Amazon adjusts to fight virus

Warehouse space saved for toilet paper, sanitizer, other items in demand.

NEW YORK — Amazon, in an attempt to fill its warehouses with toilet paper, hand sanitizer and other items in high demand because of the coronavirus, said Tuesday it will limit what suppliers can send to its warehouses for the next three weeks.

Among the items that suppliers can ship include canned beans, diapers, dog food, disinfecting wipes, medical supplies and household goods. Other items like jeans, phone cases and other non-essentials will not be allowed.

The announcement Tuesday is another sign of how much pressure Amazon’s delivery network is facing as more people stay home and shop online while the coronavirus spreads in the U.S. The Seattle-based company warned customers this week that deliveries may take longer than usual and some household goods would be sold out. And on Monday the company said it will add 100,000 new jobs at delivery centers and its warehouses to keep up with a spike in orders.

Amazon said the new restrictions will last until April 5. It applies to large vendors as well as third-party sellers, who list items to sell on Amazon.com directly. It’s still unclear what effect it will have on shoppers. For now, they will be able to buy other products like clothing and accessories that are already stored in warehouses and available on its site.

More workers needed

Amazon also said it needs to hire 100,000 people across the U.S. to keep up with a crush of orders because of the virus. The online retailer said it will also temporarily raise pay by $2 an hour through the end of April for

Amazon’s newly announced job openings are for a mix of full-time and part-time positions and include delivery drivers and warehouse workers, who pack and ship orders to shoppers. Amazon is already the second-largest U.S.-based employer behind Walmart, with nearly 800,000 workers worldwide.

hourly employees. That includes workers at its warehouses, delivery centers and Whole Foods grocery stores, all of whom make at least $15 an hour. Employees in the United Kingdom and other European countries will get a similar raise.

ROSS D. FRANKLIN / AP Amazon said it will raise pay by $2 an hour through April for hourly workers at warehouses, delivery centers and Whole Foods grocery stores, all of whom make at least $15 an hour.