Stomper's earnings hit by Telegram groups offering delivery jobs way below Grab rates
A part-time deliveryman is sounding the alarm over Telegram groups offering delivery jobs at rock-bottom rates, undercutting the market.
Stomper H noted that these rates are much lower than those on licensed platforms such as Grab – a trend he believes is now affecting order volumes for legitimate delivery riders like himself.
H shared his observations with Stomp after discovering a Telegram group that connects customers directly with delivery riders, bypassing official apps.
"I saw this Telegram app which offers delivery services. No wonder there are fewer orders on Grab since people are using these instead," he said.
He added that the rates offered through these groups are "way below" those on official platforms. Based on what he saw, jobs could go for half the price of equivalent orders on Grab, or sometimes even less.
The Stomper, who has done GrabMart and GrabExpress deliveries part-time for awhile, explained that he used to earn between $100 and $150 a day depending on demand. However, he recently noticed a dip in orders.
"Not that significant at first, but you can see the drop," he said. "Till recently I got to know from a friend that he's doing delivery from a Telegram app… Got into the group and saw what's inside – there are over 40,000 members in that group."
He said the number shocked him, especially after seeing how low the posted rates were.
According to him, "there are a lot of takers as well, which spoil the market pricing". As a result, his own earnings have fallen.
"For now what I'm getting is maybe lesser than $100 for four to five hours, depending on the day," he added.
He also pointed out the risks that come with these unofficial arrangements, such as unfulfilled deliveries and owed payments.
"There are riders and drivers who collected the item but didn't deliver, and people who didn't pay the drivers after delivering for them," H said, calling the situation messy and risky for everyone involved.
The Stomper also claimed that many Malaysian riders participate in these channels. Because of the currency exchange rate, a low-priced job in Singapore can still feel worthwhile to them.
At current rates, a $10 job converts to about RM30. The Stomper said some riders can make around RM300 a day if they complete 10 deliveries, even if the fees are considered unsustainably low in Singapore.
He urged the authorities to look into whether such groups and job arrangements are legal, especially considering their scale and impact on local riders' livelihoods.
Telegram has in recent years been used for other unofficial service channels such as carpooling groups like SG Hitch, which has drawn scrutiny from the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
LTA previously warned that informal arrangements made through such platforms may pose safety and accountability risks, as they are not regulated like licensed operators.
