Gap to hire virtually for fulfillment, customer centers this holiday season

Gap Inc said on Thursday it will virtually hire seasonal staff for the busy holiday months to help the apparel retailer fulfill online orders and man its customer contact centers as consumers shop heavily online due to the pandemic.

The company said to make its hiring process safe and easy, it will allow candidates to apply online for any role in three minutes or less.

Retailers are preparing for a holiday season that would mostly include sales from online shopping as consumers try to avoid large crowds in stores due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

Gap, which also owns the Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta chains, said it added 3.5 million new customers through its online channels in the second quarter.

Last year, the company laid out plans to hire as many as 5,000 staffers for the holidays, but it did not specify a number for this year.

Target Corp also said it would double its staff for contactless services and hire more seasonal employees for distribution centers this holiday season.