CrimeAug 18, 2026
2 California Men Arrested in Fatal Vehicle Smash RobberyOne is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.
MajorsOct 20, 2016
Will the Majors Hire More Seasonal Workers This Year?
Many will hire about the same amount as last year, but will relegate more holiday employees to e-commerce-related positions.
Macy’s said it will hire for 83,000 positions this holiday season, which is only slightly less than the 86,000 it hired in 2015. Pictured here is the Macy’s at The Mall at Millenia in Orlando, Fla.
New York--A number of firms have made predictions about consumer spending during the upcoming holiday season, with most of them expecting it to increase.
The NPD Group forecasts a 3 percent year-over-year rise in consumer spending, and the National Retail Federation said it expects U.S. retail sales in November and December (excluding autos, gas and restaurants) to increase nearly 4 percent.
But, do the major retailers also think that consumer purchasing will be strong this season?
Their plans for seasonal hiring could be a good indication that they do, with many of the major retailers hiring about the same amount as last year or a little more, but relegating more seasonal hires to positions that help with their e-commerce divisions.
Global outplacement consultancy Challenger,
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
Gray & Christmas Inc. said in its recent outlook that it expects more than 700,000 retail job gains this holiday season.
This means retail hiring is predicted to remain almost flat from a year ago, when holiday hiring saw 738,000 positions filled during the final three months of the year, a 1 percent decrease from 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Target announced mid-September that it would hire an additional 70,000 seasonal team members across its store locations, marking the fourth year in a row that it’s doing so.
Meanwhile, Kohl’s said it would hire more than 69,000 associates across its stores and distribution and e-commerce fulfillment centers, about even with the 67,000 it hired last year.
Retailer J.C. Penney will hire 40,000 employees during this year’s holiday season--38,000 in its retail locations and the other 2,000 taking care of its online orders.
This is up from last year’s 30,000 holiday hires, which the company said is to allow its managers more control of the workforce, scheduling people as needed. J.C. Penney also said it is interested in keeping some of the seasonal employees as permanent ones after the holiday season is over, though it didn’t specify how many.
Amazon said it will create more than 120,000 seasonal positions across its network of fulfillment centers, sorting centers and customer service sites in the United States, up 20 percent from the 100,000 workers the company hired last year.
Macy’s will hire for 83,000 positions at its Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, call centers, distribution and fulfillment centers across the country, which is slightly less than the 86,000 it hired for the 2015 holiday season.
Shift to behind-the-scenes
Challenger, Gray & Christmas also noted that while seasonal retail jobs remain flat, there has been a marked increase in seasonal job gains in other sectors.
The one with the biggest increase in recent years has been transportation and warehousing, “as more and more holiday shopping is done online,” the company said.
This reflects a larger trend of the transition of many seasonal jobs from being in-store positions to positions in fulfillment centers, distribution and customer service.
About 15,000 of Macy’s 120,000 seasonal jobs will be based in direct-to-consumer fulfillment facilities to support sales generated by its omnichannel business strategy, up from the 3,000 positions that were designated as such last year.
Target said that it will hire 7,500 team members for distribution and fulfillment facilities for the holiday season, about 1,000 more than it did last year for those positions. These employees will help restock stores while also fulfilling the high volume of online orders expected this year.
Challenger, Gray & Christmas also noted that seasonal hiring isn’t limited to retail or retail-related industries.
As more Americans give experiential gifts instead of material things, this means there also are more seasonal employment opportunities at places such as theaters, restaurants and other entertainment venues.
This means retail hiring is predicted to remain almost flat from a year ago, when holiday hiring saw 738,000 positions filled during the final three months of the year, a 1 percent decrease from 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Target announced mid-September that it would hire an additional 70,000 seasonal team members across its store locations, marking the fourth year in a row that it’s doing so.
Meanwhile, Kohl’s said it would hire more than 69,000 associates across its stores and distribution and e-commerce fulfillment centers, about even with the 67,000 it hired last year.
Retailer J.C. Penney will hire 40,000 employees during this year’s holiday season--38,000 in its retail locations and the other 2,000 taking care of its online orders.
This is up from last year’s 30,000 holiday hires, which the company said is to allow its managers more control of the workforce, scheduling people as needed. J.C. Penney also said it is interested in keeping some of the seasonal employees as permanent ones after the holiday season is over, though it didn’t specify how many.
Amazon said it will create more than 120,000 seasonal positions across its network of fulfillment centers, sorting centers and customer service sites in the United States, up 20 percent from the 100,000 workers the company hired last year.
Macy’s will hire for 83,000 positions at its Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, call centers, distribution and fulfillment centers across the country, which is slightly less than the 86,000 it hired for the 2015 holiday season.
Shift to behind-the-scenes
Challenger, Gray & Christmas also noted that while seasonal retail jobs remain flat, there has been a marked increase in seasonal job gains in other sectors.
The one with the biggest increase in recent years has been transportation and warehousing, “as more and more holiday shopping is done online,” the company said.
This reflects a larger trend of the transition of many seasonal jobs from being in-store positions to positions in fulfillment centers, distribution and customer service.
About 15,000 of Macy’s 120,000 seasonal jobs will be based in direct-to-consumer fulfillment facilities to support sales generated by its omnichannel business strategy, up from the 3,000 positions that were designated as such last year.
Target said that it will hire 7,500 team members for distribution and fulfillment facilities for the holiday season, about 1,000 more than it did last year for those positions. These employees will help restock stores while also fulfilling the high volume of online orders expected this year.
Challenger, Gray & Christmas also noted that seasonal hiring isn’t limited to retail or retail-related industries.
As more Americans give experiential gifts instead of material things, this means there also are more seasonal employment opportunities at places such as theaters, restaurants and other entertainment venues.
More on Majors
The Latest
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner Collab on Bridal Earrings GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with Jenner’s 818 Tequila brand to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
