Amazon Boosts Holiday Hires and Wages to Stay Ahead in Retail Race

Amazon plans to hire approximately 250,000 people across the United States for the upcoming holiday shopping season, a figure consistent with the previous year. This move signals the company's expectation that demand in its largest market will remain steady.

Each fall, Amazon launches a recruitment campaign to attract new employees. Recently, the company announced it would raise the hourly wages of its 800,000 U.S. transportation and warehouse workers by at least $1.5, bringing the average to over $22 per hour.

Overall, while retailers are projected to add 520,000 jobs in the last quarter of this year, a decrease of approximately 8% compared to 2023 due to a softening labor market and economy, predictions regarding e-commerce remain optimistic. Adobe, for instance, anticipates U.S. consumers to spend around $240.8 billion during November and December, an 8.4% increase from the previous year.

This hiring initiative by Amazon, alongside its wage increase, underscores the company's strategic adaptation to maintain a competitive edge in an evolving retail landscape while ensuring its workforce is prepared to handle the holiday demand.