Amazon.com to hire thousands to fill orders

[November 13, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Amazon.com Inc. said Friday it is hiring more than 15,500 people to fill temporary holiday jobs at shipping centers around the country, more than it hired last year.

The online retail giant said in news releases that it will hire more than 5,000 people in Phoenix and Goodyear, Ariz., and 4,000 in Pennsylvania at locations including Allentown, Hazleton and Lewisberry.

In Indiana, it will hire more than 2,500 people in Whitestown and Plainfield, and it will hired more than 2,000 each in Hebron, Ky. and Fernley, Nev.

The Seattle company said it is hiring more people this year than last but not how many more.

Many retailers are increasing their hiring this season. Kohl's Corp., Macy's Inc., Toys R Us, Pier 1 Imports Inc., American Eagle Outfitters Inc. and others plan to hire more temporary holiday workers.

Retailers will add between 550,000 and 650,000 jobs this holiday season, according to an updated forecast from the national outsourcing firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas. That's significantly more than the 501,400 added last year. But it's still well below the 720,800 added in 2007 as the recession began.

About 10 percent of U.S. holiday sales are made online, but the sector is growing fast. Research firm comScore Inc. expects it to grow 7 to 9 percent compared with a year ago, when online holiday sales were 4 percent higher than the previous year.

Earlier this month Amazon.com also announced thousands of temporary holiday jobs in Campbellsville and Lexington, Ky. and Las Vegas.

The company has 31,200 permanent employees worldwide.

Shares fell $4.55 or 2.7 percent to $165.82 on Friday.

[Associated Press; By EMILY FREDRIX]

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