My Experience as a Foot Courier: Earnings, Tips, and Lessons Learned

I'll admit it, fear can be a real obstacle. I'm a worrisome person, and if something's been bugging me, I've been known to put it off for ages. But when I finally decide to take the leap, I always wonder why I didn't start sooner. That's exactly what happened with working as a courier for Vibrobox. I'd set up my self-employment in late November or early December, and for a while, I was just focused on writing reviews. Even back then, I was itching to try out working as a courier, but it made me nervous. Since I have a main job, I can only work extra hours on weekends. I kept thinking, 'I'll start next week.' But I'd always find excuses to put it off. On January 2nd, I suddenly decided to take the plunge. I went for a walk, checked my app, and saw there was an order from a nearby pickup point – the same one I usually take to get to my favorite park. So, I grabbed it. My first order was terrifying, but immediately after, I scolded myself for not starting sooner. I'd been putting it off for no reason, and I could have already made some extra money.

To start, I'll show you the features of the Vibrobox app. If you're not interested, feel free to skip ahead. My review is structured by point, and I've noticed that the official Vibrobox training doesn't cover all the nuances. I watched videos from people who already work as couriers, and they showed how to hand over packages, but I need to see each step clearly explained. There wasn't enough information on how to conduct a package handover and what to do in case of a problem. That's another reason I put off starting work – I was lost.

Just to clarify, I only work as a foot courier.

Getting Started

I set up my self-employment and downloaded the WB courier app, where I filled out the required information and bank details. The app connects to my tax account and sends invoices automatically, so all I need to do is pay the tax - the rest is taken care of.

There's training involved. I'm not sure if it's mandatory, but I went through it anyway to get a better understanding of how things work. There are a few topics with information and quizzes. Most of the questions are pretty straightforward, and the answers are obvious. It's like, 'How would you respond to a customer in a situation like this?' Some questions are a bit tougher, where one of the options is clearly wrong, and the other two are similar, so you need to pay attention to the nuances. Overall, it's not time-consuming, but I felt like the section on handling orders was a bit superficial. It focuses more on apologizing to customers if you're late or dressed in dirty clothes, and smiling all the time, even when you're on the phone. I learned more about the practical side from videos of people who work here and from my own experience.

In the app itself, there are these 'stories' that cover the basics, like how to take an order, change your status, and so on.

The App

This is what the app icon looks like.

When you first open the app, you'll find a few key sections: a map view of available jobs, my deliveries (which are active and the ones I've yet to receive), chats (where I also receive messages from clients), and my personal account, which I'll cover next.

I've noticed that the app updates my status once a day: on foot, driving, or on a scooter. It's handy that I can mark my favorite pickup points, so I get notifications when there are orders available in them. I can also set my status to active, and the app will automatically start picking up orders for me. What's great is that I can decline as many of these orders as I want without affecting my rating. I haven't used this feature personally, as I prefer to take orders myself.

If I tap on a specific order, I get the pickup point and recipient addresses, the distance between them, and the weight (if it's a heavy order, I also get the dimensions). The information is usually pretty accurate, but sometimes it's off by a bit.

I've found the app's order map to be super helpful for tracking packages - it even shows you the route from the warehouse to your doorstep. For me, it's only really useful when the delivery locations are close by and roughly in a straight line, like in the screenshot above. If it's further away, I usually just open Google Maps or Yandex instead. To be honest, I'm not exactly great with directions. It's a good thing the app at least shows you the distance and direction of the package.

Unfortunately, the app hasn't been completely bug-free. The main map keeps crashing on me.

It's been happening a lot - I'll be looking at the map and all the orders will just disappear. I have to open up another section, then go back to the map, and sometimes it takes a few attempts for it to reload. It's really frustrating when you're trying to find a specific order and the map crashes on you. Even getting the package from the warehouse requires multiple attempts at the 'get package' button before it finally lets you start work.

Other than that, the app itself is pretty user-friendly and easy to navigate.

Personal Account

It's got its own dedicated page in the app.

I've got all the details about the user who made the purchase, the amount of money they earned, their rating (at the time of writing, it's 76), available bonuses (I don't have any), and any missing items (luckily, there aren't any). I also get access to training that redirects me to the portal with it, my favorite PVZ games if I've chosen them, and so on.

There's a referral system, but I wasn't referred by someone and I haven't invited anyone myself.

Order fulfillment process

Here's how it works: 1. Look at the map and find an order that suits you. 2. Click 'book.' 3. Head to the PVZ and open the green tab at the top. 4-5. The booked task will pop up. Click 'get it.' 6. Show the manager the PVZ code. 7. The manager will scan it, hand it over, enter it into their system, and then you'll need to click 'get it' again (it won't work the first time). After that, click 'start the order.' 8. Under the client's info, click the phone icon, call, and let them know you've taken the order. You can also ask if it's convenient to receive it within a certain number of minutes.

Deliver the order.

I've found that the best time to tap 'almost at the client's' is when I'm approaching their building. I usually hit the button as soon as I enter the lobby, as most clients open the door for me. If everything's good, I'll get a prompt to either scan the package or enter a numerical code. Once I've done that, the task is complete, and I just need to confirm.

There are also 'doorstep' orders where a code isn't required. I just need to take a photo of the package at the client's door in the requested format.

One thing to note is that not all apartment numbers are signed. Thankfully, I've only had this issue with standard orders so far, and the 'doorstep' orders have been fine. I've had two instances where the number wasn't signed, but in today's case, the client left a comment with the code from their intercom, so I didn't need to contact them. In the past, I've had to reach out via the intercom when the number wasn't signed either.

After I placed my order, the money got credited to my balance within a couple of minutes. I did have a situation where the task took a bit longer, but if it says 'completed,' you're good to go – it usually takes a few minutes. My first order 'to the door' took a couple of hours, though. The money got credited almost immediately, but I was a bit worried until it finally went through.

How to return an order in PVS

I had a situation where I couldn't reach the customer support. In that case, I just marked that the customer wasn't available. Then, I got a return request. I took the item back to the same pickup point where I got it, showed the return request to the staff, and they processed the return. The order got cancelled, and I didn't get any refund. That's a significant minus. I spent over 30 minutes going back and forth between the pickup point and my car (not directly to my home, since the customer wasn't answering calls). The app isn't to blame for the customer's lack of response, but it would've been nice to have some kind of compensation for situations like that.

This was on my second attempt. Since then, I've been calling the customer as soon as I leave the pickup point. You can try calling from the app itself, but I'm slowly making my way to the customer's address to save time. On the bright side, I got to meet a cute cat there – no complaints there!

Yesterday, I went to pick up my order, and the manager told me, 'You know what? Just don't even bother showing up. You're probably the 10th courier they've sent.' It turned out that the customer had wanted to cancel, but either didn't understand that they needed to pick up the order themselves or just didn't feel like it. Anyway, the courier can't cancel the order; they can only return it to the hub, and it'll just sit there until the customer shows up to cancel it themselves. So, a few couriers wasted their time, and they missed out on other orders.

Inside the order, I found comments from two couriers, I assume. The thing is, you don't see them until after you've accepted the task.

That's two major issues right there. First, you can't see the comments beforehand. And second, customers like this don't get any restrictions. If I cancel a few orders right after accepting them, I get temporarily blocked from taking on new tasks. But this guy can send couriers back and forth all day, and nothing happens to him. Yeah, 'the customer is always right,' but this is just taking advantage of us couriers – we waste our time, and the customer just keeps going in circles.

By the way, if you're interested, you can see on the screenshot that the courier can't see the contents of the 18+ order. We can see the contents of regular orders, though.

Order prices and bonuses

I think the minimum cost depends on the region.

The final cost depends on the distance or weight. For example, in our neighborhood in Omsk, the standard delivery fee is usually around 55-56 rubles if it's just a short walk, 65-75 rubles if it's a bit further, and it gets progressively more expensive from there. I've seen some orders for as low as 50 rubles, but that's not common, and sometimes it can be as high as 100 rubles or more.

I usually take on smaller orders, mostly light ones. The heaviest thing I've delivered so far is around 2.5 kg, and after a bad experience that I'll share later, I decided not to take on anything heavier than 4 kg.

But that's still not the final cost! If you manage to meet the delivery deadline, you get a bonus for promptness, which is 30 rubles in our case. I've always managed to meet the deadline, and it makes a big difference in the final cost. Even 85 rubles seems reasonable, considering I'm delivering to a neighboring building. Of course, there's still the time it takes to get to the post office, which is often longer than the actual delivery time.

For standard orders, you need to meet the one-hour deadline: pick up the package at the post office within the hour, and then deliver it to the customer. If you miss the deadline, nothing bad happens, but you won't get the bonus.

Occasionally, they'll combine orders from the same pickup point if the recipients are close together. This can save you some money, but it's also more convenient because you don't have to make multiple trips back to the post office. I've had a few combined orders like this.

Delivery costs for heavy packages are completely unrealistic. I've seen orders for 100 kg or more, with delivery fees of just 300 rubles. That's not even possible to deliver on a regular car, let alone for a few rubles. I've also seen orders for 1500 rubles that weren't even that heavy, but the delivery route was much longer, covering 200-300 km. I'm not sure if that's even justified.

I've had the most expensive order so far at 176.72 rubles, and the cheapest at 80.64 rubles, without the bonus it was exactly 50 rubles, but I had to take it all the way to the building and right up to the entrance. Most of the time it's around 85-115 rubles.

Tips

Customers can leave tips, but you need to have a wallet in the standard level of the main app. Out of 26 clients, none left a tip. I'm not offended, it's not expected, and we're happy to work for the price we see.

Client demographics

Almost all the orders I delivered were made by women. One was a man. There was one woman, but when I got to the door, a man answered, and she was talking to someone inside, either a kid or a pet. The man was just in his underwear

Most were mothers with kids. Since they opened the door, it was visible or audible. It makes sense that it's easier to place an order if you don't have to leave a kid alone. There was an older woman who wasn't too old, but I had to help her find the QR code. There were also young girls.

I didn't have any problematic clients or scandals, but there were a few complexities, which I'll mention below.

Where I delivered the orders

I've noticed that as a bike courier, I tend to take on jobs that are relatively close to the pickup point. For example, I once saw an order that was 30km away from the pickup point. But as soon as I clicked on it, I got a message saying the job was unavailable for me because I was too far away. This is because I had chosen the 'on foot' status. Some orders I delivered right to the neighboring houses. They're cheaper, but because of the proximity, they get done way faster, so I can do more work. It takes a few minutes to get to the others. In the app, you can see the distance, so I can get an idea right away. If the clients are farther than the neighboring houses, I use the maps to make sure I don't get lost. I start the route, which shows me exactly where I am.

You can see from the photo that I even had a triple order. The pickup point and the clients' locations were all in the same building.

If you've got double or triple orders, or if you've taken on multiple orders at the same time, you can tell the packages apart by the number of items or the product codes. The app shows these codes, which match the labels on the items.

I've delivered orders to apartments, but also to a food court staff member at a shopping mall, right to the counter, to a beauty salon, to a dormitory (the client had already gone down by the time I arrived), today I delivered orders to a nail studio and a fitness center, both in the same office building, even on the same floor. And the pickup point was right there with me, so that would have been a quick 140 rubles.

I've identified two areas that I really like for their layout. I ran in one on January 2nd, but in the following days, it was pretty empty, and if there were any orders, they'd be picked up right away. So, I end up going to the other area more often, which is close to my main workplace. Yeah, it costs me more in transportation, but it's worth it since I get more orders there. Today, I actually finished my last order in 1.5 stops from home, even though I had to travel further to get there. I walked the rest of the way and saved a bit.

There's only one pickup point near my home, but the orders are pretty rare there, and I prefer having multiple points nearby so I can run between them. Plus, I'm running out of options near my home.

So, if there are better areas further away, it's worth taking the trip.

Order complications

Fortunately, I didn't encounter any major issues.

1. My first small complication happened on my first day, January 2nd. After dropping off my first order, I reserved the next one at a shopping center. It turned out that they're only open from 2 PM, and I didn't see that anywhere except on a note on the door. I was still at home checking my phone at 1:25 PM. At first, I thought about taking a photo of the note and canceling, but I decided not to, not wanting to ruin my rating with a second cancellation. Plus, the client lives next door, so it wasn't a big deal, and I figured I could still get the bonus if I got there quickly and the client was prompt. I saw the order in the PVZ a few minutes from the shopping center, and the delivery was to the next door, so I grabbed it. Either way, I needed to use those 35 minutes, or I'd have just wasted time walking around.

2. The second issue with this order was a minor one, but it had me worried. I picked up the order quickly, but it took a while to reach the customer. At first, she didn't answer, and then she was talking to someone else. I was getting anxious about both orders, as the time was approaching 2 pm and I needed to get the other order done. I was already starting to say goodbye to the bonus. Eventually, we managed to connect, and I handed over the order. I arrived at the store right on time, just as it was opening. I rushed in, but I was beaten by people who were returning items, so I ended up waiting. I said goodbye to the bonus for good. But, amazingly, I managed to hand over the order just a couple of minutes before the timer ran out, so I still got the bonus.

3. On the same day, I also had trouble reaching the older woman I'd mentioned earlier. Her phone was unavailable, not just busy. And I was left with 15% battery life in the cold. I was starting to think I'd have to return the order to the store, or the phone would run out of battery at the worst possible moment, and I'd be stuck. I even tried calling through the operator, but the phone was still unavailable, and 7 rubles were deducted from my balance. After a few attempts, she finally answered, and I headed home with my 15% battery life, deciding not to pick up any other orders.

4. I received the order and started calling the customer, but their phone was busy. I walked to the address, not wanting to stand around the store. Along the way, I kept calling, but it was still busy. The delivery was to a private residence, so I stopped at the entrance and didn't go all the way to the house. I kept calling, and the connection was fine, but the operator said the customer was busy. I ended up calling for about 30 minutes without getting through. In the end, I had to do a return. I should have just waited at the store.

5. Packaging. Most of the time, the staff at the pickup point provide the packaging, but I pack mine. At one point, there was a huge sign that said 'no packaging.' I'd seen that possible in reviews or videos, so I had my own. I carry a package with packages, a few large ones from my personal orders, and a few standard ones.

6. My headache. On January 5th, I looked at my balance and saw 570 rubles, thinking, 'oh, I'm just a few hundred short of 1000.' I received my order at the pickup point, a stroller for feeding. It was just a short walk. I got home in just 3 minutes, pulled out my phone to call the customer service, but it wouldn't turn on. I thought maybe it had just drained its battery on the cold. I'd never had any issues with it before, it was only 4 years old. I went to the bank in the adjacent building to try and charge it, but that didn't work either. I had to drag it back to the pickup point. The staff member couldn't take it back from me, since it's not in the app, and my phone was still dead. I tried to charge it there, but it still wouldn't turn on. She wouldn't let me leave the stroller there. It's only fair, since she'd given it to me. I had to drag it home. It's not that heavy, about 6 kg, but the box is bulky, and the packaging is uncomfortable. I ended up carrying it in gloves, but they kept slipping off, and it was cold without them. I got home, went to the service center, and they warmed it up for me. Luckily, it started working. I had to drag it back home again. It was a bit of a hassle, especially for my nerves. I updated my phone a few days later.

Missing items were my biggest worry, and I was right to be. I think if I'd returned the parcel on the same day, no problem. But if it's the next day, the platform will flag it as missing and you'll have to dispute it. To do that, I'd have to return the item to the post office. The longer it takes, the harder it'll be to resolve. In any case, if you can't hand over the order and return it to the post office (like if the office is closed or your phone is broken, like mine), just keep it with you until you can sort it out. You are responsible for the item once it's been handed over.

7. I ordered a massive 6kg package, and I thought to myself, 'No way I'm carrying this stroller back and forth!' The dimensions listed were smaller than the actual stroller. And then there was one big package with all the tiny items, and another with the bulky car seat. I wouldn't have made it back with those, so I had to cancel.

The biggest headache is when the customer doesn't pick up their phone right away. You have to keep calling them. You can try messaging them too. If it's taking ages to get in touch, you'll have to return the order to the post office and start all over. Now, to avoid wasting more time, I just call them as soon as I leave the post office and ask if they can collect the order within a certain timeframe.

Getting paid out

The payout is processed on Mondays during the day. It takes up to 5 working days to arrive. The platform recommends sending a message if it doesn't arrive by Saturday. Just make sure not to change your bank details during those days, or the payout will be cancelled and returned to your account.

I got mine on Wednesday.

My earnings from the previous week are finally coming in. If you can manage to work in the morning on Mondays, you'll get paid out in the next payout. It's all automated, you just have to wait.

One thing to note is that there were no payouts on New Year's holidays, but I did get paid out on the first Monday of the year, two weeks after. So, I was still able to hit my goal of 1000.

On January 2, I earned 570 rubles, on January 4, I successfully completed one order for 115 rubles, but had to return the second one. That was it for a while, as I was dealing with a phone change issue. On January 10, I managed to complete one order for 108 rubles, which was just a quick stop on the way. On January 11, I earned 433 rubles (-80 rubles for transportation).

Total earnings during the New Year's holidays - 1231 rubles.

On January 16, I dropped off an order on my lunch break near work for 81 rubles, on January 17, I earned 465 rubles (-80 rubles for transportation), and on January 18, I earned 609 rubles (-40 rubles for transportation).

Earnings for these weekends - 1074 rubles. Plus, I earned 81 rubles on Friday for lunch.

Total earnings for the entire period - 2386 rubles.

I was worried that the day after the New Year's holidays would be my best day and that I wouldn't have similar earnings, but it turns out that even on regular weekends, it's possible to have a good day.

The earnings may be small, but I was working for around 3-3.5 hours each day. That works out to around 150-200 rubles per hour.

I always carry a portable charger/battery pack because my phone's location services are always on, and it drains the battery fast. I bought one after my first working day, and I'm glad I did. I didn't need one before, but now that I have a new phone, I need it to last longer, so I carry it with me just in case.

I don't like to order multiple jobs at once, unless they're from the same hub or nearby. Some people prefer to order in bulk, but personally, it's just too stressful for me. I prefer to finish one job before moving on to the next. Plus, I have a better chance of getting a bonus if I do it that way.

If there are jobs nearby, it's easier to just walk to them instead of trying to complete the current one. I'd rather spend the extra time and money on transportation and save my energy for more jobs. I've found a favorite area, so I stick to it.

Don't dismiss the cheapest job with delivery to the next door neighbor. It's usually faster, and you can earn more in the long run by doing it. It's better to complete the easier job and move on to the next one instead of dragging one job for a long distance.

Don't get too stressed or take it personally if a client takes a long time to respond or if you have to close the job. It's not the end of the world. Just return the item to the hub, take on another job, or head back home if it's late. It's frustrating to waste time and money, but you've done your part. I know it's hard, but panicking won't help.

Try calling from the hub or nearby. If the client responds and says they'll meet you in X minutes, it's likely the job will be completed successfully. Most places have intercoms, and the client will know you're on your way, so they might not even need a reminder. If you call from home, you might have to call again, and that can be frustrating.

Don't waste more time, and get back to the starting point instead.

Evaluate your energy levels. Both in terms of distance and weight/size of the items. It's good that the app has this all laid out. Just factor in any possible margin of error, so you don't have to cancel and start over.

Get dressed with the assumption that you'll be moving quickly, and consider the weather, especially in winter. I was fine with the temperature yesterday, but my hands froze within seconds of taking out my phone. I had to glance at the maps sparingly when I was really lost, which you can avoid in normal weather by not taking your phone out of your hands.

Work or side hustle?

From my perspective, it's definitely a side hustle. Walking as a courier for more than 3-3.5 hours gets tough, and my knee starts to ache from the prolonged fast pace. I'm not 20 anymore (26, sigh!). I couldn't imagine running all day. And even if I could, I'm not sure I'd make enough to live on.

Driving is easier, but is it worth the gas prices? I'm not sure.

I think the best option is a bike or an electric scooter during the summer. It's faster and cheaper on gas. But I'm not exactly coordinated, so that's not an option for me.

I wouldn't consider it a full-time job as a walking courier, but I personally love walking, and I often go for long walks on the weekends. If the weather's decent, I can walk for 2 hours in the winter, and 3 hours in the summer. It used to be free, but now I'd get a few extra thousand bucks a month, which is nice. However, it takes up more time and energy due to the faster pace.

It also depends on the city, specifically the order prices and quantities. From what I've observed, there are more orders immediately after a holiday, when everyone's too lazy to go out, and in bad weather.

One thing that's been driving me crazy with this app is the way orders on my map keep getting dropped. I've found myself constantly switching between sections or closing and reopening the app to get them to come back.

Comments from other couriers on my orders only show up after I've taken the job, which can be a real pain if something's not right. I've ended up having to cancel or head to the pickup point to resolve the issue, only to have the client not show up or not answer their phone.

Clients can order multiple couriers for the same item, cancel, or fail to show up, and nothing seems to happen to them. It's frustrating because it's a waste of time, and I end up missing out on other orders.

When a client cancels part of their order, I have to take the items back to the pickup point, but I only get paid for the original amount, even though I've had to do extra walking.

The pay is also pretty low.

I don't think the app is to blame for the number of orders or their layout, so I won't hold that against it. I've just had to deal with these issues a lot, so I'm knocking off a star.

Despite these drawbacks, I'm still going to keep using the app as a way to make some extra cash. I already do a lot of walking, so it's not like I'm out of my element. I'd recommend it to others who enjoy walking or want to try to make some money on the go.

However, don't expect it to be a full-time job or anything. It's more of a side hustle, and you'll need to be prepared for the ups and downs that come with it.