Amazon Rushes to Hire 250,000 Workers This 2024 Holiday Season Due to Rising E-Commerce Sales

The demand for seasonal workers is due to a projected 4.9% increase in online holiday shopping this year.

By Thea Felicity

Oct 03 2024, 10:16 AM EDT

FRANCE-US-ECONOMY-TECHNOLOGY-LABOUR-AMAZON — This photograph taken on November 22, 2023, shows the Amazon logo on the facade of Amazon's logistic site in Bretigny-sur-Orge, some 30 km south of Paris. DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images

Amazon workers are in demand as US shoppers are expected to surge this 2024 holiday season.

E-commerce shopping on Amazon will likely outpace last year's sales as more retail companies offer discounts, gift cards, and coupons to accommodate budget-conscious customers this year due to inflation.

According to Reuters, 250,000 Amazon workers must "advance" their operations, especially in the transportation and warehouse sectors. Amazon's VP of Global Operations Employee Experience, Sandy Gordon, stated that as the company expects more demand and a higher volume of orders, the said number of workers will keep their operations running smoothly—similar to their 2023 experience with holiday shopping surge.

To be clear, Amazon did not provide how 250,000 seasonal workers will be assigned to different roles. But besides transportation and warehouse, they will be filling roles in the fulfillment centers. Additionally, transport employees that will be hired will not be part of delivery drivers who are already working for Amazon's independent service partners.

Why Amazon Will Hire Seasonal Workers on the 2024 Holiday Season

As The Washington Post shared, online holiday shopping alone will likely hit a record $240.8 billion this year, a 4.9% increase from 2023. At the same time, holiday spending from physical stores will rise to 3.2%.

As usual, Amazon will be at the center of this holiday shopping rush, thus needing 250,000 workers. In the Reuters report, it is reported that this surpasses Target's 100,000 seasonal hires.

Experts react positively to Amazon's decisions despite US retailers slowing down their hiring, with just 520,000 new jobs added this holiday season, which is weaker than last year. The company is also facing a labor dispute, with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) claiming that it shares responsibility as an employer for drivers working for a contractor, Battle Tested Strategies (BTS). BTS drivers unionized last year and argued that Amazon retaliated against BTS for allowing the union to happen.

Looking ahead, Amazon will still be focusing on outpacing competitors this holiday season, with more announcements to come.