Amazon prepares for busy holiday season despite layoffs, walkouts and protests
Cyber Monday is expected to become the year’s biggest shopping day, projected to bring more than $11 billion in online sales — a 5% increase from last year.
Amazon is an online retailer that has been a leader in online shopping. They predict that Cyber Monday this year will surpass last year’s record, despite protests and walkouts.
Worldwide, Amazon ships over 66,000 orders every hour, and it all starts at one of 400 warehouses — like Amazon’s flagship fulfillment center near Kent, Washington. The fulfillment center is home to approximately 5,000 robots and thousands people. It is the largest of its kind in the world.
It can process 1 million packages and items in a 24-hour period, according to Ofori Agboka, Amazon’s vice president of People, Experience & Technology, Global Operations.
Evan Shobe, the center’s director, stated that it functions like a 3,000-member jazz band.
He said, “We are constantly reacting to changes in tempo or rhythm. That is coming together to bring many diverse products into this building.”
Robots control bins that hold items and move about as orders are received. The employee picks up the items and transports them on conveyor belts.
Shobe stated, “When the tote arrives at each packer, they’re taking it down, and scanning each item.” “The software will tell them which of these many boxes is the right one for that item.”
Amazon intends to hire another 150,000 workers in the holiday season. Amazon will lay off thousands of workers, just like other tech companies. However, its CEO indicated that further reductions would occur in the new year.
Amazon states that its holiday orders will not change.
Agboka stated, “In our operations we are prepared and we believe that we’re going to deliver for our customers in the timeline they need.”
The online retail giant Protests and walkouts were possible Late last week, workers in 30 countries demanded improved pay and working conditions as holiday shopping season started.
Amazon didn’t respond to inquiries about the protests and walkouts.