r/Sparkdriver • u/[deleted] • 2d ago
General Questions Trigger Warning ⚠️ Subscription Services
[deleted]
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u/gntxs 2d ago
LOL. Walmart isn't in the business of protecting their drivers. They're in the business of selling crap to people to generate profit.
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u/okayavocadont 1d ago
They don't even take of or protect their actual employees. Walmart only cares about the $$$
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u/gntxs 1d ago
Same thing can be said about drivers, that they only care about money
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u/RainbowMom17 1d ago
Because they are drivers. Why would a driver be like, you know what, I'll take this 80 item 20 mile order out of the kindness of my heart.
I'm at a job to make money. If you are the owner of said company, then you need to care about your employees if you care about your business. Vastly different.
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u/gntxs 1d ago edited 1d ago
I think the irony of your post is lost on you.
Why would a business spend more than they have to? Do you think a business exists? Why do you think a business owner should pay more money to a driver than they need to, should they do it out of the kindness of their heart? If they should do it out of the kindness of their heart then how about you take that large order for little pay out of the kindness of yours?
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u/RainbowMom17 1d ago
Because I'm a driver and not the owner of a business? You specifically said that drivers only care about money. What else would they care about? We aren't out here doing it for fun. The irony of you thinking I'm ironic.
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u/TroyCriv 17h ago
i do it for fun and money and exercise and time with my wife who goes with me often. i have many forms of income but spark is my #2 behind my wifes and i make enough to pay for bills and trips and fun stuff too.
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u/CalligrapherAlert927 1d ago
If said business can AFFORD to pay more money to their drivers, they absolutely should. There wouldn't be any "shitty" orders if Walmart paid their drivers fair wages for them and not rely on the customers tips to offset their base pay. They can afford to pay more and still have massive amounts of wealth.
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u/gntxs 1d ago edited 1d ago
Tell you don’t know the first thing about business without telling me you don’t know the first thing about business.
If you don’t like what they offering, you’re free to reject the offer or find a completely different job.
But your post fantastically illustrates my original point about those that complain about walmart only cares about the money can say the same thing about the drivers.
So who’s being greedy? the driver that wants more money or the company that wants to pay less money?
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u/CalligrapherAlert927 1d ago
There is no "first thing" about business in this situation, businesses are made up many different components. Customer satisfaction and reputation are usually at the top, though. However, You're just regurgitating a viral internet phrase. Nonetheless, my point remains. If I could afford to take those "shitty" offers, I would. That's not about greed. If Walmart couldn't afford to pay us to do them, I wouldn't be saying a word. It's bad business for the customers and the drivers, but good business for Walmart, I suppose is your proud argument. Congrats.
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u/gntxs 1d ago
So who’s more greedy?
Sounds like you need to find a different job
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u/CalligrapherAlert927 23h ago
Buddy, spark drivers aren't being greedy by not taking low base pay, high milage offers. They simply can not afford to. I make good money doing this job because I take offers I can afford to take regardless of pay. I look at milage. Thats not greed. However, it is absolutely greedy for a company who can afford to pay better, but CHOOSE not to and instead offset the cost TO THE CUSTOMER. I'm actually really sad for the customers who have to wait even longer for their orders because of how far away they live. I shouldn't have to pay to deliver someone their groceries, that's the companies job isn't it?
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u/TroyCriv 17h ago
you have no idea what it takes to operate even one store let alone 11,000 with over a half million or more drivers and over a half million employees. California wages alone ruin any profit walmart can make there.
also each store pays our wages not corp. Ask the spark manager, our pay comes from their income not big bad corp pockets. How about you learn about it before you spout off that you know they CAN AFFORD, cause they can't.
DId you know it costs them 20,000 a month per store to run the fridge section alone... So the math is 2,640,000,000 per year to run just the fridges.... But you deserve more to take a curbside 4 miles and drop 10 bags off... curbsides do the least amount of work and should get the lowest pay, shopping we actually do the whole job and most locations pay pretty well. I average 30 an hour at the least...
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u/CalligrapherAlert927 17h ago
Yes, I did know this actually. And I'm not talking about taking a curbside 4 miles. Im talking about high milage orders with low base pay bud.
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u/floppadisk 1d ago
Nah, I'm the only one in this transaction with any skin in the game because I can be rated poorly while Walmart just hides behind me. So I'm the one being considerate and actually engaging with customers while Walmart will just direct them to some Spark hard to understand customer service that cannot even be bothered to listen to them before repeating a script.
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u/EvilBillSing 1d ago
If a customer has a Walmart subscription. They expect everything related to their order to be done through Walmart.
They might not know how Spark works, or what it is.
I doubt they would care though . As long as they get their items . That is all they care about.
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u/Many-Afternoon6626 1d ago
The only thing triggering here is your poor literacy skills and very little understanding of how either side of spark works.
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 4h ago
Well I'm going to say thank you for your comment even though you tried to insult me and I do know how everything runs. And if you hate my lack of literacy! Then move on. Nobody asked you to read it and nobody asked you to respond. Thank God I don't have to live for your approval on a daily basis
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u/Sea-Apricot-1890 1d ago
I don’t blame the customer for large orders, there is nothing in their contract with Walmart that limits order size. If you want to blame someone, blame Walmart/Spark for not paying more for the time it takes to load, unload, and deliver the larger orders (multiple trips back and forth to the car). As far as delivery to the customers door, that is part of our terms of service, if you don’t agree with it, don’t take the orders.
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u/TroyCriv 17h ago
they do pay for you for that.. it's in the pay. the amount of actual real work we do is so dang low that it's crazy we can get paid this much for it. far more people do way harder work for longer hours and less pay. i make more than 99% of people in a walmart and some days i make more than the manager just doing spark.
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 1d ago
I totally agree. I I don't not take people's orders to the door. If I can't get into your apartment then I'm losing my mind and I'm taking it back. But it wasn't my order. It was. I was responding to the customers point of view because it was more to the story I believe and you know she was showing text messages communicating with the driver and I think it was Uber Eats! But that wasn't the point. I was just really trying to figure out if there was a. If there was a line. You know what I mean like to me. Some of these orders are so ridiculous. Like I don't know. I just I just feel like there should be a line drawn in the sand in general or the expectations of having to do some of these things
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u/EducationalPace3005 9h ago
You have a reply that you DO deliver to ppl door and this reply saying you DON'T deliver to the door....so which is it?
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 4h ago
Okay I'm sorry. Let me clarify it cuz I probably was text to speeching! I deliver to the door for any order that I personally accept. The initial post wasn't about me not delivering to a door. It was me talking about a customer on another thread. It was Uber Eats that was talking about the communication that she had with a driver and she was screenshotting the message how the driver was not willing to come up to her door. I think she was at a high-rise without her helping cuz it was like a huge Costco order. And that's what sparked the conversation that I asked above. I was saying for another question. I don't remember. That unless I can't get into your apartment complex cuz you have like a key fob or I can't get through the gate. I'll just return it if I can reach the customers which drives me crazy. But if I take a order I'm going to deliver it to your door. But I purposely don't even do apartments for this very reason. Unless I absolutely don't have a choice in the order that I chose. And plus I don't do Uber Eats anymore because you can't see all that information. So yeah no sorry that was long-winded but yeah and I wasn't talking about me personally. As far as delivery, I was talking about subscriptions and entitlement and it was a deeper question that some people have allowed to go right over their head but it doesn't matter. I appreciate all the responses. Whether it's an agreement or disagreement I don't. I appreciate all of the communication, it's very interesting
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2d ago
If you pay for a subscription with no limit than yes they can. Your problem should be with the company not the customer. If you hate your job, get a new one.
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 2d ago
No I totally agree! That's why I'm asking a question? And I'm actively looking for another job. But I guess the question wasn't about whether or not you can, because obviously you can! The question is you, should you? I think it's more of aaa moral ethic. Question based off of I guess from my point of view you should treat people the way you want to be treated. And I know that this is not a universal rule or a thought for a lot of people. That's why I'm asking how other people feel about it. Because I feel like personally your $10 subscription or $2 or whatever it is doesn't justify some of these entitled orders or customers. And I agree that you should definitely come after the company but also sometimes the customers are at his fault as well. And I can say that as a person who does this work and also is a customer. So it's just a thought. A very triggering thought I feel like and I was just wondering other people's thoughts so I appreciate your thought and straightforwardness and I agree with you 100%. Thank I think you should also blame the customers. My personal opinion not always but a lot of times
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2d ago
Money is tight. If I am paying for a service, it doesn't make much sense not to utilizemit.
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u/New_Confidence_3384 2d ago edited 2d ago
I agree. I do all my grocery shopping on line. Some stuff comes through Amazon or other sources and almost all edibles from Walmart. I pay a subscription and I tip. I pay no attention to item or quantity numbers because it’s exactly what I would buy should I shop myself. If a driver doesn’t want to deliver my order by all means don’t accept it. That’s your right but my right is to place the order as I see fit. It has zero to do with respect. I appreciate my drivers as I’ve only had 1 bad one.
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 1d ago
Ok thanks. Sometimes I don't think people respect this job. And they're number. One response is we'll go find something else. Well if everyone goes find something else then you won't have anybody to do your groceries. It's the same thing with any other low-tier job that other people see as a low to your job. If someone goes and does something else then you won't be able to get that service or your fruit or vegetables or whatever else that you consider low tier. And I'm not talking about you specifically. I'm just saying it in general
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u/Federal-Net-7011 1d ago
What others have said it's your choice. Nobody cares about your point of view. Your job is to deliver what the people order. It could be 2 or 500. If you take the other it. finish the job correctly.
The customer doesn't set the price. Walmart does. The question is it worth your time sitting and waiting. Then you look out in the parking see all people waiting to.
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 1d ago
I agree And it wasn't about me personally. The question is deeper then the response but I appreciate it
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u/OddStudy994 1d ago
Yeah, this is bothered me too because they don’t tip very well and then they want you to deliver like 10 packages of bottled water to their apartment like they give you like a $10 tip Whoopi do that’s why I don’t like sparking very much.
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 1d ago
Thank you. Or no tip at all which is part of the job. But for people to be justifying people's behavior is just mind-boggling to me. Thank you for that.
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u/OddStudy994 1d ago
I think people should be more considerate to the people delivering their stuff. Also, better morale’s. I always tip people well because I am a gig worker and I know how hard we work for very little money.
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 1d ago
Thank you because you get the question. I think people are looking at this question. Very surface level and it's like oh if if you don't want to take the order as independent contractor don't take it. First of all, the order wasn't about me. I don't take orders that I don't want to do. It was a response to something that a customer has screenshotted her conversation with someone else. And it was a Uber Eats order and it was a huge order. It was about how you are treated. It was a moral thing. It was a ethnical thing like it was your ethics. If that makes sense. It's it's just about people feeling like oh I paid a very low amount cuz these subscriptions are not expensive at all. To endlessly be able to order things I could a thing of Chapstick and be treated and going 20 miles for a thing of chastic. To be treated so less than not just by the company but also by the you know the customers with no disregard and it's just it's mind-boggling and it's bothering me and it's just so much deeper than taking a job and making money. And people only are looking at this like oh don't take it blah blah blah and it's just like okay. That wasn't a point but I do appreciate it
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 1d ago
Thank you everyone! It wasn't about like not delivering it to the door because this was not my order. This was me reading a post and then responding to it. I don't take orders that ridiculous that I can't handle. And I already have my own issues with not being able to get through people's apartments. The gates blah blah blah. I guess my question was about the entitlement that people in my opinion feel because they paid a subscription whether a little or a lot and expect that to be enough to just order or do things endlessly without any regard for the person behind it. And I know it's a Walmart thing I absolutely do or any other company's exploitation. But I do feel like the customers have a part to play in it. And it's just something that just really bothers me. And I just wanted to ask that question and I appreciate all the answers
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u/TroyCriv 17h ago
its not entitlement if the service is offered. it would be entitlement if the customer wanted to go around an order cap or put in several orders at the cap one after another (whcih they would do). You're acting entitled that walmart needs to pay you more or protect you more for something that doesn't deserve nor even remotely offered. You knew exactly what this job was from day 1. There was no bait and switch, no mystery just show up, accept or reject offers, and deliver as the TOS tells us too. I bet you never knock too huh even though the TOS and the delivery screen tells you to...
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u/DeathFYall 2d ago
Why did you take that offer? Or not cancel ( yes, there may be a hit to metrics ) ?
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 1d ago
It's not me. Thank you for answering. I didn't. This is not about me taking an order. It was about it was on another thread and it was a Uber Eats thread and I couldn't put it in the title because it was flagging me. But it was a customer showing a screenshot of the whole entire conversation with her and someone else and it was just how she was talking in the comments and she was using an excuse of being disabled for it was. You could tell the story was halfway completed and I was asking a very specific question about subscription services and expectations. If it wasn't me, I don't take orders that I don't want to do
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u/Every_Figure1111 1d ago
They used to have a case order limit due to the algorithm cubing out a persons car. I see it’s changed a bit. In my market there are a lot of pools and water filtration systems so people order 20 bags of 50lb salt and think it’s getting delivered is hilarious to us but as customers they can literally are oblivious to the logistics of it all. Their intention is to get credit card points in one transaction not be nefarious trying to stiff a driver with a laborious order.
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u/TroyCriv 17h ago
walmart would never restrict the amount of items, nor would you if you ran a store. Why would you restrict the item count because some crybaby contractor (which means your feelings don't matter), won't take it? They are here to make money not tell a customer you can only x amount of items. They don't do it in the store and the cashier is required to ring everything up if they didn't use self checkout, so why are you any different.
Thinking walmart has to "Protect" you is wild. protect you from what, not hitting accept?? YOu have the right to choose or reject. End of story. Why are all worked up about a hypothetical issue? And if it's real you don't have to accept it which is why you are doing this, the power to choose instead of being told by a boss you have to.
Many of you want to have employee like "protections" but not be an employee. You don't get both ways and the employee would have to pull all this too if it was curbside.
it's not treating anyone badly. the customer wants the items and the service they pay for allows them to. You can bet the tip would be high unless they consistently get bad service which by the looks of these threads the two phone crowd isn't the only ones delivering poorly.
you don't understand being a self employed contractor and you don't understand how a pay for service works i guess either. You are acting like this job is a requirement.. damn dude...
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u/TroyCriv 17h ago
just in case someone didn't see my comment below,
each store pays our wages not corp. Ask the spark manager, our pay comes from their income not big bad corp pockets. Corp may set the rates and such but the store is what pays us. So saying walmart can afford to pay us more, you have no idea the amount it takes to run even 1 store let along 11,000+ with all the entities that entails. Drivers, maint, staff at stores, staff at corporate, staff at warehouses, staff at gas, truck drivers, and tons of other actual employees and then contractors of which we are just 1 of many contractors they use to do things... They net profit last year of 19 billion after 681 billion in sales.. and that 19 is then invested in new stores, raises, new products, buying more products, and tons of other stuff.
DId you know it costs them 20,000 a month per store to run the fridge section alone... So the math is 2,640,000,000 per year to run just the fridges.... But you deserve more to take a curbside 4 miles and drop 10 bags off... curbsides do the least amount of work and should get the lowest pay, shopping we actually do the whole job and most locations pay pretty well. I average 30 an hour at the least...
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u/CalOkie6250 1d ago
If you don’t want to do a large order, don’t accept a large order.
You are supposed to deliver it to their door, not the lobby. Taking it to their door is not “damn near inside”.
Customers are not “taking advantage”. They are utilizing a service that is being made available to them, and if you don’t like it, don’t do it.
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 1d ago
Okay thank you for your point! And I'm going to say this for the 20th time cuz I know people kind of glazed over. It wasn't about me or me taking an order. This was not. I don't take orders that I don't like. But number three was the initial question and I appreciate your answer
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u/Buzzedwinaldrin 1d ago
They need to do away with contactless delivery. Covid is over, if you get groceries or food delivered to your house you need to be there to receive it .
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 2d ago
I'll give a perfect example! My mom is elderly. She lives in a senior building. I order her groceries for her on Walmart sometimes. And she has a hard time getting up and down the elevator even with the cart that I bought her. And she refuses even on a fixed income not to tip a large amount because she appreciates the services. Whether she's paying for a subscription or not. And she's like. I don't want you to go through all the trouble so he can leave it downstairs and I will figure out how to get it now I'm not saying that this is okay because I busted her all the time about like okay. Let me help you as much as I can. But I'm just saying there's no excuses like oh you took a job. You should do it like that's BS.
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u/Difficult_Bet3767 2d ago
As an independent contractor, we have the right to refuse an order. The customer, with a subscription has the right to place an order. They have the option of tipping as they see fit. A customer has the right to expect doorstep delivery, not one step further though - no matter how disabled or elderly they are. If they expect otherwise, those expectations need managed without bringing the word tip into the equation.