WIBU to remove the tip from the Amazon Prime Now order?

[coralpig]

I'm on a train to my parents house and I'm bringing my small pets with me- I've done this before. It's about a 4 hour journey door to door.

I've noticed that I've forgotten their water bottle. They can't get to a local shop to pick one up for me unfortunately so I was wracking my brain for options.

I remembered that I have Amazon prime now and they do a two hour free delivery service. I've never used it before but it seems perfect for this.

I'm really broke at the moment and scraping the pennies together before payday.

I made the order for the water bottle which will be delivered tonight. I'm amazed at how easy it is. There's a £20 minimum spend so I bought a few extra things that I've been putting off buying for work just to meet that spend. As I'm a prime member the delivery was free. Amazon suggested a £2 tip but, because this was an unanticipated expense, I removed it from the order.

I now feel really really bad. I'm a bit hypocritical with Amazon as I don't think it's a very ethical company and I'm now reading about how little the drivers get paid. I certainly won't starve if I tip but I'm very strapped for cash at the moment.

The terms and conditions of Amazon say that drivers can't accept cash and I don't think you can add the tip on later.

I don't really like how Tipping is deemed necessary and added to your bill automatically as I feel an employer should pay their staff enough so that the customer doesn't feel obliged to tip but I know that's not how the world works.

Was I unreasonable?

[deffoncforthis]

that was in response to bendydick's comment up there ^ but now I've realised this thread is from August 2016 so never mind.

[deffoncforthis]

I use Amazon all the time and have never seen this.

To me it is bloody unimaginable to be asked for random extra money by a delivery driver, what the hell?! I would slam door in face and ask not to see that driver again, it's a delivery, not a mugging.

This is one Americanism that doesn't fit with British culture at all if you ask me, it's just weird.

[ProtectandSurvive]

Actually.... The tip does go to the driver. It's added to the pay. I know because I am one. It's nice to get them but I understand if people feel that two quid is better in their pocket.

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

... And had obviously removed the automatic tip anyway. Cheeky to then ask for one eh!

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

DH did an Amazon Prime Now order the other day (way too regular of an occurrence here) and the delivery guy was like 'we live off tips, yadda yadda'... DH was just like... 'Sorry mate! bye!'. To be fair we don't usually have much cash in the house to hand.

[CrustyCrocodile]

I use prime now and never tip. I use it about twice a week. A £2 tip each time would add up to £200 a year compared to the £80 subscription.

[Liiinoo]

I have used Prime Now twice and have removed the tip both times. If Amazon want them to get an extra £1.00 (because I bet they don't get the whole £2),mAmason v]can build into the pricing structure. In the unlikely event that service was so stellar I wanted to tip I would give the cash straight to the deliverer just as I do with the nice man who delivers our Chinese.

And even on ordinary Prime, the lady that delivers most frequently Is a local mum using her own car (she also delivers our QVC orders) and I don't tip her either.

[Me624]

I use this and I leave the tip on. As a pp pointed out, they are not regular amazon prime couriers, they use their own cars and are equivalent to a takeaway or pizza delivery person. DH used to deliver pizzas in the evenings when he first got his own place to help pay the mortgage and really appreciated tips, since then I have always tipped drivers £1-2.

[ginghamstarfish]

Tip Amazon? Hahahahahaha! What a laugh! How many billion dollars a year do they make (and not pay tax on)? Hell would freeze over before I'd do this. They should be made to abide by the laws on minimum wage etc and should be forced to pay tax as well.

[JellyBelli]

This is ridiculous, Amazon should just pay their staff a decent wage

There used to be businessess that paid their staff a pound a shift, and the staff had to make up their wages in tips.
The staff on our local train service were among these. Its a disgusting attitude. I was pleased to see the4 minimum wage introduced because some employeres take the piss.

[SherlockPotter]

Why is tipping becoming a thing in the UK?

The only place I will tip is at the restaurant (if I'm by myself and they've done an exceedingly good job) or if I'm part of a group!

I'd opt out of that!

[BikeRunSki]

Amazon have got a bloody nerve. Maybe they should start paying appropriate tax rates first.

[JaniceBattersby]

Why don't Amazon tip their drivers for doing a good job out of the massive fucking untaxable profit they make?

[YelloDraw]

Amazon are a multi billion dollar company. They treat their employees like shit. They are hoping we will subsidise their staff pay by adding tips. If enough customers do this they will probably reduce staff pay and say they need to work harder for more tips. Please don't support this.

This!

[Squirtlelover]

I use this service all the time and always remove the £2.00 tip. The fact that I spend so much money buying Amazon products, plus the yearly fee is tip enough in my book!

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

I'd much rather Amazon charged more for prime and actually made sure drivers were paid properly in the first place.

[MTWTFSS]

Just tried this for the first time: I can't believe you're meant to tip the driver

[VimFuego101]

In the UK, I wouldn't tip unless they did something exceptional like carry my order up 100 flights of stairs.

Tipping culture in the US is a little different, I suspect they've just copied the format of their US service. Tipped services here only get a tiny amount as an hourly rate (usually about $2.50 an hour) and are expected to make up the rest of their wage and pay tax on the amount that people tip them.

[steff13]

Ahhh, x-post! :)

[steff13]

According to my friend, the tips are added to the drivers' paychecks.

[01smum]

just seen steffs comment....

[01smum]

Completely disagree with it, but would dearly love to know whether the delivery driver even sees a penny of it?

[steff13]

The tip is only added to Prime Now, not regular Prime. The tip is charged to your account the next day, so you can remove it if the service was bad. The tips go to the drivers' paychecks, just like when you pay a credit card tip to the pizza delivery man. I have a friend who is the manager of our local hub.

[Bake]

Stumbled on this post while feeling guilty removing the tip! I'm happy to tip in restaurants when I've received good service but I agree with other comments that I don't like this coming before the service has been received. I would never consider tipping a delivery person for an online order from M&S or John Lewis, even if I'd ordered a washing machine or sofa - does anyone tip delivery drivers? My DP will give an extra £1 to the pizza delivery man.

I feel Amazon are being cheeky by automatically adding a tip and forcing you to choose to remove it. I'd happily pay £2 delivery charge. Not happy to 'tip'. I can only get Prime Now to my work address, so I won't have to see the delivery driver.

[parmalilac]

Never heard of such a thing! Tipping Amazon? Can't they afford to pay their employees properly given that they are massive tax avoiders to boot?