I Delivered parcels! What is Amazon Flex and How does it work?

I’ve seen ads for Amazon Flex and I’ve certainly had a lot of parcels delivered to my home – but what is Amazon Flex? How do you become a driver delivering parcels ordered on Amazon? Let me tell you everything you need to know!

Earlier this year I had this idea to turn things on its head and see how those parcels actually make it to your door and sign up to be an Amazon Flex driver!

It’s fascinating, and honestly, I could see myself doing this to earn money if I had spare time in my week, was in-between jobs or perhaps starting to work less hours at a regular job.

Amazon Flex is the name, and it’s a genius name – because Flexibility is what it’s all about.

How do you sign up for Amazon Flex?

To become what Amazon call a “delivery partner”, you need to tick a few boxes of eligibility.

First, you have to live in an area that Amazon Flex operates. Currently that’s Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Newcastle, The Gold Coast and Adelaide.

You also need to be 20 years of age, or older.  Your vehicle has to be a four-door sedan, a large passenger vehicle or a van, and you need to hold a full unrestricted Australian Drivers licence.

Of course, you need a Smartphone, Android or iOS – because the whole thing is literally run via the Amazon Flex app.

If you tick all those boxes, you download the Amazon Flex app, and sign up using your existing (or a new) Amazon account!

After that you’ll need to complete a background check, and for those in NSW you’ll also need to complete what’s called “Bluecard” training. This is basically like a Work Health and Safety required in NSW if you work in the transport industry..

That Bluecard course is 4 hours, can be done in person or online, but the good news is Amazon will pay you $128 to do that (as well as paying for the course itself) – with the payment dropping after you’ve completed your first delivery block for Amazon Flex.

How long does it take to get on the road?

It can take around 4-5 weeks from start to finish in NSW, more like 2-3 weeks in other states.  But that’s the higher side of things, the bottom line is the process at your end takes very little time, you just need to jump in and apply, provide the info and wait for your approval.

Once approved, you simply open up the Amazon Flex app and start accepting what Amazon call “Delivery Blocks”.

How much can you earn delivering parcels for Amazon Flex?

How long is a piece of string? The reality is you can earn as little or as much as you want, depending on how often and how much you want to work.

Amazon say the minimum earnings are $108 for a four hour “delivery block” – being the national minimum, but in my few months on the app, I can tell you there’s plenty of opportunity to earn far more per block.

The key thing here is, you choose the blocks of time and you can see up front what the earnings are for that block, so you’re always aware up front what you’re locking in.

And, you get paid weekly.

What hours do you work driving Amazon Flex?

Again, as the simple name “Flex” suggests, the whole thing is entirely flexible.

New delivery blocks are released every Friday for the week ahead, and on release there are blocks across the day, from early in the day into the early evening (depending on your location – blocks in Newcastle and The Gold Coast start from 12pm).

You choose the blocks to suit your day or days.  And there’s no minimum requirement at all.  I’ve done one block in one week, then another block a few weeks later.  Just look at when you have time available and fill that time with Amazon Flex delivery blocks

Am I employed by Amazon?  Am I insured?

As a delivery partner with Amazon Flex, you’re self-employed.  You sign up using your own ABN and bank details.  This gives you the flexibility to work when it suits you, plus if you’ve got other side-hustles you might be signed up with other gig based driver services – it’s entirely your choice. 

For your car, you need to have your own insurance with at least the compulsory third-party coverage.  Amazon then provides the Amazon Commercial Auto Insurance Policy which at no cost to you includes coverage during the time you are driving for Amazon Flex.  Amazon has a stack of info on this on their website too

So how does Amazon Flex work?

Once you’re an Amazon Flex delivery partner, you choose when you want to work and how often. Really simple.

Pick a delivery block, normally 4 hours for a sedan, I’ve seen some longer some shorter and vans are normally 8 hours.

You then follow the directions in the app to the Delivery Station where you will pick up your delivery block.  Basically, Amazon has these enormous warehouses that are the “fulfilment centres” where your items are picked from the shelf and put in boxes, but then they are taken to more localised Delivery Stations.  It’s at these Delivery Stations where you’ll be doing your pickups.

On arrival, you put on your fluro vest, check-in with the app and a trolley of parcels is wheeled up to your car.  Using the app you scan them (some individually and some in groups) and pack them in your car.

Head off and from there you can follow the map on the Amazon Flex app.  And it works down to the single home address.  If there’s two parcels it tells you, if there are two parcels at one unit complex, they will both be in the one delivery spot.

Basically, the app guides you. You can choose to follow it and you’ll be done in no time.

What’s remarkable is that you’ll learn quickly is just how popular Amazon is.  There are sometimes multiple deliveries in one street, and you’ll find yourself travelling a relatively short distance over that period of time that your block is allocated.

It’s a very stop-start, in and out of the car kinda process, but again – there’s guidance available to you in the app.

The hardest thing I found about it was the late realisation that it helps to pack your car with the boxes using the same groupings as they come  to you on the trolley at the delivery station. That makes finding the next parcel a whole lot easier.

When you’re done, any parcels left undelivered (no answer, no safe place to leave it, and no delivery instructions) need to be returned to the Delivery Station, but these days there are so many video doorbells and parcel boxes at people’s houses that’s less frequent than you might expect. And time is allocated in the delivery block for you to return to the station so you’ll be paid for that anyway.

Head home, enjoy the fruits of your labour, and find another delivery block.

Book just one four-hour block a week and you’ll earn at least ,616 in a year.  Imagine how much you could earn in your spare time.

It really doesn’t matter if you’re a student at unit, you’re unemployed, between jobs, retired or just someone who has time to spare – Amazon Flex is a great way to earn money – paid weekly!

This article was written and published as supported editorial – articles we’re keen to write, but might not have had the resources to do without the support of our sponsors – in this case Amazon! While this is supported editorial, it is a true reflection of my personal experience delivering with Amazon Flex and the things I learned along the way.