Retailers Will Reduce Seasonal Hiring for Q4 2026
U.S. businesses are shifting toward automation and year-round staff to manage holiday demand this year.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Employment
Live Poll
Do you expect the shift toward automation in retail to affect your holiday shopping this year?
Retailers will reduce seasonal hiring for the fourth quarter of 2026, with projections indicating additions will fall below 450,000 jobs. This follows a trend where hiring in the fourth quarter of 2025 dropped 15% compared to the 543,100 jobs added in 2024.
Why it matters
Companies are prioritizing automation, robotics, and existing labor pools to handle fluctuating holiday demand while navigating challenges from high prices and supply chain tariffs. By implementing surgical restocking of staffing plans, firms are moving away from traditional large seasonal hiring waves.
Seasonal retail hiring is projected to fall below 450,000 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2026, reflecting a broader shift after the 15% decline observed between 2024 and 2025. Meanwhile, retail employment reached 15.47 million workers as of August 2026.
The players
Michaels
Michaels is an arts and crafts retailer that has committed to hiring 10,000 seasonal employees for the 2026 season.
Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is a prominent outdoor recreation retailer that has scheduled a national hiring event for October 2026.
Cabela's
Cabela's is an outdoor outfitter and subsidiary of Bass Pro Shops that is participating in the upcoming national hiring event.
The details
Employers are increasingly relying on on-demand labor pools and internal staff to manage operations rather than aggressive seasonal recruiting. Despite a 1.2% increase in retail sales for August 2026, businesses continue to streamline their workforce requirements through technology.
Timeline
• Q4 2024 saw the addition of 543,100 seasonal retail jobs.
• Q4 2025 included the addition of 461,500 retail jobs and 266,500 transportation jobs.
• August 2026 retail employment reached 15.47 million workers.
• October 7-8, 2026, marks the national hiring event for Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
• Q4 2026 is the projected period for reduced seasonal hiring activity.
Macro View
This contraction in seasonal labor needs mirrors the trajectory established by the 15% drop in hiring observed between 2024 and 2025. It suggests that current hiring patterns are diverging from older cycles that relied heavily on temporary holiday surges.
Job seekers looking for temporary holiday work may face a more competitive market with fewer available openings this year. Conversely, current retail employees may see shifts in their own work hours as stores prioritize utilizing existing staff over bringing in new temporary help.
The takeaway
Retailers are permanently decoupling holiday sales volume from direct seasonal hiring by leaning into automation and workforce efficiency. Job seekers should adjust their expectations for seasonal income as these operational shifts continue to reshape the end-of-year labor market.
What happens next
Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's are set to conduct a national hiring event on October 7 and 8, 2026, which may serve as a bellwether for remaining retail recruitment activity.
Further reading
For more information on national labor trends, see the Employment section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Chain Store Age.
Live Poll
Do you expect the shift toward automation in retail to affect your holiday shopping this year?
