Walmart has laid off hundreds of workers at five of its US e-commerce fulfillment centers due to a reduction in evening and weekend shifts. Impacted workers will be given 90 days to find jobs at other locations, and Walmart will pay them during this period, as Reuters reveals.
The company has been investing heavily in automation and plans to increase investments in automation technology as part of its capital expenditure budget for the year. Walmart’s layoffs could be a harbinger of further economic turmoil in the US, which many economists predict may enter a recession this year.
Hundreds of employees at Walmart’s e-commerce fulfillment centers across various locations in the US were recently laid off. Around 200 workers lost their jobs at the Pedricktown, New Jersey facility, while several others were impacted at locations in Fort Worth, Texas; Chino, California; Davenport, Florida; and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Walmart has been increasingly involved in the e-commerce sector in recent years, as the company seeks to compete with e-commerce giant Amazon. Walmart has made significant investments in e-commerce, including acquiring several online retailers, such as Jet.com, Bonobos, and Moosejaw, and launching its own online marketplace for third-party sellers. The company has also been investing heavily in automation technology to improve its e-commerce operations and compete more effectively with Amazon.
Additionally, Walmart has been leveraging its vast network of physical stores as distribution centers to ship online orders to customers’ doorsteps, offering in-store pickups, and other delivery options. Overall, Walmart’s increasing focus on e-commerce has been a key strategic priority for the company in recent years, as it seeks to diversify its revenue streams and stay relevant in the rapidly evolving retail industry.
The profitability of getting involved in e-commerce can vary depending on several factors, such as the niche, competition, marketing strategy, and the level of investment made. Generally, the e-commerce industry has been growing rapidly in recent years, with more consumers choosing to shop online, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when many physical stores were closed.
