape the cold.

      • oO0Dam0Oo on 10/11/2022 - 13:11
        +4

        And the cricket has started.

        • smartazz104 on 11/11/2022 - 14:56
          +2

          I think I'd rather be an Amazon delivery driver.

  • randomusername2017 on 10/11/2022 - 09:00
    +3

    Flex drivers are complaining there's not enough work for them… Parcel lockers and outsourcing to dragonfly/Aramex cited as the cause.
    They've also closed distro centres in both Sydney and Melbourne recently.

  • Stopback on 10/11/2022 - 09:01

    Is it more reliable if delivered to post pickup

  • netjock on 10/11/2022 - 09:20
    +2

    I had an Amazon flex person turn up in an Audi A5 once. My partner thought it was my friend and I was like, none of my friends that rich… oh yes my friends at Amazon.

    I live in a work class suburb (blue collar) and surrounded by working class suburbs and Amazon Flex has been spot on. Maybe you like further from Amazon hub and richer people. But I have to say the Pizza here is crap because no hipsters demanding real gourmet pizza not just gourmet by name.

    Rising fuel prices have possibly pushed away the private contractors?

    Where is all the Tesla drivers with their basically driving around for free (delivery fee is pure profit) when you need them.
    People should have shifted to hybrids when fuel was cheap and production was plentiful.

    • HardQuiz on 10/11/2022 - 11:09
      +2

      I had an Amazon flex show up in a Tesla.

      • netjock on 10/11/2022 - 12:21
        +1

        That is one sweet delivery! Did you ask if they worked in Tech and whether their name is Dinesh? Need to make those car payments some how.

        • squaredonut on 11/11/2022 - 15:21

          Most definitely, and he works for Jin Yang, use to work for eric back man

      • TheAccountant on 13/11/2022 - 08:38

        Melbourne South East by chance?

    • reactor-au on 11/11/2022 - 09:24
      +2

      I saw a guy with a boot full of Amazon packages, in a brand new Mercedes GLC!!
      My first thought was there must be some sort of big tax break for "work use".

      • netjock on 11/11/2022 - 10:27

        I thought about only doing 5k a year on UberEats (because you use flat rate) which is like 78c a kilometer ($3900) and if you have cheap car like hybrid then you'll be way ahead (Rego $1k, Insurance $1k, fuel $250 basically drive for free except for the time taken, but if you had to stay at home waiting for the sun to charge your Tesla probably works out the same. Joke). I only do 8k/km a year so make up the difference to my 15k interval. 11k - 12k a year is average.

        • Nom on 12/11/2022 - 15:53
          +1

          except for the time taken

          These words are doing some heavy lifting.

          You can't possibly be "way ahead" by your calculations when you have to spend hundreds of hours doing Uber Eats deliveries 😁

          • netjock on 14/11/2022 - 11:05

            @Nom:

            you have to spend hundreds of hours doing Uber Eats deliveries

            Depends on how the math works.

            To clock 5k/kms doing deliveries you would look at your average speed covered. If you can average 50km per hour it will take 100hrs that is less than 2hrs per week. If you believe 25kph then it will take 200hr which is 4hrs per week. Also what are you getting paid from food deliveries? $20 per hour lets say.

            Worst case $20ph x 200hrs = $4000. Then you also claim $3900. $7900. The only incremental cost is really fuel which is $250 (let round up to $400). $7500/200hrs = $37.50 per hour. equivalent to $75k a year annualised (obviously you are limited to 5000km so it doesn't work like that).

            Also depends on individual circumstances. If you actually drive a lot of kms and can't fit it into your service interval then obviously no go because and extra service will increase your cost. Also price of service. If you got a cheap fixed price service plan then yes, but if you got an expensive one then no. If you like 75km from nearest town that you can drive UberEats then not worth the effort. You get the idea. Not clear cut but probably for 10% of people it will make sense.

    • Dogsrule on 11/11/2022 - 14:13

      Where is all the Tesla drivers with their basically driving around for free (delivery fee is pure profit) when you need them.

      I'd say most people who have sufficient income to legitimately afford a Tesla have a much higher hourly rate from their actual job than they would from delivery work.

      • apiecost on 12/11/2022 - 08:01

        You can have a Model 3 RWD for little more than $240/week over 7 years. If you subtract the fuel cost it's nowhere near as expensive as most think.

        • Dogsrule on 12/11/2022 - 10:57
          +3

          I did say 'legitimately afford' as in, buying one would be a financially wise decision, or at least have little impact on the buyers long term financial security.

          Buying a $65k Model 3 RWD then paying $27k of interest on it to earn ~$30 an hour is not a wise move, there are better means of increasing
          income.

          Also I just worked out the payback period of a M3 RWD vs a Camry Hybrid Ascent doing 40,000km P/A - 9 years. Do the national average of 13,000km and the payback period exceeds the life of the car.

        • Nom on 12/11/2022 - 15:56
          +2

          it's nowhere near as expensive as most think.

          What.

          240 per week, multiplied by 52 weeks, multiplied by 7 years is almost ninety thousand dollars.

          It's even more expensive than most think !

          • apiecost on 13/11/2022 - 17:52

            @Nom: If you did a lot of Uber, it could easily be 10k or more in fuel per year.

            • Nom on 13/11/2022 - 20:35

              @apiecost: If a normal petrol car does 500Km from it's 50L tank, then today's high fuel prices of $2 per litre, means every 1000Km costs $200.

              You have to do 50,000Km a year to spend $10,000 in fuel ! And closer to 100,000Km a year if you choose an extra fuel efficient car, which is what you'd buy for Uber use.

              At these sort of starship distances are you confident your Tesla would even last the 7 year finance period 😁

              • netjock on 14/11/2022 - 11:11

                @Nom:

                At these sort of starship distances

                Hahahahahhaha

        • MrFrugalSpend on 13/11/2022 - 08:56

          You'd probably need Long Range to use it for delivery work ?

          • apiecost on 13/11/2022 - 17:54

            @MrFrugalSpend: Not necessary, unless you're doing more than about 300km per day which I don't think would happen. SR+/RWD is also way cheaper and uses less energy per km so it'd be marginally cheaper to operate.

          • netjock on 14/11/2022 - 11:12

            @MrFrugalSpend: And strap some extra Enloops from the deals on OzB just to be safe.

      • netjock on 14/11/2022 - 11:09

        sufficient income to legitimately afford a Tesla have a much higher hourly rate from their actual job than they would from delivery work

        You use the word legitimate which depends on how you define it. People who make price of a Tesla after tax less mortgage so it is 1x income or you mean like mortgage as in car is 6x your disposable income.

        Given how big the car loan industry is I'd suggest a lot of people pay a lot more for what their heart wants than what they actually need.

        • Dogsrule on 16/11/2022 - 16:50

          You use the word legitimate which depends on how you define it.

          I'm comfortable with my original definition:

          "as in, buying one would be a financially wise decision, or at least have little impact on the buyers long term financial security.

          Buying a $65k Model 3 RWD then paying $27k of interest on it to earn ~$30 an hour is not a wise move, there are better means of increasing
          income."

    • fusion17 on 11/11/2022 - 14:55

      Agree on amazon flex being spot on for me, and the pizza thing.

  • Muzeeb on 10/11/2022 - 09:24
    +7

    Approx 50 prime 1 day / 2 day items in the past 3 months.

    That's a delivery at least every second day. You are actually causing the problem. Plan ahead.

    • lethalmoney on 10/11/2022 - 09:47

      Many of those are bundled orders

  • pegaxs on 10/11/2022 - 10:09
    +12

    Rising fuel prices? More like shit wages and conditions. Who wants to drive for Amazon for $3/h? And not be allowed to take piss breaks.

    • lethalmoney on 10/11/2022 - 11:31
      +4

      I looked into flex as an option for here and there extra cash. It was pretty bad back then. The fuel prices would moreso be the final straw.

  • xazark on 10/11/2022 - 10:19
    +4

    I have noticed the service has significantly dropped off in my area too, everything is now estimated at 2 week delivery, whereas 3mths ago I would get stuff within 1-2 days max with the rare item taking a day or 2 more. More recently I am lucky to get anything delivered in less than a week having on 2 occasions in the past few weeks Amazon missing the high end of the delivery estimate. Pretty disappointing, ive started to shop elsewhere as it seems to only be an Amazon problem, all other items I've ordered from other companies have been speedy delivery.

  • coffeeinmyveins on 10/11/2022 - 10:24
    +3

    Approx 50 prime 1 day / 2 day items in the past 3 months.

    How on earth can you order that much stuff?

    • Presence on 10/11/2022 - 11:29
      +1

      Many grocery items are cheaper on Amazon than in the shops (even Aldi!). eg, i buy vegemite, peanut butter, yeast, deodorant, etc.

      • lethalmoney on 10/11/2022 - 11:30
        +1

        Yep. Amazon has somewhat replaced costco for a lot of non perishable items in our household.

        • GandalfTheCheap on 12/11/2022 - 13:59

          Amazon isn't replacing Costco for me until they start stocking Kirkland.

          I'm not paying twice the price for half the quality. And a trip to Costco 10 times a year or so is actually pretty fun.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 10/11/2022 - 10:31
    +2

    Bikies.

  • freefall101 on 10/11/2022 - 10:32
    +2

    An extended period of low unemployment will hopefully be a good thing for these companies that rely on cheap labour to make a profit. They finally have to do something actually innovative, not just claim they are while forcing workers to work harder and harder.

    I was doing my xmas shopping online way before the pandemic, but this year I might actually start heading into stores - avoid the headache of unknown delivery times.

    • netjock on 10/11/2022 - 12:23

      I either shop early or do the click & collect thing (that means they definitely have it there, not showing in stock and you arrive to nothing)

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