As Stores Close And Amazon Soars, Are Millions Of Retail Jobs On The Line?

Retailers are on pace to close over 8,000 U.S. stores this year, more than during the worst of the recession, and that could signal the start of a long decline. Some predict that retail jobs will fall sharply in coming years and mirror the arc of U.S. manufacturing. “More than 7.5 million jobs are at high risk,” warned a study released last week. Almost 1 in 9 workers nationwide are employed in retail trade so the stakes are high. Over 4.5 million Americans work as a retail salesperson, the top occupation in the country, and cashier is next on the list. At the moment, there’s little evidence of a broad, deep decline in retailing, especially in Texas. Total retail jobs have been growing since the recession and they surpassed the previous peak years ago. Over 1.3 million Texans work in retail trade, almost 200,000 more than in 2010. While Macy’s and J.C. Penney are among the retailers announcing deep cuts this year, other niches are growing. They include groceries, health and beauty stores, building supply outlets and e-commerce. Some companies that started online have also opened retail shops. Even department stores, which have been cutting jobs in the U.S., have continued to add workers in Texas. Distribution centers, which are popping up to serve the online business, are not included in the government’s retail trade category, and they’re hiring. Read more at The Dallas Morning News.