Amazon cuts 9,000 more jobs, bringing 2023 total to 27,000

In a move that furthers its effort to streamline operations, Amazon revealed Tuesday that it is eliminating an additional 9,000 positions, bringing its total layoffs for 2023 to 27,000.

The online retail giant said the latest job cuts will affect employees across the company, including those at its Seattle headquarters and other sites around the world.

“These decisions are never easy, but we believe this is the right way to move forward and continue to invest in our future,” Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said in a statement.

The move comes as Amazon faces increased competition from brick-and-mortar retailers and other digital giants, such as Walmart and Google, as well as scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers around the world.

The layoffs come on the heels of Amazon’s announcement last year that it was reducing its global workforce by 17,000, a figure that included 7,000 corporate jobs.

The company has been making changes to its operations in recent months, including closing some of its warehouses, shifting to more automation and cutting costs.

Amazon said the job losses are part of an effort to create a leaner, more efficient organization.

“This will enable us to more quickly adapt to customer needs and invest in the long-term growth and success of the company,” said Dave Clark, Amazon’s senior vice president of operations.

The tech giant said it will provide severance packages and other resources to help affected employees transition to new jobs.

Amazon’s latest job cuts bring its total number of layoffs for 2023 to 27,000, a figure that represents approximately 4% of its global workforce.