A little kindness goes a long way in many professions.
You may tip your grocery delivery driver, pizza delivery guy, the bartender, or any professional who goes out of their work’s scope to provide exemplary service.
But do you tip furniture delivery?
In the post below, we’ll break down this topic in detail and show you just how much to give.
Table Of Contents
Do You Tip Furniture Delivery?
Yes, you should tip your furniture delivery driver.
We are familiar with tipping bartenders, waiters, food delivery guys, car valet service, and waitresses.
However, tipping a furniture delivery person is not ingrained in tipping culture—especially if you’ve paid a premium for your new furniture.
But it is good practice to show a kind gesture.
The delivery professional would not expect it, which makes it all the more reason to tip them.
A furniture delivery guy does backbreaking work.
If the delivery professionals have to scale up the flight of stairs with your sofa to the tech floor, consider tipping them.
You may show gratitude through complementary acts of kindness.
How much you tip depends on your preference.
You may evaluate the difficulty of the delivery, weather conditions, and other factors we will discuss herein.
Normalize tipping movers.
As with all good habits, it takes time to culture, but you will find it more rewarding over time.
What Percentage of People Tip Furniture Delivery?
Furniture moving can range from affordable to pricey depending on the service, distance, value of the furniture, and more.
Usually, the pricing model incorporates the delivery agent’s compensation.
With this in mind, not many homeowners tip a furniture delivery guy.
According to a WoollyGreen writeup, 50% of customers tip movers.
The range is $5–$10, but they increase it to $20 if it’s a complex delivery or takes a lot of physical exertion, such as an appliance delivery.
The culture of tipping furniture delivery is gaining momentum since many individuals are moving to low-income housing.
Why?
The Covid-19 pandemic made us all reassess our finances.
And if we can’t afford the house, we move to a more affordable location and either bring our furniture or purchase cheaper ones.
Tipping is also a way to assist the usually low-paid delivery service people.
Why Should You Tip Furniture Delivery?
We’ll expressly state that tipping furniture delivery is not mandatory.
But we advocate tipping furniture delivery guys.
Here’s why:
1. Low Hourly Rate
You pay a lot for moving or buying furniture.
Of course, the delivery company compensates its workers.
But the low hourly rate does not represent the monetary benefits the delivery professionals should be getting.
Sure they earn above minimum wage, but they do not benefit from the high price you pay for furniture by a stretch.
Tipping your furniture delivery agents is a sign of appreciation and supplements their income.
Your $10 incentive cumulatively aids the mover to cater to their bills.
In addition, a tip provides much-needed financial help to top off the low wages.
2. Hard Work
Sometimes the delivery servicepeople break their backs delivering furniture to your doorstep.
The moving crew will always transport your purchase to your house, even with heavy furniture.
The moving company does not directly factor hard work into the employee’s remuneration model.
In such situations demanding physical exertion, consider tipping.
3. Show Appreciation
Sometimes the delivery company may not be familiar with your building’s structure.
If the delivery professionals deliver your furniture to the seventeenth floor without a single scratch, you may show appreciation through a tip.
It is not always sunny.
Show appreciation if the furniture delivery service still delivers despite the adverse weather conditions.
For any discreet or exceptional service, show appreciation.
It is the unwritten law of tipping.
How Much Should You Tip Furniture Delivery?
There is no rhyme or reason to how much you should tip your furniture delivery.
Of course, tipping depends on your general good feeling.
However, some pointers can aid you in determining how much is a good tip in most tipping situations.
Let’s walk you through selecting the appropriate tip amount for furniture delivery.
Average Tip Range
Business Insider recommends tipping $5 per delivery agent and $10 for delivery of a large appliance.
You can step it up to $20 for good service.
Tipping.org echoes a similar amount.
Generally, an 18% – 22% of the delivery cost is enough to cover the tip.
Consider the following delivery aspects for a more custom tip amount.
Factors Your Tip Amount Is Based on
You should consider the following factors when tipping your furniture delivery.
1. Difficulty
Some deliveries are more stressful than others.
Narrow passageways, inaccessible drives, and delivering a solid oak piano up a flight of stairs are always complex.
Tip the delivery guys if they handle such complicated deliveries meticulously.
They will most likely have to remove doors, reassemble them or use ropes while taking care not to damage your furniture.
Also, there may be snow in some situations, or it’s raining.
The delivery team will brave the cold and deliver the furniture to your house.
Generally, the more complex the delivery, the more the tip amount.
2. Cost of Furniture
The tip amount for a $10,000 sofa will significantly differ from a $300 couch.
The delivery will handle both pieces with care.
But they will pay extra care not to land a dent or scratch on pricier furniture.
The extra attention is standard professionalism.
But when they safely place the sofa in your living room, thank them with a generous tip.
A $20-$50 bonus for a $10,000 piece of furniture is reasonable, while a $50 bill for a $500 piece of furniture is overkill.
3. On-Time Delivery
You’ve sneaked off work to oversee furniture delivery.
Only that you call the company and they inform you, they’ll be three hours late.
We wouldn’t tip them either.
But if the delivery company transports furniture on time and moves it to your building in time, show appreciation.
4. Friendly Service
Some delivery agents may be rough on the edges.
The groggy mood may be because of low pay, lack of a cup of morning joe, or they are just rude.
When you find courteous and professional delivery service personnel, it is advisable to replicate the friendliness.
Tip more if they clean up and ensure your furniture is safely in place before leaving.
If you tip your Uber driver when they wait for you, why not the friendly delivery man?
5. Furniture Assembly
Some pieces require high-standard assembly.
Most furniture retailers offer only drop delivery and no assembling services.
A delivery agent who assembles the furniture for you is heaven-sent.
Appreciate them with a cash tip, biscuit, soda, or even a simple thank you.
Ultimately, your etiquette and preference will determine how you roll all the above factors into your tipping structure.
Give the delivery guys equal amounts when you tip, rather than the foreman.
How Else Can You Thank Furniture Delivery?
While cash is king, you can show appreciation through other channels.
The service delivery personnel will appreciate the following shows of gratuity.
1. Be Appreciative
“Thank you,” “I appreciate your work,” “Good job,” or any gratuitous phrase that conveys your heartfelt appreciation.
Sometimes it is the kind words the delivery guys need to keep on handling the occasionally stressful furniture deliveries.
But, of course, their attitude and friendliness will determine whether you will conjure the kind words.
2. Offer Food or Drink
Furniture delivery is exhausting.
Weigh up by giving the furniture delivery agents water, soda, or lemonade can replenish their energy.
The delivery company pays the delivery guys hourly; therefore, they may not have time to stop to eat, so if they can carry the food or water, the better.
Quick bites like sandwiches show appreciation—probably more than tipping.
3. Let Them Use the Bathroom
Let the delivery professionals take a leak before they resume their work.
Letting them use your fancy powder room may be too much, but some homeowners do.
You are not limited to the above ways of acknowledging quality service.
Any other method is welcome, depending on your personal preference.
Some unconventional methods include praying for safe travels, offering them a place to sit and recoup their energy, helping off-loading, offering them wipes after the job and offering five-star ratings on the delivery app.
The Takeaway
Tipping for furniture delivery shows gratitude to the delivery agents.
Show your professionalism and appreciation by providing the delivery bonuses.
How much you tip depends on your personal preference.
The cost of furniture, timely delivery, weather conditions, and complexity of delivery help you determine a reasonable tip amount.
While furniture delivery guys won’t expect a tip, it is good practice to show your appreciation.
Consider tipping your furniture delivery professionals for a job well done.
Remember, no act of kindness is a waste, no matter how small.
