Amazon Boosts Holiday Hiring, Signaling Shift in Retail Jobs

Amazon plans to hire 100,000 people for the holidays, a 25 percent jump from last year that reveals a shift in the way we shop.

The online retailer said Tuesday that it will be hiring across the country for jobs in its fulfillment and sorting facilities. The Seattle company recently hired more than 25,000 people for regular, full-time positions. It hired 80,000 workers last year for the holidays.

Amazon stands out among retailers, with holiday hiring expected to remain largely unchanged, according to a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

"It used to be that the bulk of holiday hires would be in customer-facing positions on the sales floor and behind the cash register, said CEO said John Challenger. "These extra workers would also help pick up the slack in the backroom, helping to receive and stock increased deliveries. Now, as more and more shopping is completed online, the holiday hiring is shifting away from stores and into the warehouses."

A mixed hiring picture from retailers is emerging during a dicey period for the U.S.

Labor Department reported earlier this month that a sharp slowdown in hiring occurred in September. Average hourly wages slipped by a penny and have risen a tepid 2.2 percent in the past year.

Wal-Mart is hiring 60,000 holiday employees, Target about 70,000 and Macy's 85,000, which are all about flat compared with last year. Kohl's, J.C. Penney and Toys R Us are hiring fewer, while GameStop is hiring about 12 percent more workers.

Amazon.com Inc. has more than 90,000 full-time employees at its more than 50 fulfillment centers and 20 sorting facilities in the U.S.