Local employer Amazon expects a super-busy Cyber Monday

APPLING, Ga. - It’s the busiest online shopping day of the year and after a record-breaking Black Friday, big local employer Amazon is expecting a record-breaking Cyber Monday.

That should be keeping local workers busy at Amazon’s relatively new fulfillment and sorting centers in Appling.

“Black Friday was a huge success. We broke a lot of records this Black Friday. And with some of the same products on deep discount for Cyber Monday, we’re expecting cyber to do the same,” said Shemeeka Johnson, a regional spokesperson for Amazon.

Across the web, shoppers spent a record $9.1 billion on Black Friday, according to Adobe Analytics. $11 billion dollars are expected to be spent today. It’s something Amazon plans for all year.

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“We do have seasonal hires during peak, so we really ramp up in terms of our workforce,” said Johnson.

Those employees work extended hours from October through December.

Amazon was recently recruiting workers for those jobs in the Augusta area.

“It really ramps up towards this time. We’re really definitely moving up and getting people on the road, ready to go,” said David Maradiega, head of driver training for Amazon. Every day of the week, he’s training drivers for this time of year to ensure you get your order when you’re supposed to.

“We just make sure every driver drives safely, they make sure they have all the packages they need on their vehicle and that it gets out on time,” said Maradiega.

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They also make sure packages are safe from porch pirates.

“Following customer instructions is huge. We deliver everything to the front door unless it’s otherwise specified, we get signatures when we need to do that, and we take pictures at every drop,” said Maradiega.

The Better Business Bureau has several tips to make sure your online shopping on Cyber Monday is safe. They recommend to beware of false advertising; shop with secure sites only; price check before you buy; use your credit card; and understand return policies