Amazon has hired more than 15,000 new staff — an army of robots that will help out the company as the Christmas rush approaches.

The company bought robot maker Kiva Systems for around £500 million in 2012. It showed off the results — the collection of small, 320-pound, orange-coloured robots — to the media at the weekend, ahead of the Cyber Monday rush.

The company hopes that it will keep costs down, by slashing operating costs by about one-fifth, as well as avoid the embarrassing situations of the past, where the company had to give out refunds and gift cards after items failed to arrive.

But in the short term Amazon has spent plenty of cash on the robots — they cost around $46 million (£29 million) to install in its Florida warehouse, Reuters said, and they are working in warehouses in California, Texas, New Jersey and Washington as well.

Best Cyber Monday websites Show all 8 1 /8 Best Cyber Monday websites Best Cyber Monday websites Amazon Amazon has been running Black Friday/Cyber Monday lightning sales for a week. New products are added every 10 minutes and then taken down when they’re sold out. Reuters Best Cyber Monday websites John Lewis John Lewis is price matching competitors’ deals over the shopping weekend, so is a good and safe place to try. PA Best Cyber Monday websites Currys Currys’ Black Tag Event has discounted TVs, tablets and coffee machines. Things are on sale until they’re sold out. Rex Best Cyber Monday websites Game Offering all-day deals, as well as time-limited deals like Amazon’s, Game is the best place for console bundles on Cyber Monday Getty Best Cyber Monday websites Richer Sounds The audio and TV company’s Black Friday deals are running until tonight, and there’s plenty of cheap hi-fis and televisions Rex Best Cyber Monday websites Samsung Samsung is running sales on its own products, including tablets, cameras, laptops and home appliances, all weekend AFP Best Cyber Monday websites Argos Laptops, cameras and games consoles all feature in Argos’s Black Friday deals, which end tonight Getty Best Cyber Monday websites Tesco Tesco is continuing its Black Friday bonanza into Cyber Monday, offering discounts on a range of products CARL COURT | AFP | Getty Images

The robots let the company store about 50% items, and drive around using markings on the floor. Because they take up less space, the company can use more of the floor space for items.