Amazon.com Inc. will hire 250,000 workers across the US for the upcoming holiday season, maintaining the same recruitment level as the past two years.

The move underscores the e-commerce giant’s consistent demand for warehouse and delivery workers even as overall seasonal hiring in retail is expected to hit its lowest point since the 2009 financial crisis.

The steady hiring pace highlights Amazon’s crucial role in sustaining employment across the retail and logistics sectors at a time when many competitors are scaling back, reflecting both consumer reliance on online shopping and the company’s ongoing investment in fulfillment infrastructure.

Steady hiring despite weak retail job market

Bloomberg reports that Amazon’s seasonal hiring plan includes full-time, part-time, and temporary positions across fulfillment centers, sorting hubs, and delivery networks.

The company confirmed that temporary employees will earn an average of $19 per hour, while permanent staff make around $23 per hour.

The decision to hold hiring steady signals Amazon’s cautious confidence in consumer demand, even as other major retailers scale back.

According to a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, retailers are projected to add fewer than 500,000 seasonal jobs this year — a sharp decline from previous years.

That’s the lowest number of seasonal roles announced since the aftermath of the global financial crisis in 2009.

Companies such as Target Corp., which last year pledged to hire 100,000 temporary workers, have refrained from announcing specific hiring targets this season.

The hesitancy reflects broader economic uncertainty, including high interest rates, cautious consumer spending, and a cooling labour market.

Amazon’s pay structure and worker incentives

While many retailers are limiting staff expansion, Amazon continues to position itself as a major employer for the holiday rush.

Seasonal hires will start at $19 per hour on average, while permanent warehouse and delivery roles are paid roughly $23 per hour. In some areas, overall compensation, including benefits, can reach $30 per hour.

Bloomberg notes that the company says new employees in qualifying roles also receive health benefits, retirement plans, and education assistance under its “Career Choice” programme, which helps workers pay for tuition or training courses.

These incentives reflect Amazon’s ongoing effort to improve retention and compete for labour during a period of tightening workforce availability.

Logistics hiring insulated from corporate slowdown

Amazon’s consistent recruitment comes despite cost-cutting in other divisions. Earlier this year, the company imposed a hiring freeze for parts of its retail and corporate business.

However, warehouse and logistics operations remain exempt, given their critical role during the holiday shopping period.

The e-commerce leader has been investing heavily in automation, regional fulfilment centres, and delivery speed enhancements.

By keeping its seasonal workforce stable, Amazon aims to balance operational efficiency with flexibility to manage order surges in November and December.

E-commerce growth offsets broader retail slowdown

The muted seasonal hiring across the retail industry coincides with forecasts of modest growth in online sales.

Adobe Analytics estimates that US consumers will spend $253.4 billion online in November and December, up 5.3% from 2024.

That figure underscores e-commerce’s resilience compared with brick-and-mortar retail, which continues to struggle with subdued footfall and rising costs.

However, tariff-related price increases and a weakening labour market could constrain total holiday spending.

A recent survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that US shoppers are becoming more selective, cutting back on discretionary purchases amid economic pressure.

For Amazon, steady seasonal hiring aligns with its broader strategy of maintaining service speed and customer satisfaction during the year’s busiest shopping months.

The company began onboarding new workers in early October, with hiring expected to continue through December as demand peaks around Black Friday and Christmas.

The post Amazon to hire 250,000 seasonal workers despite slowing retail recruitment appeared first on Invezz