Category: Amazon Flex

Top 14 Tips for Amazon Flex drivers

Top 14 tips for Amazon Flex drivers (UK). Map of Amazon Flex depots. Amazon Flex contract for drivers.

Christmas is approaching and it is the season to be on Amazon looking to take advantage of lightening deals and let someone else take the strain of delivering your freshly ordered goods to you.

They say that in the logistics business, the last few miles of delivery are the most expensive.

Amazon pays drivers from it’s own logistics department to complete deliveries that final few miles.

This may be through their paid or contracted fleet, or it may be from the self employed gig delivery workers otherwise known as ‘Amazon Flex‘.

Amazon Flex

I took part in the Amazon Flex program for nearly 7 years, from 2017 to 2023.

Over that time, the program changed in some respects. A lot of things have stayed the same. Hopefully, a lot of these tips will remain valid if you decide it’s something you want to do.

This is my top 14 tips for Amazon Flex Drivers.

In my experience, these are the tips that are going to make you a better driver.

1- Check your insurance | 2- Use the technology | 3- Always check the flex app’s routes | 4- Amazon flex automated tapping machines | 5- Update your amazon flex app | 6- Parking tickets when delivering for Amazon flex and how to avoid them | 7- Don’t forget the essentials | 8- Using a storage box | 9- Record your mileages for HMRC | 10- Dealing with payment and other Amazon Flex problems | 11- Non deliverable and returned parcels 12- Map of Amazon Flex depots UK | 13- Maximum number of hours or days delivering for Amazon flex in one week | 14- Loading your car for Amazon Flex | 15 – Amazon flex mystery shopper test

Continue reading “Top 14 Tips for Amazon Flex drivers”

Deep Lock Dead

For now.

I arrived there last night to find the place closed and my path north blocked

The picture is me at the closed lock entrance.

It’s called Denham Deep Lock. It’s above Uxbridge. As you can see on the map, it marks the end of LONDON proper.

Looking at the CRT Stoppages and Closures , it’s not just closed for a couple of days, more like 1 month or so. It’s due to re-open on the 10th of December!

Looks like I’ll be finding another way home!

Down, across, up

Yep, that’s it. More down (to Brentford Tidal Lock), Across (to Oxford), Up (to Banbury… again :[ ).

I was looking forward to living somewhere new.

Still every cloud.

Continue reading “Deep Lock Dead”

Dadlington Lockdown

Lockdown on the Ashby canal near to Dadlington. Planning on adding solar panels to my existing array.

I’ve been here a while now. In Ashby terms, I’ve just got here.

Boaters don’t tend to move a whole lot on the Ashby.

Remember this picture I took on moving from my first stop.

Stoke Golding Oct

Not one boat has moved since I left one month ago. It looks exactly the same.

Since I got here in early October, 80% of the boats I come across haven’t moved at all. Been in the same place. Completely.

Feel a bit alienated by moving around. Everybody else just stays in one place.

Still there we are. They are probably good people and have special privileges.

Lockdown

We are, however, on lockdown still. Which means that I’ve stuck to my position here in the wilds with nothing but rolling fields, birds and cow noises to keep me company.

Continue reading “Dadlington Lockdown”

Don’t get your Amazon Account banned before Christmas

Or so they say… Amazon has a return Police. Did you know that?

Making ‘too many’ returns gets your account flagged, and eventually, if you continue, will get you banned.

Since 2018, this seems to be an increasing common phenomenon.

Getting your Amazon account banned; too many returns?

This morning, I received an email. This is the ‘warning’ email, and in the UK, it’s sent by a .uk address called [email protected].

The email I received reads like this:

Subject: Your Amazon.co.uk Returns
From: “[email protected]” <[email protected]>
Date: 06/11/2018 20:01
To: [email protected]
Hello,
We have noticed multiple returns from your account in the past 12 months. You have also
requested refunds or replacements for some items that you returned.
We’d like to know how we can better support your shopping experience. Please reply to
this email and let us know why you returned your orders.
Please learn more about our return policies in the Voluntary Returns Guarantee section
of the Conditions of Use & Sale, available at the bottom of all Amazon.co.uk pages.
Sincerely,
Account Specialist
Amazon.co.uk
www.amazon.co.uk

I’ve checked my orders over the past year. Continue reading “Don’t get your Amazon Account banned before Christmas”

Amazon tried to charge me postage on a free postage item

I’m hoping it’s an isolated incident, but I’m writing a blog about it anyway.

Amazon tried to charge me postage on a free postage item

So, I’ve been a member of Amazon since 2007. Over 11 years on the current email address.

I’m used to the way they do business, as I also work as a ‘Flex’ driver.

I know that you don’t get anything for not calling these people out. That’s what I’m doing.

Buying a postage free item

It may only be in a small way. It may only be an isolated incident, but yesterday, Amazon tried to charge me postage on a ‘postage free’ item.

£1.99 postage to be exact.

Here’s the item.

Item clearly says Free delivery in the UK.

When I get to check-out. I can see that they’re trying to add the postage, so I go back and check the ‘Delivery Details’, or terms and conditions.

 

[su_quote cite=”Delivery Details” url=”https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=mk_sss_dp_1?ie=UTF8&pop-up=1&nodeId=201910160″]Any item with “FREE Delivery” messaging on the product detail page that is dispatched by Amazon is eligible and contributes to your free delivery order minimum. Items sold and fulfilled by Marketplace Sellers do not contribute to your free delivery order minimum.[/su_quote]

Despite this having ‘Free delivery’ messaging on the product, it is not eligible according to Amazon’s own rules.

Rang support agent

I rang them and told them that they had displayed the item wrongly. From the conversation I had with the support agent, I got the impression that this wasn’t a big thing to them.

Amazon counts on people’s ignorance and laziness to make tax free profits.

Heads up if you get this. Take a screenshot. Ring them up and tell them the item has been mis-labelled. They are obliged to give you the postage back as they are mis-labelling and mis-selling the product.