Amazon Layoffs Impact Books Division: Goodreads, Kindle
Share this @internewscast.com

More than 62,000 tech workers have faced job losses this year, as reported by Layoffs.fyi. Recently, Amazon has announced layoffs within its books division, according to a leaked internal email revealed by Business Insider earlier this week.

“Today, we are making the tough decision to cut certain positions within your team,” mentioned a senior Amazon manager in the email. “Regrettably, your position is among those affected.”

The email reassured the affected staff that they would receive their full salary and benefits for the next 60 days, and for those based in New York or New Jersey, this period extends to 90 days, along with additional severance pay.

The cuts, which Reuters reported affected fewer than 100 employees, were intended to improve efficiency. The reductions affected employees working on Amazon’s Goodreads review site as well as its Kindle division. Amazon acquired Goodreads in 2013 for $150 million.

“As part of our ongoing work to make our teams and programs operate more efficiently, and to better align with our business roadmap, we’ve made the difficult decision to eliminate a small number of roles within the Books organization,” an Amazon spokesperson stated, per Reuters.

Amazon.com began as an online bookstore in the early 1990s when the company sold its first book online: Douglas Hofstadter’s Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Thought. Within its first month of launch, Amazon had sold books to customers in all U.S. states and 45 countries.

In the first 10 months of 2022, Amazon sold $16.9 billion worth of books globally.

Now, Amazon generates about $28 billion annually from global book sales and offers more than 20 million titles in the U.S. alone. Amazon controls half or more of the U.S. market for print book sales and at least 75% of ebook sales.

Amazon has let go of roughly 27,000 employees since the beginning of 2022 to cut costs. The company announced last month that it would cut 100 jobs in its devices and services department, which includes Ring doorbells and the Alexa voice assistant. In January, the retail giant made dozens of job cuts in its communications and sustainability departments.

Tech job cuts have impacted over 62,000 workers so far this year, according to tracker Layoffs.fyi. Now Amazon is laying off workers in its books business, per a leaked internal email obtained by Business Insider earlier this week.

“Today, we are taking the very difficult step of eliminating some roles on your team,” a senior Amazon manager stated in the email. “Unfortunately, your role has been eliminated.”

The email informed impacted employees that they would receive full pay and benefits for the next 60 days, or 90 days for employees who reside in New York or New Jersey, plus additional severance.

The rest of this article is locked.

Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Germany and France Criticize EU-US Agreement

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Germany and France expressed criticism of…

9 Million Britons Can Afford to Invest but Struggle with Risk-Taking

Britain has a problem. Millions of people are holding money in cash…

L.A. Chargers Make Wise Move by Signing Star Left Tackle Rayshawn Slater

AFC left tackle Rayshawn Slater of the Los Angeles Chargers (70) shows…

Forget the big banks; consider investing in smaller companies: This MIDAS recommendation has already gained 80%, and there’s still potential for more growth.

Banks are a bit of a hobby horse for me. My first…

Jackson Wang Moves On from Magic Tricks After ‘MAGICMAN 2’

Jackson Wang Liu Song Jackson Wang finally feels like a weight has…

Tony Hetherington Delves Into a Mystery: My Friend’s Major Investment in an Enigmatic New Company

Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday’s ace investigator, fighting readers corners,…

Veteran Player Danny Jansen Navigates the Distinct Challenges of the MLB Trade Deadline Once More

Tampa Bay Rays’ Danny Jansen celebrates after scoring against the Detroit Tigers…

The Key Challenge to Overcome for Startup Success

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Dropbox was created because…