Can You Really Ask Alexa to Tip Your Amazon Delivery Driver?

Chances are you've seen at least one of your Facebook friends (more than likely, several of them) share a screenshot of an article from Amazon saying they are implementing a delivery driver tip program for the holidays and all you need to do to take part in it is tell Alexa to thank your driver. It sounds like a great idea considering Amazon delivery drivers are more than likely receiving no thanks despite being run ragged as more and more of us turn to the online retail giant to do our Christmas shopping. But, as we've learned with social media, and the internet in general, you can't believe everything you see or read, no matter how legit it appears. So, I did some digging to see if there was any truth to the screenshot it seems every other person in my Facebook feed is sharing.

Report of New "Thank My Driver" Program at Amazon Goes Viral

No matter how smart we think we are, we've all believed something we've seen shared on social media only to find out later that the information was completely made up by someone who had too much time on their hands. We've also learned over the years that anyone with some basic graphic design skills can make something like a statement, coupon, or online gift card look like it came directly from the company they're pretending to be. Frankly, it's one of the many reasons I, and I think most of us, have trust issues.

If you haven't seen the article claiming Amazon is giving you the opportunity to tip your delivery driver by literally speaking it into existence, here's what it looks like:

Is Amazon's "Thank My Driver" Program Real?

The concept certainly sounds genuine. However, with reports that Amazon prioritizes customer satisfaction over the strain it puts on its employees to fulfill the millions of orders it receives, it's understandable to think the idea that it appears to have had a change of heart and is doing something nice for some of those employees seems a little suspect.

But, it is true.

The screenshot above is from About Amazon, the company-owned site that shares information about what the company is doing in its various departments from Prime Video to Amazon Web Services, and everything in between. Multiple news outlets, including CNBC, USA Today, and even the fact-checking website, Snopes, have investigated the story and confirmed the program is legitimate.

How to Participate in Amazon's "Thank My Driver" Program

Tipping the delivery driver who brought the 27th package you've ordered in the past three weeks is as simple as the company states. All you have to do is say, "Alexa, thank my driver" into your Echo smart speaker, and the company will tip the driver $5 at no charge to you. If you don't have an Echo speaker, you can tap the Alexa icon in the lower-right corner of your Amazon mobile app.

As noted in the company's announcement, the tip will only be given "for the first 1 million thank-you’s received." With the number of packages the company delivers on a daily basis, I imagine it won't take long to reach that mark. So, if you want to participate, you'll probably want to do so with your next delivery, assuming you feel like the driver deserves it.

[Sources: About Amazon / Forbes / CNBC / USA Today / Snopes]