Dive Brief:

• Macy’s on Monday said it will hire about 80,000 seasonal associates for positions at its Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, call centers, distribution centers and online fulfillment centers nationwide for the coming holiday season — a decline of almost 4% from last year.

• About 18,000 of the 80,000 total will be in direct-to-consumer fulfillment facilities that support digital sales, an increase of 3,000 positions compared to last year, according to a press release. More than 1,000 people will be hired nationwide to support the 91st annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Santalands and other holiday events, the company also said.

• The department stores this year is expanding its national holiday hiring event to two days this year: Thursday, Sept. 28 and Friday, Sept. 29. Job candidates can visit all Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s Backstage stores, the company’s call centers and distribution and fulfillment centers or apply online.

Dive Insight:

Unlike Target, which is boosting its holiday hiring some 40% over last year, Macy’s is scaling back this year, a reflection of an ongoing downsizing of its brick-and-mortar footprint. The closure of what will ultimately be 100 stores, or more, is showing up in sales numbers, too. Macy’s posted total sales of $5.55 billion for the second quarter, a 5.4% decrease from the year-ago period that was driven largely by this year’s closures. Same-store sales fell 2.8% in the quarter. CEO Jeff Gennette addressed this in a statement this week: 

"The overall number of seasonal associates is in line with our streamlined store base," he said. "By increasing the number of associates in our direct-to-consumer fulfillment facilities, we’re ensuring our customers get the service and seamless omnichannel experience they want during this important time of year." 

While store closures are hurting the top line, Macy’s has retained some loyal shoppers who have transferred to other stores, a development that GlobalData Retail Managing Director Neil Saunders calls "encouraging," he told Retail Dive in an email last month. "[I]t indicates that Macy's rationalization will ultimately deliver higher levels of store productivity without severe damage to volumes."

Macy’s continues to grapple with its footprint correction and the more general challenges in the department store sector, but the holidays are particularly resonant for the retailer, an American holiday icon thanks to cultural fixtures like its Thanksgiving Day parade and appearances in cinema and song. 

"During the holiday season, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s shoppers appreciate our higher staffing levels wherever they connect with us – in stores, online and mobile, or by phone, and our associates love the income-earning opportunity," Gennette said. "We first offer current associates the opportunity to work extra hours over the holidays, and then add to our workforce with seasonal hires. We also employ students, retirees and individuals from many walks of life who wish to supplement their income and benefit from receiving a merchandise discount. We are proud to offer them this opportunity to work in a fun, fast-paced and collegial environment."

This story is part of our ongoing coverage of the 2017 holiday shopping season. You can browse our holiday page and sign up for our holiday newsletter for more stories.