Amazon makes fresh job cuts, mainly in retail division

Amazon announced on Wednesday a small reduction in its workforce, primarily within the Stores division, responsible for the company's main e-commerce platform. The cuts came during one of Amazon's largest shopping events, Prime Big Deal Days, which runs from Tuesday to Wednesday and offers various discounts. This latest round of layoffs follows a series of smaller reductions since a major 30,000 job cut last year, continuing into January. Some employees shared internal communications about the news with Reuters.

Amazon's decision to adjust its Stores business structure was aimed at better aligning with its priorities, according to a spokesperson. The layoffs primarily affected white-collar workers, with fewer than 1,000 positions eliminated, as per a source familiar with the situation. The company also stated that various divisions within Stores, including customer service and selling partner services, along with other units across Amazon, were impacted.

Employee cuts were necessary, according to Amazon's founder and executive chairman, Jeff Bezos, who spoke on Fox News. During the pandemic, the company overhired, resulting in an intense period for the organization. Despite the losses, Bezos praised the team's efforts, emphasizing that Amazon had grown its headcount significantly.