It’s a tough year to work in retail. In the first five months of the year, job cuts surged 274% compared to the same period in 2024, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
That trend continued into July and August, with retailers shedding jobs at elevated levels at the same time that hiring efforts are slowing.
What is going on with retail contributes to a lackluster labor market which, in turn, is impacting consumers’ willingness to spend, especially as lower-income households struggle to afford life’s necessities. Some firms, including PwC, are even projecting holiday sales will decline this year amid shopper pullback. Those that do see growth ahead acknowledge volumes could be relatively flat.
All of that is likely to mean fewer seasonal workers manning the shelves and distribution centers this year — and that’s on top of last year, when retailers added 4% fewer jobs during the fourth quarter.
Retail hiring this year could fall to its lowest point “since the recession-hit season of 2009,” according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas’ seasonal hiring outlook.
Retailers are expected to bring on fewer than 500,000 employees this season, down from over 543,000 last year. The firm noted that even among those who are announcing hiring plans, many retailers aren’t specifying how many employees they plan to bring on this season, suggesting they may be planning on “doing more with less.”
“Seasonal employers are facing a confluence of factors this year: tariffs loom, inflationary pressures linger, and many companies continue to rely on automation and permanent staff instead of large waves of seasonal hires,” Andy Challenger, senior vice president at Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in a statement. “While we could see a late hiring push if holiday sales surprise to the upside, the cautious pace of announcements so far suggests that companies are not betting on a big seasonal surge.”
Here’s what we know about how key retailers are hiring for the season.
Target
With its broader holiday merchandising and delivery announcement in September, Target did not share a number for its seasonal hiring goal. This is in contrast to its 2024 goal of hiring about 100,000 new employees for the season.
Instead this year, the mass retailer chose to focus on the value of its current workforce. Target said its existing employees can pick up additional hours, while its 43,000 employee on-demand team can pick up shifts as needed. However, interested applicants can apply for seasonal roles in both stores and supply chain facilities through a dedicated webpage.
Kohl’s
Kohl’s is one of the first department stores out of the gate with its seasonal hiring announcement, but the company didn’t provide information about how many people it hopes to recruit. Local media in Milwaukee, where Kohl’s is headquartered, report that the retailer aims to hire more than 300 citywide; the company didn’t immediately respond to a request for more details.
Open roles are at stores, distribution centers and e-fulfillment centers. Kohl’s expects to hire people quickly, something it lists as a perk, along with a weekly pay schedule. Otherwise, seasonal employees receive a 15% discount.
Dollar Tree
While it didn’t note whether hires would be made specifically for the holiday season, Dollar Tree in September hosted a National Hiring Week event where it said it planned to bring on “thousands” of associates across its fleet of over 9,000 stores across the country. Open full- and part-time positions include store managers, assistant store managers and customer service associates.
The dollar store touted its competitive pay, flexible schedules and other benefits, including an employee stock purchase plan, dental and vision plans, and medical and prescription drug coverage plans for full- and part-time associates.
The retailer also said it promoted around 24,000 associates within the company in 2024. While the retailer didn’t issue an announcement for its National Hiring Week initiative last year, this year’s plans align with actions the company took in 2023 and 2022.
Spirit Halloween
Spirit Halloween announced in June that it was looking to hire for the upcoming holiday season. It wanted to fill around 50,000 positions to support over 1,500 retail locations this year.
"With the anticipation for Halloween at an all-time high, we are committed to creating the same immersive experience that keeps our fans coming back year after year," Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween, said in a statement. "The talent and enthusiasm of our associates is the driving force that brings Halloween to life each year, and we look forward to welcoming new and returning faces for another killer season."
Workers can expect to receive “frightfully fun” perks including a 30% discount, flexible scheduling, competitive salaries, a premium pay incentive program and seasonal retention bonuses for returning store managers.
Michaels
Michaels began hiring for the holidays early in September, with a goal of bringing on 10,000 seasonal workers; last year, more than half of seasonal hires went on to take regular roles. Existing employees will also be able to work extra hours throughout the season. Perks include a 30% discount and unspecified “competitive wages.”
Bath & Body Works
Bath & Body Works announced in September that it expects to hire over 30,000 seasonal associates across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The number of workers it is bringing on is comparable to its 2023 and 2024 holiday seasons.
This year’s hiring includes part-time retail associates to support its nearly 1,900 North American stores and around 2,000 full-time roles at its five Ohio distribution centers.
Seasonal associates will receive a 40% discounts at stores, “competitive” wages, flexible scheduling and access to wages prior to payday for U.S. associates.
“The holiday season is when our brand, products and strong teams shine brightest,” CEO Daniel Heaf said in a statement. “It’s our peak season and delivering excellence for our customers starts with the incredible people in our stores and distribution centers.”
