Amazon will hire 250,000 employees for the 2025 holiday shopping season, maintaining the same seasonal workforce target as the past two years, according to a Monday (Oct. 13) press release.
The hiring push — which includes full-time, part-time, and temporary roles — comes as the broader retail sector signals a slower seasonal hiring cycle amid economic uncertainty, tariff pressures, and continued investment in automation.
“Our seasonal roles are really popular — often filling up within minutes of being posted — because they meet different needs for so many people,” Amazon said in the release. “For some, it’s a few months of extra income to support their families during the holidays. For others, it’s the first step in building a new career path.”
Inside Amazon’s Holiday Hiring Plan
Amazon’s hiring strategy underscores its ongoing commitment to maintaining operational capacity for fast delivery and order fulfilment during peak demand periods.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Positions | 250,000 (same as 2023–2024) |
| Role Types | Full-time, part-time, seasonal |
| Average Seasonal Pay | $19 per hour |
| Average Permanent Role Pay | $23 per hour |
| Application Volume | Positions often fill “within minutes,” per Amazon |
The company emphasized that many temporary workers use holiday positions as a pathway to long-term employment, with thousands transitioning into permanent Amazon roles after the peak season.
“For many seasonal employees, this is more than just a job — it’s an entry point into a career,” said Kelly Curtis, Amazon’s vice president of operations hiring. “We’re investing in flexibility, training, and better pay to make sure these roles remain attractive even in a tighter labor environment.”
A Cautious Year for Retail Hiring
While Amazon’s hiring plans remain steady, broader U.S. retail hiring is at its weakest in more than a decade.
A September report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas projects that retailers will add fewer than 500,000 seasonal jobs in 2025, the lowest total since 2009.
| Year | Seasonal Jobs Added (Q4) | Change vs. Prior Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 566,000 | — |
| 2024 | 543,100 | ↓ 4% |
| 2025 (projected) | < 500,000 | ↓ ~8% |
“While we could see a late hiring push if holiday sales surprise to the upside, the cautious pace of announcements so far suggests that companies are not betting on a big seasonal surge,” said Andy Challenger, senior vice president at Challenger, Gray & Christmas. “This year may be more about doing more with less.”
Why Hiring Is Slowing Across Retail?
Several factors are contributing to a muted holiday hiring season for retailers in 2025:
1. Tariffs and Inflation
Ongoing tariff-related price increases are pushing up costs for imported goods and squeezing profit margins, limiting retailers’ ability to fund large seasonal payrolls.
2. Automation and Workforce Optimization
Major chains — including Target, Walmart, and Kohl’s — are increasingly investing in automation, AI scheduling tools, and permanent staff efficiencies, reducing reliance on temporary labor.
3. Slower Consumer Spending Growth
While spending remains resilient, shoppers are trading down and delaying nonessential purchases, according to PYMNTS research. That softer demand outlook is prompting companies to staff conservatively.
“A wave of uncertainty is impacting not just retailers, but also consumers heading into the final quarter of the year,” Challenger said. “Retailers may hire fewer workers themselves, while many of their shoppers slow spending.”
Consumer Spending: Adapting, Not Stopping
Despite the slowdown, consumer activity remains steady, albeit more strategic. PYMNTS Intelligence reported on Oct. 9 that shoppers are responding to higher prices with controlled adaptation — using tools like buy now, pay later (BNPL) and installment plans to stretch budgets without scaling back entirely.
| Spending Trend | Behavioral Shift |
|---|---|
| Higher Prices | More discount hunting and BNPL adoption |
| Tariffs & Inflation | Spending prioritization on essentials |
| Job Market Uncertainty | Increased use of part-time seasonal income |
“The combined message from merchants and consumers is one of controlled adaptation,” PYMNTS noted. “Households are still spending, but every dollar is being stretched further.”
Why Amazon Remains an Outlier?
Amazon’s ability to sustain large-scale seasonal hiring despite a weak labor market underscores its operational resilience and logistics-driven demand.
The company benefits from:
- Vertically integrated warehousing and logistics, ensuring stable throughput.
- High consumer loyalty through Prime and same-day delivery programs.
- Automation support that complements — rather than replaces — human labor during peak months.
Analysts expect Amazon’s early hiring announcement to capture top talent before competitors, a strategy that helps the company secure workforce stability across fulfillment centers.
“Amazon has perfected the seasonal labor playbook,” said Brian Yarbrough, consumer sector analyst at Edward Jones. “It locks in workers early, pays slightly above average, and uses the holidays as a recruiting funnel for permanent roles.”
Looking Ahead
With the holiday retail outlook subdued, 2025 could be a year where efficiency replaces expansion in workforce planning.
Still, Amazon’s steady hiring signals confidence in eCommerce demand durability, even as inflation, tariffs, and automation reshape retail employment dynamics.
For many workers, those 250,000 roles represent not just temporary income but a bridge to stability in an economy defined by uncertainty.
FAQs
How many workers will Amazon hire for the holidays?
Amazon plans to hire 250,000 workers, matching 2023 and 2024 levels.
What is the average pay for Amazon’s seasonal roles?
Seasonal workers earn an average of $19 per hour, while permanent employees average $23 per hour.
Why is overall retail hiring muted in 2025?
Retailers are slowing hiring due to tariffs, inflation, automation, and uncertain consumer demand.
Which other retailers are hiring?
Target and Kohl’s plan to hire seasonal staff but have not disclosed figures.
Will holiday shopping still be strong?
Analysts expect steady spending, but consumers will shop strategically, using flexible payment options and discount-driven purchases.