Amazon holiday hiring signals a shift in retail jobs

Amazon.com Inc. plans to hire 100,000 people for the holidays, a 25% jump from last year that reveals a shift in consumer habits.

The online retailer said Tuesday that it would 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,” Chief Executive John Challenger said. “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. The Labor Department reported 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% in the last year.

The National Retail Federation predicted this month that holiday spending, including online sales, would rise 3.7% to $630.5 billion, which is slower than the 4.1% increase last year in November and December. The federation expects online spending to increase 6% to 8% to $105 billion. Online sales grew 5.8% during last year’s holiday season.

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.