Macy's announcement that it is hiring 85,000 for the holidays is yet another sign that Walmart jump-started the 2015 Christmas shopping season on Aug. 26.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Add Macy's Inc. to the list of retailers who are announcing their holiday plans earlier than ever. The parent company of Macy's and Bloomingdale's stores, with headquarters in both Cincinnati and New York, has already announced it's hiring 85,000 people for the 2015 Christmas shopping season.
Even though the number of workers is about the same as the 86,000 Macy's hired last year, the retailer made the announcement a week earlier than in 2014 -- yet another sign that Walmart jump-started the 2015 Christmas shopping season when it announced its 25 hottest toys for the holidays on Aug. 26.
Kmart released its first TV commercials promoting its holiday layaway program before Labor Day, the second year in a row its ads have beaten its competitors, The Wall Street Journal reported.
On Sept. 9, Toys 'R' Us announced its own holiday offers: lowering the minimum amount to qualify for free shipping to $19 from $49 at Toysrus.com and BabiesRUs.com, as well as touting its own 2015 Holiday Hot Toy List, with 36 must-have playthings for babies to big kids, at ToysRUs.com/HotToys.
Not to be outdone, Target Stores also released its 2015 Top Toy List that day, with hundreds of selections to help families find "the perfect gift on every kid's wish list," from newborns to teenagers.
Toys 'R' Us, the world's largest toy and baby products retailer, plans to hire 40,000 seasonal workers for the holidays -- including more than 1,500 at Toys 'R' Us stores in Ohio. That figure was down from the 45,000 it hired last year. Details are at toysrusinc.com/careers/holiday
Target will hire 70,000 workers this holiday season in its stores and distribution centers, the same number as in 2014. More info at https://jobs.target.com/seasonal
Kohl's said it needs 69,000 additional workers this holiday, or an average of 50 more people per store, slightly more than last year's 67,000. Apply online at Kohlscareers.com
Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the Chicago-based outplacement consultancy, expects retail hiring to be about the same as last year, when 755,000 jobs were added, but still short of the 786,800 stores hired in 2013. Challenger said that might be because retailers hired more people earlier this year, reducing the need for additional holiday help.
"Our associates love the employment and income-earning opportunities at this very special time of year"
Macy's, which employs about 166,900 at 885 stores in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico, will be looking to fill openings in its Macy's and Bloomingdale's stores, its call centers, its distribution centers, and its online fulfillment centers nationwide. The jobs could be on the selling floor, in store operations, or helping fulfill online or ship-to-store orders.
Most of the jobs are part-time, and many require evening, weekend or overnight hours. Temporary seasonal workers are sometimes offered year-round jobs, depending on their skills and performance during the holiday season, Macy's said.
Candidates can apply online at www.macysJOBS.com or www.bloomingdalesJOBS.com for sales support positions. The company will hire for in-store jobs starting in mid-October.
Holiday shoppers stream through the doors of Macy's Herald Square store in New York City in this AP file photo. Macy's is hiring 85,000 seasonal workers for the 2015 Christmas season. "Macy's and Bloomingdale's customers have come to appreciate the higher level of our staffing and service throughout the Christmas and holiday shopping season, and our associates love the employment and income-earning opportunities at this very special time of year," Macy's Chairman and Chief Executive Terry J. Lundgren said in a written announcement.
"We first offer our current associates the opportunity to work extra hours over the holidays, then supplement our ongoing workforce with seasonal hires. This enhanced staffing allows us to provide additional help to customers, whether they are shopping in stores or online."
Macy's will hire about 1,600 associates at its customer service centers in Mason, Ohio; Clearwater, Florida; Tempe, Arizona; and St. Louis, Missouri, to talk to shoppers over the phone, via email or online chat.
Another 12,000 will be at order fulfillment centers (none in Ohio); and more than 1,000 are needed to support holiday events such as the 88th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Santalands.
"These seasonal positions represent much-needed jobs for America, and they fill an important niche in the employment spectrum," Lundgren said. "Especially at the holidays, we employ students working during break to help pay tuition, retirees seeking to remain active, and individuals from many walks of life wanting to supplement their income."