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Amazon makes fresh job cuts, mainly in retail division - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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Amazon makes fresh job cuts, mainly in retail division

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on October 8, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: October 8, 2026

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Amazon Announces Further Job Cuts in Retail Ahead of Prime Big Deal Days

By Greg Bensinger

Amazon's Latest Layoffs and Their Impact

Overview of Recent Job Cuts

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Amazon confirmed on Wednesday it had cut what it said were a small number of jobs, primarily in its Stores unit which oversees the main e-commerce website. 

Timing of Layoffs During Prime Big Deal Days

The layoffs to its retail unit coincide with one of Amazon's biggest shopping days, which it calls Prime Big Deal Days. The promotion started on Tuesday and runs through Wednesday, offering varying discounts.

Context and Scale of Reductions

Comparison to Previous Layoff Rounds

The cuts are the latest in a series of small reductions since a larger round of 30,000 job cuts that began last year and continued into January. Some affected employees reached out to Reuters and shared posts from internal Slack channels about the news.

Number of Employees Affected

Amazon let go fewer than 1,000 white-collar workers, a person familiar with the matter said. Business Insider earlier reported the layoffs.

Amazon's Official Response

Company Statement on Restructuring

"We've adjusted parts of our Stores business because we believe this structure will better enable us to deliver on our priorities," a spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Divisions and Locations Impacted

Departments Involved

The internal Slack channel suggested a number of divisions within Stores were involved, including customer service and selling partner services, and possibly other units across Amazon. Employees in the US, India and the UK were among those getting pink slips.

Leadership Perspective

Jeff Bezos on the Need for Job Cuts

Jeff Bezos, the founder and executive chairman of Amazon, said in a Fox News interview aired Wednesday, that continued job cuts have been necessary because the company overhired during the pandemic. "People were staying home and they were ordering, and it was an incredible, stressful period for us, by the way," he said when asked about the 30,000 jobs lost in the previous round.

Reflection on Workforce Growth

"The whole team worked extremely hard and did so much, but we really grew our head count."

(Reporting by Greg Bensinger; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

Key Takeaways

  • Amazon trimmed fewer than 1,000 roles in its Stores (retail) unit during Prime Big Deal Days (Oct 6–7, 2026)
  • This latest reduction is part of a broader effort following ~30,000 prior corporate layoffs driven by over‑hiring during the pandemic and efficiency push
  • Job cuts targeted customer‑service and selling partner services within Stores, affecting employees in the US, UK, and India

Frequently Asked Questions

How many jobs did Amazon cut in its latest round of layoffs?
Amazon cut fewer than 1,000 jobs, primarily in its Stores division across several countries.
Which Amazon units were affected by the recent layoffs?
The layoffs impacted the Stores division, including customer service and selling partner services, as well as possible other units.
Why did Amazon implement new job cuts in 2023?
Amazon cited adjustments to its Stores business structure and over-hiring during the pandemic as reasons for the job cuts.
During which event did Amazon announce the latest layoffs?
The layoffs coincided with Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, a major shopping promotion.
Which countries were employees affected by Amazon's latest job cuts located in?
Employees in the US, India, and the UK were among those affected by the layoffs.

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