E-commerce giant Amazon (AMZN) plans to hire 250,000 seasonal workers for the year-end holidays, the same number as last year.
The Seattle-based company said most people hired for the holidays will work in transportation and its warehouse fulfillment centres.
Amazon added that it expects online shopping, or e-commerce sales, to outpace in-store shopping this holiday season.
According to Amazon, online holiday shopping is likely to grow 5% from last year and hit a record $240.8 billion U.S.
Credit card company Mastercard (MA) has forecast that broader holiday spending at stores and shopping malls will rise 3.2% this year from the fourth and final quarter of 2023.
U.S. retailers are approaching the December holiday sales blitz amid a weakening labour market and diminished savings among consumers.
Consequently, retailers are expected to add 520,000 seasonal workers this holiday season, down from 564,200 positions a year ago.
The stock of Amazon has risen 48% over the last 12 months to trade at $184.76 U.S. per share.
