Hi gang. Popular question topic, tipping is. I’ve seen a variety of answers after doing a search, but nothing that quite answers my own situation so what the hey, I’ll open this thread and see who salutes.
I’m purchasing a small upright freezer from an appliance joint out in NJ. The cost is $209 and there’s no delivery fee. (This is about $25 more than the lowest price I’ve found for the same model, but the lowest price seller charges $60 for shipping, so I’m ultimately paying less.)
According to the store, they will bring the freezer into my apartment and uncrate it, though not set it up. Which is fine, I mean, it’s a small 2.9 cubit foot freezer, little bigger than a typical dorm fridge. Oh and it’s an elevator building, if that helps.
Anyway, my question is: how much do I tip the delivery guy? Those who say “don’t,” thanks but I’m gonna tip him. I just think it’s the right thing to do for a guy lugging a 75lb appliance to my door.
And just out of curiosity, what do you think it means that there’s no delivery fee? How can they avoid charging for this when everyone else charges (or tacks on a much larger price – for example, other “free shipping!” stores list a price of $240 mininum for the same model)?
Ooh hey I’ll make a poll! For kicks I’ll add the “no tip” option just to see how many stingy types there are.
I’m one of the “stingy types”. The delivery guys are already being paid.
How can they offer free delivery when the other place charges $60? The other place is making $60 extra when they get someone who actually pays for delivery. You can almost always get free delivery if you ask and don’t back down.
I tipped $20 to the two guys who delivered my fridge and took the old one off the lawn. It’s what I would have given regardless, but they did take off my door and everything to get it in. I expected them to split it $10 each.
When I told my friends, they looked at me like I was nuts.
When I worked for a business that provided delivery and in-home service, we were lectured repeatedly to refuse any tips from our customers. Since then, I’ve been of the mind that this is the right thing to do when receiving a delivery. Even my 600 pound gas range.
If it’s a hot day and they are clearly exhausted, I’ll offer bottled water or something similar that has more practical value than monetary value.
Ack, good reminder. I’m having a fridge delivered tomorrow and a heapin’ old one removed. Family tradition says I should tip $20, but I woulda forgotten had it not been for this thread!
These guys are probably getting paid a higher hourly wage than I am. They’re not hairdressers or waitstaff who depend on tips. If I’m getting appliances or furniture delivered, I’ve been saving for months if not more than a year. I won’t have factored in a tip for a couple of dudes who make more money than I do.
I also tip food delivery according to the delivery charge - 15% total, not on top of the delivery fee.
I didn’t even think about it when I had a window a/c unit installed as a semi-permanent in the kitchen - they measured the window, cut boards to fit, and boarded up the spaces on either side, inside and out, caulked and everything all I had to do was paint. Never occurred to me to tip them, in and out in about 20 minutes. I just cover it in the winter.
I used to deliver appliances with my Dad for a hardware store he owned. We never got tipped and never expected it. Granted, my Dad was the seller and not just the delivery guy - but he really went the extra mile and would always remove the old appliance and install the new one while cleaning up the crap that was usually under most people’s appliances. Irregardless it just never seemed like something to get tipped for.
Wow, I’m surprised by the poll responses. Or maybe I shouldn’t be.
To AuntiePam, I guess my feeling is that the other guys in the sales process are anonymous because I’ve never seen them (this was an online order), whereas the delivery guy is standing in my house having performed some manual labor that I don’t wanna or can’t do, and he’s just made my life much easier by shlepping this 70lb freezer to my place and unpacking it for me.
I dunno, it’s just not in my nature not to tip a delivery person. I can’t imagine they’re getting paid all that well commensurate with how much effort they put in for me. So unless it’s expressly stated “NO TIPS” when I order, the dudes (or dudettes, when I see that rare woman arriving at my door) are gonna get some cash.
Of course if it’s a hot day – which it won’t be when the freezer arrives – they’ll also get offered something to drink.
It does look like $10 is the norm. I’m one of the ones who voted for $20, by the way. Boy am I an easy touch!
Wow, I’m surprised by the results here. I always tip for delivery of furniture and appliances, and we’ve done some redecorating and other work around our house recently, so I’ve been doing it a lot. Of course, we live at the top of a flight of about 30 steps, so everything that comes in is a bit of a struggle, but still–I’d tip even in a different house (just maybe less). I’ve tipped as much as $20 for a single guy hauling something like a big desk into my house (this happened just recently).
If you’ll notice, most of the tippers are from North East US. Tipping really is more of an east coast thing. On the west coast (such as Oregon, where I am) tipping is unusual except fro barbers and restaurants. I voted $0.
I’m pretty sure Fedex (and probably UPS too) has a company policy not allowing cash. Except perhaps around the holidays. If I were getting several FedEx packages a year and often from the same delivery guy, I’d tip him at Christmastime either with cash (if it’s kosher and wouldn’t get the guy in trouble) or a noncash item.
The thing is… it makes me happy to tip. I feel like it’s the right thing to do, for me, because I’m grateful to the person who’s doing a job I don’t want or cannot do. I feel like a tip is saying, “thanks for coming to my home and providing me with a useful service – I’m grateful to you, personally, not just the company that pays you.” Maybe I’m a sucker, maybe the guy’s getting like $20 an hour or something and earning more per week than I do some weeks as a freelancer when my clients are taking longer than usual to pay.
I don’t think others should necessarily feel bad for not tipping, if it’s really not considered de rigeur to do so. But still, it’s just a gesture it pleases me to make.
I should’ve said, $10 is the most common suggestion for those who suggested a tip.