Amazon makes fresh job cuts, mainly in retail division; Bezos cites Covid overhiring
Its founder says layoffs were necessary as the e-commerce giant overhired during the pandemic
On October 7, Amazon announced the reduction of a small number of jobs, primarily in its retail division, which oversees the main e-commerce website. The cuts came as the e-commerce giant prepared to commence Prime Big Deal Days, a major shopping event that began on Tuesday and continued through Wednesday. This latest round of layoffs is part of a series of smaller reductions that began in 2025 and continued into January.
According to a person familiar with the matter, Amazon let go fewer than 1,000 white-collar workers in the recent cuts.
Amazon stated that the restructuring of its stores business was necessary to better enable the company to deliver on its priorities. The spokesperson added that various divisions within the stores unit, including customer service and selling partner services, were affected. Employees affected by the layoffs were spread across the United States, India, and the UK.
Jeff Bezos, Amazon's founder and executive chairman, suggested during a Fox News interview that the company had overhired during the pandemic, leading to the need for additional job cuts. He noted that the pandemic had been an extremely stressful period for the company, with people staying home and placing numerous orders.
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