Englishmum

I'm having two deliveries today; a queen sized bed frame from Crate & Barrel where I was charged a $79 delivery fee.

I'm also having a mattress & box spring delivered from Sleepy's and was also charged a $79 delivery fee.

Both stores are within 2 miles from my home but I guess as they're national chains the warehouse is in another part of NJ.

I'm hoping that these guys will be setting up the bed frame and the mattress (hope the frame arrives first....I was given the same 'window' which they don't deviate from LOL!).

Now I certainly always tip when the delivery charges are waived, but not sure when I've paid a fee. Is it appropriate to pay these guys a tip, and how much would be sufficient? (I guess there will be at least 2 guys per delivery).

I only have $20 bills from the ATM in my purse....

Now have to go and get my son out of bed......the new one is for his room and his room is a disaster area....

BritGuyTN

if the items are something nice enough that the guys will have to take special care (i presume they are) i would tip them

Folinskyinla

Hi:

The delivery fee is not for the driver and his helper. I've tipped them.

Englishmum

OK....I will tip them.

How much?

(just found some $5 bills in spouse's bedside drawer... )

Is $5 each per guy ok?

NC Penguin

I do remember tipping the delivery/assembly people when delivering furniture back in 2005. We paid for delivery too. However, I don't remember how much we tipped each guy.

Mandana

When I asked the same question, someone very kindly sent me this .. http://www.findalink.net/tippingetiquetteprint.php

I kept it for future reference!

Hope it helps

ETA - here is the thread I posted some time back which might help too .. http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...78#post5410878

snowbunny

Are the bedrooms upstairs? Toon's in this line of business and it's rough, low paid work. The store and the delivery company get the $79 and will pay the guys at most $20 each. If you feel their service and time are worth more, then I'm sure they'd love a tip.

We only get one back, and these fellows often injure theirs.

Toontje

More like $25 which they will have to share somehow.

If they delivery team does a "normal" job, $5 per person is a regular tip. You could tip them $10 each for an outstanding job.

I'm a manager at a delivery company and my delivery teams get tipped on less than half their deliveries. Not because they're doing such a bad job, but mostly because a lot of people belief that the delivery charges are already more than enough, or because they think that the delivery team gets a big chunk of the delivery fee. In this line of business delivery teams often get paid a commission, a normal rate is 25-35% of their daily revenue: 15-20% for the driver, 10-15% for his helper. A very good team can deliver and assemble about 12 beds a day (a 12 hour workday!) so do the maths. The driver will make somewhere between $142 and $190, his helper makes $95 - 142 that day.