- A new Bloomberg report states that Amazon contract drivers are hanging smartphones in trees outside entire food stores and delivery stations to get new orders online faster.
- By doing so they can beat the rival drivers and pull more orders, making more money there.
- It is an up-to-date example of how the gig economy has become more competitive due to the downturn in business during the Organism-19 epidemic.
- Amazon did not immediately respond to a request from Business Insider for comment.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Amazon drivers are hanging phones from trees outside Chicago Amazon delivery stations and entire food stores so they will be the first to dib when accepting new orders, according to a new Bloomberg report.
The outlet saw drivers synchronizing their flowers with devices suspended in the trees and then devices parked nearby to wait. Amazon’s system prefers drivers who are closer to the location of the store – i.e. drivers with phone accesses a little closer to stores and delivery stations – trying to accept orders before rival drivers.
Bloomberg reports that there is an integrated group of drivers that use the process. Using multiple smartphones suspended in the tree that alert many drivers makes it more difficult for Amazon to find their system.
The report is an example of the growing competition in the gig economy as workers’ businesses decline sharply during the COVID-19 epidemic. Drivers with ride-hailing giants Uber and Lift found themselves with less work and, in turn, explored other competition options to make more money, the report said.
Bloomberg said drivers who are not involved in the proceedings have gathered in chat online chat rooms to see how other drivers beat them to place orders quickly, Bloomberg said. Some people have taken their complaints to Amazon, and Bloomberg saw an internal email in which the company said it would investigate but would not be able to share its findings with drivers.
“An Amazon knows about it but does nothing,” one driver told Bloomberg.
In an email to Business Insider, an Amazon spokesperson said, “InstantFors is another way for delivery partners to be their own boss and work on their own schedule,” referring to the company’s fast delivery options.
The spokesperson added, “This story is not an accurate description of how they work, and waiting in the parking lot or using the store’s Wi-Fi is not an effective way to increase one’s chances of seeing an instant offer.”
