Amazon has revealed a brand-new Alexa feature that will let users tip their delivery people as a way of saying thanks. As of this Wednesday, Amazon is allowing customers to gratuitously tip $5 to the driver who just delivered their most recent product. Customers only need to say, 'Alexa, thank my driver,' to begin the tip.

The reward is only available for the first million thanks. The top five drivers will each receive $10,000 in compensation, and an additional $10,000 will be donated to the charities of their choice, according to a statement made by Amazon on Wednesday. Customers in the US can use the functionality using an Alexa-compatible device, the Alexa or Amazon Shopping mobile apps, or both. The promotion occurs while delivery drivers deal with an increase in orders due to the holiday shopping season.

 In October, Amazon announced plans to hire 150,000 U.S. workers to help with the holiday rush. In addition, the company said it would rely on hundreds of thousands of Flex drivers, or contracted workers who use their own vehicles, as well as more than 275,000 drivers in its delivery service partner programme.

 According to ZipRecruiter, the national average pay for Amazon delivery drivers is roughly $21 per hour. The day after Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine announced a lawsuit against the firm, accusing it of deceiving customers and skimming tips from drivers, Amazon's thank-you function went live. 2019 saw a shift to Amazon's earnings strategy. 

For us, customer trust is absolutely crucial.' Maria Boschetti, an Amazon official, stated in a statement given to USA TODAY. 'All of the consumer advice at issue were already provided to drivers as part of an agreement with the FTC last year, so this lawsuit, which we changed three years ago, has no basis.

Amazon has repaid drivers, but the latest case claims that it has not yet paid civil fines for misleading customers about its tipping procedures. In order to prevent Amazon from resuming the practise, the district is asking the court to impose civil penalties and a court order.