Target to boost holiday hiring by 40%

Target plans to hire 100,000 people to work during the hectic holiday shopping season, up 40% from last year.

The retailer said Wednesday that the seasonal hires, an increase of 30,000 workers from the 70,000 people it hired last year, will stock shelves at its more than 1,800 stores or fulfill online orders that customers pick up in stores. In addition, it plans to hire 4,500 people to help pack and ship online orders at its warehouses.

The added hiring will include about 8,000 positions at the 96 stores in the greater Los Angeles area and 18,000 overall in California, where Target has 278 stores, the company said, adding that it has started taking applications.

Online orders have soared since the Minneapolis-based company strengthened its digital business and increased the speed of deliveries. Target revealed last month that online sales jumped 32% during the second quarter. Rival Wal-Mart reported a surge in online orders as well.

Both companies are trying to hold their own against Amazon.com, which is encroaching on multiple fronts. The Seattle-based company acquired Whole Foods Market over the summer, not only putting it in direct competition with the grocery operations of Target and Wal-Mart but providing hundreds of new locations from which to deliver goods to customers.

Last week, Target said it would slash prices on cereal, paper towels and thousands of other items.

Target shares shares rose 2.8% to $59.51 on Wednesday.