Foodpanda rider feels 'powerless' to have $113 'automatically' deducted over disputed delivery
It was no small amount.
A Foodpanda delivery rider felt "powerless" after $113 was "automatically" deducted from his account over a disputed delivery.
Stomper Alvin asked whether there is a lack of employment protection for platform riders.
"I'm a part-time Foodpanda rider with over 3,000 deliveries completed," he said.
"On March 2, I received a notification about a 'customer did not receive' cancellation. This came as a shock because it's the first time I've encountered this issue, and I always take a photo of the unit number as proof of delivery."
The Stomper immediately contacted Foodpanda support but did not get a response for almost a week.
"Then, on March 7, I was notified that $113 - the full amount of the order - would be automatically deducted from my wallet due to this cancellation," said the delivery rider.
"Frustrated, I reached out to support again. This time, they confirmed that my proof of delivery was valid but still advised me to wait for a response from the previous ticket that has been open for a week. This raises serious concerns about the fairness of this process.
"Is it even legal for Foodpanda to deduct money from a rider's wallet without a proper investigation?
"After speaking with other riders, I've learnt that many have faced similar deductions but felt powerless to contest them because they didn't know how to reach support. This process seems incredibly opaque, and I'm deeply concerned about the lack of employment protection for platform riders.
"If a financial dispute arises and Foodpanda insists on the deduction, where can riders seek help? Who is advocating for us?"
The National Delivery Champions Association represents and serves those whose main source of income is from food delivery or package delivery.
In response to a Stomp query, a Foodpanda spokesperson said: "We are aware of this and have reached out to the delivery partner to resolve the issue.
"To ensure a fair resolution, every case is thoroughly investigated before the appropriate action is taken."
