Amazon is setting up a US delivery network (RIP fedex/ups)

[newarkhiphop]

Amazon isn't waiting for the advent of courier drones to ship your orders faster than usual: theWall Street Journal reports that the e-commerce giant has been testing its own US delivery network in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Described in job listings as Last Mile, the initiative is meant to outperform established shippers like FedEx and UPS. These companies are increasing costs, can't always meet capacity and are "impeding innovation in delivery services," Amazon says in one job description.

Such efforts aren't completely new for Amazon. The company is already testing its own delivery network in the UK, and went so far as to invest in a local parcel service. Even the US strategy reportedly began years ago. However, the WSJunderstands that an American delivery network is now a much higher priority in light of last year's holiday shipping meltdown -- Amazon would rather not have to compensate angry customers time and time again.

It may also try to offer what existing courier services can't. While the firm isn't commenting on its plans, a self-run delivery system would let it deliver orders both on the same day and outside of normal hours. Don't be surprised if it's eventually possible to order from Amazon in the morning and get your goods that evening.

Amazon is setting up a US delivery network to ship your orders faster

 

[Liquid]

I can confirm that this has been in the works for years.

The idea is to have coverage for all 50 states within next day delivery...they have wanted to get rid of FedEx (mostly have really) and UPS to do their own thing. These cats actually send their trucks to get hot items (like the PS4) themselves because they don't want to wait.

I wish they treated their employees better, I could not deal having to tell people that they have lost their job over and over again.

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

I can confirm that this has been in the works for years.

The idea is to have coverage for all 50 states within next day delivery...they have wanted to get rid of FedEx (mostly have really) and UPS to do their own thing. These cats actually send their trucks to get hot items (like the PS4) themselves because they don't want to wait.

I wish they treated their employees better, I could not deal having to tell people that they have lost their job over and over again.

The compensation cap / stock compensation model is just.........I can't believe they get away with it.


..but you can bring your dog to work so I guess that makes up for it

 

[GoldenGlove]

Amazon is going to take over the world brehs

 

[jadillac]

The compensation cap / stock compensation model is just.........I can't believe they get away with it.

What's the vibe up there from the Amazon corporate employees? Do they like working there?

 

[GoldenGlove]

I know the USPS is like with this news though

 

[GoldenGlove]

What's the vibe up there from the Amazon corporate employees? Do they like working there?

Amazon.com Reviews | Glassdoor

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

What's the vibe up there from the Amazon corporate employees? Do they like working there?

New employees...they love it. Its most of their best jobs ever and they're probably making more money than they ever have...they're used to working long hours at worse jobs or in school...

Seasoned vets and those recruited in from M$ or other firms....ehh..they despise the compensation model, but like the work...but theres A LOT OF IT...

 

[jadillac]

I wish they treated their employees better, I could not deal having to tell people that they have lost their job over and over again.

Do they layoff ppl frequently?

Is high turnover part of their business model or something?

 

[Miggs]

Just another alternative to fedex,they wont be able to deliver on alot of services related to this venture...

 

[jadillac]

Amazon.com Reviews | Glassdoor

 

[Liquid]

Do they layoff ppl frequently?

Is high turnover part of their business model or something?

Definitely a part of their business model, there is a staffing agency in town JUST for Amazon. Gizzle works in corporate so I am sure the vibe is different up there. Once the amount of "Blue Badge" employees was a little too high so a convenient "drug test" was performed to weed out many of the loyal workers who had been there for years...then hire them again as temps shortly after.

The warehouse work is like any other I suppose...I am not sure. It was the only warehouse I was ever in. I would never do the grunt work...they treat those people like shyt.

 

[GoldenGlove]

Do they layoff ppl frequently?

Is high turnover part of their business model or something?

From 1 of the reviews over there...

"Work-life balance" means different things to different people, so I'm not going to say it's bad here per se. That said, long hours are the norm at all levels across the company, and usually that's required and expected just to keep up. Expect 60 hours as your baseline year round and 70 or more during Q4. You should expect that your time and mental energy for kids, hobbies, etc. will be extremely limited. Plan accordingly. Whether this is a negative will depend largely on the individual; just ensure you know where you stand on this before you sign an offer letter.

That Amazon is a massive company with tons of smart people at all levels can actually be a huge negative. You might be a solid individual contributor, but so is absolutely everyone else - and you're all fighting for the same attention. It can be very hard to stand out, and you have to ensure your manager and your manager's manager know what value you bring at all times or you're toast. (You may still be toast regardless.) That means politics, backstabbing, and stack ranking do occur, despite some claims to the contrary. People definitely look out for themselves and themselves alone here; it's not a collaborative environment. It's also very easy to get the sense that you are a highly expendable cog even if your contributions bring significant value to the company. Plan to fight for yourself hard here, and be prepared to not get much acknowledgment or praise. Even if you do prove yourself well, know that advancement opportunities are limited. Most transfers in my observation were lateral, with big new hires being external. I've heard that the strategy of many people is to do a few intense years of lateral moves which can then be leveraged into a higher position at another company.

Compensation is a mixed bag. Salaries are just average, but you get a huge signing bonus and stock which vests in strange increments over four years. Since the average employee lasts less than two years, you will not see most of that stock and you may need to repay some of that signing bonus (usually awarded over two years) if you leave or are pushed out. Raises are very, very small each year - your salary will not substantially increase even with a good review. Most people work startup hours, so their effective pay rate is pretty low. Additionally, the company espouses frugality as a core value. While this can be a positive, it also means they're downright cheap on some things, including hardware. Employee perks are pretty much nonexistent, and that's compared to most big companies and not just the Googles of the world. Benefits like health insurance and 401k match are mediocre at best. No free Prime accounts. No paid parental leave; moms get disability and dads get zip. (As in zero. None.) I did mention earlier that this isn't the most kid-friendly company to work for.

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

Definitely a part of their business model, there is a staffing agency in town JUST for Amazon. Gizzle works in corporate so I am sure the vibe is different up there. Once the amount of "Blue Badge" employees was a little too high so a convenient "drug test" was performed to weed out many of the loyal workers who had been there for years...then hire them again as temps shortly after.

The warehouse work is like any other I suppose...I am not sure. It was the only warehouse I was ever in. I would never do the grunt work...they treat those people like shyt.

i do not work for amazon. My feedback was based on my neighbors / direct contact with their employees

 

[jadillac]

New employees...they love it. Its most of their best jobs ever and they're probably making more money than they ever have...they're used to working long hours at worse jobs or in school...

Seasoned vets and those recruited in from M$ or other firms....ehh..they despise the compensation model, but like the work...but theres A LOT OF IT...

pretty much the vibe I read on the Glassdoor link

Stuff like this is funny tho:

• "Company is not at all sorry to screw people's work-life balance for itself to excel"
  in 438 reviews
• "Pathetic culture-no work life balance/poor pays shares are deceiving/Extremely political"
  in 100 reviews

Because EVERY major company nowadays doesn't give a crap about work-life balance. They push it and tout it, but it's all show.
The higher ups will see you at your desk after 5pm and be like, " Hey, go home and enjoy ur evening, the work will still be here tomorrow"

And I'm thinking to myself, 'yeah it will be here, but will I be here tomorrow if I don't do it now?'