I took a job at an Amazon warehouse for 2 weeks because I was curious. AMA.

[Anonymous]

Your age OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am feeling guilty about having kitty litter on subscription.

Same! Mine is from Petco but I can't imagine their warehouse is any better...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your age OP?

Early 30s.

[Anonymous]

Can you wear headphones?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you wear headphones?

No it’s considered a safety violation although interestingly enough Amazon as a relatively large deaf population working there so I’m not sure what the issue would be. Some people do try to hide them behind hair or under hats but if you’re caught it’s an issue. Being able to listen to music or a podcast would be nice. You just get the hums and bangs of machinery.

[Anonymous]

Do you know anything about the returns department? I returned a portable external screen once ($500+) and whoever received it scanned another item on the order (a keyboard, $40).
So then I was refunded only $40 until I called to complain.

It made me wonder whether how easy it is for Amazon employees to steal returned items. Or maybe it was a honest mistake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you know anything about the returns department? I returned a portable external screen once ($500+) and whoever received it scanned another item on the order (a keyboard, $40).
So then I was refunded only $40 until I called to complain.

It made me wonder whether how easy it is for Amazon employees to steal returned items. Or maybe it was a honest mistake.

That’s something I don’t know much about. It was done on the other side of the warehouse and I was not assigned to that department. It was probably a scanner or label mistake ( wrong label applied or it fell off). I don’t think it was likely stolen. A lot of items would have the wrong label on them when being picked or they were missing proper labels completely. The labels would have what is called an ASIN number and when they were messed up the manager would blame the new hires.

[Anonymous]

do you know anything about the pallets of returned items? what sorts of things go into them? (the ones you can purchase)

what would you do differently, if you were in charge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wont ask you anything. I'm over 15 years old, and know you need more than 2 weeks to learn about a job and a company. Way more than 2 weeks.

Go back to class.

OP never claimed to know everything. They are offering their insight from two weeks. I find it interesting, and I usually think most of these AMAs are dumb. Most of DCUM has probably never worked in a warehouse (myself included)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:do you know anything about the pallets of returned items? what sorts of things go into them? (the ones you can purchase)

what would you do differently, if you were in charge?

The returns are mostly sellable items with some broken junk in it or at least the packaging badly damaged. Those items would get put back on the pick shelves after being processed to send back out because people do buy the items at a discount. If I ran the show I’d offer more breaks and allow them to take allotted breaks when they needed rather than rigidly scheduled. I.e you get 3 15 minute breaks use them for the day as you see fit. They can also do better with the order in which items are picked to try to save people’s backs. They should try to arrange the pick order in such a way that if you lift a heavy item (50 lbs) the next 3 items you pick will be under 10 lbs. I once had to pick 12 40lbs boxes of cat litter in a row while being timed. Not fun. Of course raises would always help. The more seasoned employees told me they got a .50 cent raise which given what Amazon was making is an insult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for doing the AMA. Will stop using amaxon.

What a stupid response to a giant global corporation based on a troll post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Knowing what you know, should people shop and support amazon? And if not, what are the alternatives?

"KNOW"?? from 7 days of work?

[Anonymous]

I went to an Amazon returns sale in the middle of the country. I'm not sure if it's ran by Amazon or a 2nd party company. It was a massive warehouse and everything was sold at 25-75% off retail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cheek swab? Oh hell no.

Yup. Goes to quest labs and they promise they don’t test for marijuana because they would otherwise be out of a workforce. Scary because there is a lot of heavy machinery there.

Are you sure they don't test for marijuana? It says online that they do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Knowing what you know, should people shop and support amazon? And if not, what are the alternatives?

"KNOW"?? from 7 days of work?

You seem really mad about this and I’m not sure why.