Electronics retailer Best Buy has announced it has laid off 5,000 full-time employees this month, despite sales soaring during the coronavirus pandemic.
Company officials said that while sales were soaring, shoppers were buying online, not coming inside brick-and-mortar locations, The Associated Press reported.
The company said the employees that were laid off will be replaced with 2,000 part-time employees.
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Best Buy laid off workers when the coronavirus pandemic forced the temporary closures of stores. Right now, it employs more than 100,000 people, which is down by 21,000 employees or about 17% from last year at this time, the AP reported.
Workers are also being retrained to process online orders, while space inside Best Buy locations is being reallocated to ship orders or prepare for curbside pickup, the AP reported.