The trend: US retailers will add 520,000 seasonal jobs this holiday season, down 7.8% from the 564,200 they added last year, per a new Challenger, Gray & Christmas forecast. That would be the second-lowest number of seasonal holiday workers since 2009.

That conservatism is evident among several retailers that have mapped out their plans.

• Target says it will add about 100,000 seasonal staff across its stores and supply chain facilities—the same number it has hired over the past three years.