14 Best Amazon Flex Tips & Tricks To Make More Money
When it comes to gig economy jobs, Amazon Flex is one of the highest-paying gigs out there.
As an Amazon Flex driver, you get paid $18 to $25 per scheduled delivery hour. This means a single delivery block can pay upwards of $100.
However, like other gig apps, it's important to work smart while driving for Amazon Flex so you make as much money as possible.
So today, I'm covering some useful Amazon Flex tricks you can use to work more efficiently so you put more money in your pocket. If you’re wondering how to make the most money with Amazon Flex, these Amazon Flex driver tips are for you!
Looking for other awesome side hustles? Checkout:
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The Best Amazon Flex Tips & Tricks
Whether you’re brand new to Amazon Flex or just looking to make more money, here are some tips to increase your earnings for this driving gig.
1. Organize Amazon Flex Packages Properly
One of the most basic tips for Amazon Flex drivers is to organize your packages properly when you're loading your car at Amazon's warehouse or pickup location.
Every package is labeled with a code designating its delivery area. By keeping packages for like areas together, you can save time by having everything ready to go at each stop.
This might not sound like a massive trick, but if you save 30 seconds on every package you deliver, that's 10 minutes saved if you're delivering 20 packages!
Another Amazon Flex tip is to keep empty boxes or bags in your car. This can save you time when delivering several packages to one address that you would otherwise have to carry one-by-one to the front door.
2. Track Your Mileage & Expenses
With jobs like Amazon Flex, you're an independent contractor. This means you're responsible for all your expenses as well as accurately reporting your income when filing taxes.
And it's actually incredibly important to track all these figures, especially expenses, so you can snag some potential tax deductions.
For example, the IRS lets you deduct some business mileage expenses when filing. So you can track the mileage and costs of driving for Amazon Flex to claim some of these expenses later in the year.
Mileage tracking apps like Hurdlr work great, and you can also track your mileages manually and keep your receipts.
Amazon Flex doesn't pay for gas, so you might as well save as much money on fuel expenses as possible.
3. Use Google Maps Or Waze To Navigate
Even if you know your delivery area like the back of your hand, using a GPS app like Google Maps or Waze can help make you more productive on your deliveries.
In addition to helping you find the shortest route, these apps also help notify you of heavy traffic or road closures that can take away valuable time during your deliveries.
This is a very simple Amazon Flex hack, but again, saving small amounts of time adds up.
Having trouble finding the exact house? You can try using Zillow for photos of the house to find the exact location for your delivery.
4. Wake Up Early To Claim Amazon Flex Blocks
While Amazon Flex can be a powerful way to make money on an app, there is competition amongst drivers to schedule blocks.
So, one of the best Amazon Flex driver tips is to wake up early to claim open blocks before other drivers.
This is hands-down one of the best ways to get more Amazon Flex blocks, which ultimately means more money for you.
Waking up around 6:00am to 7:00am should do the trick, but you can experiment with some other times throughout the day to try and find when blocks are released.
5. Accept Different Types of Deliveries
Another way to make more money with Amazon Flex is to accept more delivery types than your basic Amazon.com deliveries.
Here are some of the different types of Amazon Flex deliveries that are available:
- Amazon Logistics (AMZL) – These are regular Amazon deliveries that include regular shipments, 2 day shipments as well as same day shipping options. When you are making Amazon Logistics deliveries, you will typically work 3 to 6 hour blocks between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.. The number of packages depending on the route, but it’s not uncommon to have between 20 and 50 delivery stops during your shift.
- Amazon Fresh – This grocery delivery service lets customers order food and snacks right from Amazon. It's available in select markets and is expanding quickly due to Whole Foods becoming part of the Amazon family.
- Prime Now – This speedy delivery service is where Amazon Prime members have requested delivery within one hour, or for a two-hour block later in the day. These blocks are based on demand, so grab them quickly before they're gone!
- Amazon Restaurants – Earn money delivering customer’s favorite foods with Amazon Restaurants. Drivers can receive tips for deliveries, so there is a financial incentive for providing customers with good service.
AMZL orders are the most common by far, but look for other types of deliveries to maximize your earning potential
6. Use Reward Apps To Save On Gas
As mentioned, Amazon Flex doesn't pay you for gas. But one sneaky Amazon Flex trick you can use is to save money on gas by using various reward apps.
Several apps that let you earn free PayPal money or gift cards for uploading gas receipts include:
- Upside: Save up to $0.25 per gallon with the leading gas rewards app.
- Pogo: Get PayPal cash every time you shop with a linked card.
- Receipt Hog: Upload your shopping receipts and earn free Amazon gift cards and PayPal cash.
- Receipt Pal: Another receipt scanning app that lets you earn PayPal money for your receipts.
These apps don't pay a lot, but in the long-run, you can slowly earn rewards without much effort. Besides, who doesn't love some free money!
7. Prepare Your Vehicle For Deliveries
One of the top Amazon Flex driver tips and tricks is to be organized. By being prepared for your deliveries and having your vehicle ready, you will maximize your earning potential.
- Keep your vehicle clean and tidy – Keep your car clean, free of clutter and have space available to store and move packages for your Amazon Flex deliveries.
- Have a full tank of gas – While fuel is an expense for this side hustle, it's important to have your vehicle fueled and ready to go to make deliveries. Having to stop during your delivery block takes time, reduces your productivity which in return can reduce your earnings.
- Get a phone mount – Having a phone mount provides GPS directions without having to hold your phone and drive at the same time. This is a must have item for anyone who drives a lot or makes deliveries. It also increases your safety on the road.
- Charge your phone – While it may seem like common sense, make sure your smartphone is charged the night before delivering for Amazon Flex. Having an extra charging cable in your car can also be invaluable to make sure you have power when you need it the most.
- Update the Amazon Flex app – To avoid potential technical difficulties while on the road, make sure your Amazon Flex driver app is kept up to date.
8. Multi-App With Other Delivery Gigs
While it might surprise you, one of the best tips and tricks for Amazon Flex drivers is to simply use other delivery apps.
Mixing in other delivery gigs helps you get more orders per day and week. So, even during slow Amazon Flex periods, you can still make deliveries and get paid consistently.
Some other reliable delivery gigs you can deliver for include:
- DoorDash: Deliver fast food with the leading delivery app in North America.
- Instacart: The leading grocery delivery service that pays you to shop for people's groceries.
- Uber Eats: Another popular food delivery job like DoorDash you can try out.
- Cornershop: This grocery delivery service is owned by Uber and is a great alternative to Instacart.
- Roadie: A package delivery job that's similar to Amazon Flex.
DoorDash or Uber Eats are great if you want the most order demand possible and don't mind delivering fast food.
As for Instacart and Cornershop, these gigs put less mileage on your vehicle because you spend more time shopping and less time driving.
Finally, gigs like Roadie are great ways to make money with a truck or cargo van since you earn more for delivering large packages.
Extra Reading – How Much Money Do DoorDash Drivers Make?
9. Have A Car Maintenance Schedule
Another critical Amazon Flex tip is to create a car maintenance schedule so your vehicle is always in good shape.
Scheduling things like regular oil changes or making sure your break pads are in good order are important for your car and safety. Once you know how many approximate miles you drive per week for Amazon Flex, start scheduling maintenance when it makes sense.
10. Work During Busy Seasons
How much Amazon Flex pays per block largely depends on your market, potential tips, and how many packages you're delivering.
However, drivers also earn surge pay bonuses during very busy times. So, one of the most obvious but important tips for Amazon Flex is to schedule blocks when surge pay is more likely.
The Christmas season is a perfect example. During November and December, Amazon Flex deliveries can really pick up, so try to claim as many of these blocks as you can.
11. Try Completing Incomplete Deliveries Before Giving Up
If you don't deliver Amazon Flex packages by the end of your block, you need to return them to the warehouse. And if you miss this step, you have to return the packages before 10AM the following day.
This rule means it can be worth trying deliveries a second time if you fail the first time.
For example, some packages require someone to sign for them for you to deliver them. So if you don't get a signature in the morning, you can pass by in the afternoon to try again.
This really depends on where the delivery location is in relation to your current location, but it can help you save time in the long run!
12. Contact Amazon Flex Support For Help
While most deliveries will go smoothly, there are times where you encounter issues and need help from Amazon’s support team. Don't hesitate to contact support though, since this saves time and ensures you do your job correctly.
Here are some Amazon Flex tips to get help while you are on the go:
- Call Amazon – Reach Amazon support by calling their help line at (888) 281-6901 or (877) 212-6150.
- Request a call – The Amazon Flex app has a feature where you can request a phone call from their support team. To access it in the app, click on the question mark in the top right hand corner. You then see an option to request a phone call. This phone call should come quickly to help you resolve your issue.
- Send an email – If you have questions, but don’t need a response right away, email [email protected].
- Contact the customer – On occasion you may need to contact a customer. This might be to get access through a security gate, or even to just locate the delivery address.
13. Be On Time & Don’t Cancel Blocks
When driving for Amazon Flex or other services apps, show up on time and avoid canceling blocks whenever possible. To be safe, showing up early to Amazon centers is also a good call.
Being late or dropping blocks too frequently can lead to being deactivated from Amazon Flex.
14. Don't Use Amazon Flex Bots
One final Amazon Flex tip is to avoid using Amazon Flex bots.
Many drivers use bots that automatically claim blocks using software to gain an unfair advantage over other drivers.
People do the same thing with Instacart batch grabbers, and there's a huge market of these third-party apps that are supposed to help gig workers.
These bots can provide a quick edge and help you make more money. However, they go against Amazon Flex's driver policy and can also lead to deactivation.
We don't think these blocks are worth the risk, so use your best judgment!
Final Thoughts
Delivering packages for Amazon can be an excellent side hustle to earn extra income. And simple Amazon Flex tricks like organizing your car and packages and delivering for multiple apps can really maximize your earning potential.
Again, the gig economy is all about working smart, not just hard; it doesn't matter if you're making money with Instacart, Uber Eats, or Amazon Flex.
Hopefully, these tips help you make the most money with Amazon Flex so you get the most out of this driving gig.
Amazon Flex tips and tricks that I missed? Leave a comment below!
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