October’s tech layoff toll crosses 5,000: Amazon, Netflix, eBay, lead new round of job cuts

From job cuts to data breaches to AI scares, the tech industry is facing its most challenging times of the year, with October emerging as a particularly turbulent month. This month, some of the biggest tech companies, including Amazon, Netflix, eBay, and others, conducted company-wide layoffs, taking the October layoff toll over 5000.

The latest job cuts reflect a broader shift in the technology industry, where companies are restructuring their workforce and investing in AI-led growth.

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October tech layoffs

According to Layoffs.fyi, 5191 tech jobs were impacted globally across companies. Netflix and eBay were among the companies with the highest number of employees affected by layoffs. On October 14, Over-the-Top (OTT) platform Netflix sacked over 1,000 on October 14, impacting 6% of its global workforce. According to media reports, several divisions were impacted, including product, technology, legal, and human resources.

Later in the month, e-commerce giant, eBay announced to layoff 9% of its workforce, impacting over 1100 employees. The company also laid off around 800 employees in February 2026.

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Amazon also conducted multiple rounds of layoffs in October itself. While the actual numbers are not confirmed, reports suggest that the company eliminated around 1,000 jobs, mainly in its Stores division, which handles its retail and shopping operations. On October 28, it cut another 250 positions in its Devices and Services division, which works on products and services such as Alexa, Echo devices, and other Amazon hardware.

Tech layoffs 2026

10 months into 2026, and over 135,000 tech jobs have been impacted by layoffs, making it another difficult year for the global technology workforce. Q2 of 2026 was the most challenging quarter for employees working in tech, with constant uncertainty, and companies like Meta, Oracle, Amazon, Microsoft, and others cut jobs in huge numbers.

Apart from layoffs, tech companies are also offering voluntary exits to employees. This month, Microsoft offered voluntary exit offers to over 60,000 of its employees across India, the US, the UK, and Canada. However, the latest reports suggest that only 3,000 employees have accepted the offer so far.