Amazon, Target announce big hiring, but retailers cut back on holiday jobs

As retailers gear up for the holiday shopping season, hiring plans vary, with some scaling back on seasonal staff amid economic uncertainty, while others maintain strong hiring goals

Retailers are preparing for the holiday shopping season, though they are expected to hire fewer seasonal employees than in previous years. Workers will primarily assist customers in stores and help with the assembly of online orders in warehouses, according to a report by The Economic Times.

Amazon, major retailers announce hiring plans

Amazon announced that it plans to hire 250,000 full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees for the upcoming shopping rush, a figure consistent with last year. Likewise, Bath & Body Works and Target have each plan to hire around 100,000 seasonal workers. Both companies are also offering current employees additional hours during the holiday season, the report said.

 

Other retailers, such as Kohl’s and Walmart, are adopting different strategies. Kohl’s is encouraging applications but has not specified hiring targets, while Walmart has been hiring associates throughout the year and intends to rely on its existing workforce during the busy period.

Some retailers scale back seasonal hiring

In contrast, some companies are scaling back on holiday hiring. Macy’s plans to hire over 31,500 seasonal workers this year, down from 38,000 last year. The reduced hiring reflects a cautious approach as retailers anticipate shifts in consumer demand, the report said.

This year’s demand for seasonal workers comes amid concerns over the slowing US job market. Job openings have been gradually decreasing since their peak in March 2022. As companies face increasing economic pressures, they have had to adjust their staffing strategies accordingly.
 

The holiday season remains a crucial time for retailers, with both physical stores and e-commerce platforms preparing for high customer demand. Some retailers have already launched discount events to encourage early holiday shopping.
 

Despite the uncertain job market, forecasts for retail sales remain optimistic. Deloitte projects US retail sales to increase by 2.3 per cent to 3.3 per cent between November and January, with total sales reaching $1.59 trillion. EY-Parthenon predicts a similar 3 per cent rise in sales during the traditional November-December period, although much of this growth is expected to be driven by inflation. Real volume sales are predicted to rise by only 0.5 per cent, the report said.
 

Online sales, a growing segment of the market, are expected to increase by 8.4 per cent to a record $240.8 billion, according to Adobe’s analysis of e-commerce trends, as mentioned by the report.