Cyber Monday: Northwest Side Amazon facility bustling on busiest day of the year
Amazon presented the the Northern Illinois Food Bank with a $100,000 donation on Monday.
CHICAGO (WLS) -- It is Cyber Monday, but it is like Super Bowl Sunday at Amazon.
It is their busiest day of the year. More than twice the usual number of packages go through this Northwest Side facility on Monday.
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The conveyor belt runs nonstop. Employees seal up packages and throw them on the belt. It is pretty much anything you can imagine, delivered the same day you order it in many cases. And there are more deliveries on Cyber Monday than any on other day of the year!
"Seeing these volume increases and working to meet the demand is fun to see," said Joey Nelson with Amazon.
It is a huge day for Pamela Jones. Her Chicago-based company Charboy makes healthy sauces and marinades. Nearly a quarter of their sales come during the holiday season, and Monday is the biggest day.
"We're getting orders, like, huge. It's really exciting and scary at the same time," Jones said.
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Amazon drivers line up outside to fill up with packages. But while it is crazy busy for Amazon, it is also a tough time for many struggling to feed their families. The Northern Illinois Food Bank is working to meet that need. And Amazon is helping, presenting the food bank with a $100,000 donation on Monday.
"Our lines have never been longer than they are right now. And Amazon recognizes we need help," said Chris Gillette with the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
Amazon has also hired extra help for the holidays. Those hires include thousands of seasonal employees, some of whom may stay on permanently after the holidays.
"This is an exciting season all around because we were able to introduce new seasonal positions. So, right now, the site has employed an additional 200," said Tarsha Hall with Amazon.
Economists are predicting shoppers will spend more than $14 billion on Cyber Monday. That equates to $16 million a minute. And it means they will be busy at Amazon.
