Amazon reduces nearly 5% of workforce at its Buy with Prime unit

San Francisco, Jan 19: Amazon has said that it is laying off nearly 5 per cent of its workforce at its Buy with Prime unit, the media reported.

The latest job cut will include about 30 employees at the unit, reports CNBC.

However, it's unknown how many employees are in its Buy with Prime division.

“We regularly review the structure of our teams and make adjustments based on the needs of the business and, following a recent review, we’ve made the difficult decision to eliminate a small number of roles on our Buy with Prime team,” an Amazon spokesperson was quoted as saying.

The spokesperson added that Buy with Prime remains “a top priority for Amazon” and the company plans to continue investing “significant resources” in the programme.

The Buy with Prime service lets online stores offer two-day shipping to Prime subscribers.

According to the report, citing sources, some of the employees affected by the latest job cut worked in Amazon’s multichannel fulfilment unit, which sits alongside Buy with Prime under the “Project Santos” organisation.

Amazon said it’s helping laid-off workers in finding new positions elsewhere within the company.

Workers will continue to receive their pay and benefits for at least 60 days, and they will be eligible for a severance package, the report mentioned.

Last week, Amazon-owned audiobook and podcast division Audible announced to lay off 5 per cent of its staff, more than 100 employees, as part of overall job cuts at the e-commerce giant.

In the same week, Amazon announced to lay off hundreds of employees at Twitch, Prime Video and MGM Studios.