Amazon has announced plans to hire 250,000 transportation and warehouse workers for the upcoming holiday shopping season, matching its hiring efforts from last year, as per a recent Reuters report.

The company expects a surge in online shopping, as e-commerce spending is predicted to hit a record $240.8 billion in the final quarter of 2024—an increase of 4.9% compared to 2023, according to forecasts.

Despite the anticipated rise in demand, Amazon's hiring numbers will remain the same as last year. "We feel like the 250,000 is the right number to continue to grow and advance with our operations," said Sandy Gordon, Amazon's Vice President of Global Operations Employee Experience.

The seasonal workers will be distributed across Amazon's sort centres, fulfilment centres, and delivery stations, though the company has not specified how many will be in fulfilment versus transportation roles. These transport workers will not include those working for delivery service partners, as clarified by a company spokesperson.

Amazon's hiring plans for the holiday season outpace competitors like Target, which aims to bring on 100,000 additional workers. However, overall hiring by US retailers is slowing, with 520,000 seasonal jobs expected to be added across the industry—down from 564,200 last year, adds the Reuters report.