Amazon said it plans to cut 18,000 jobs, a bigger number than the e-retailer initially said it would eliminate last year.
"Amazon has weathered uncertain and difficult economies in the past, and we will continue to do so," wrote Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, in a Jan. 4 blog post. "These changes will help us pursue our long-term opportunities with a stronger cost structure; however, I'm also optimistic that we'll be inventive, resourceful, and scrappy in this time when we're not hiring expansively and eliminating some roles."
Amazon plans to begin informing affected employees Jan. 18.
The blog post also noted that most cuts will come in the stores and people, experience, and technology groups.
The announcement comes after Amazon said in September that it would lay off 159 Amazon Care employees starting Dec. 1., and 236 employees from standalone company Care Medical.
Care Medical employees were in charge of treating Amazon Care patients, the now shuttered telehealth service.