What does an e-commerce merchant do?

Updated January 8, 2025

6 min read

Selling online is thriving as people are getting more knowledgeable of the works of the internet. E-commerce merchants are one of the many who use the internet for their business. But, these merchants use only the internet for selling. They must know and be prepared for fraud that might come with this. They must secure transactions by applying extra electronic security. Through the use of the web, e-commerce merchants can quickly share and reach people globally.

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E-commerce merchant responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real e-commerce merchant resumes:

Create and manage FAQ, QA, copywriting and other tasks relate project management in support of front-end experience.
Manage in house photography studio and execute high quality product photography for e-commerce website.
Manage projects by maintaining product catalog using CMS, marketing/project calendars and assets/deliverables for online projects.
Perform QA for site re-launch.
Produce original content to develop multiple new websites, primarily focusing on SEO.
Coordinate SEO and PPC program with vendors, including development of campaign-specific landing pages.
Provide detailed reports, track ROI, referral sources and marketing channels; constantly adjust allocation for better results.
Train new employees on POS systems, current wine lists, and Diageo policies and procedures for the property.
Remove money canisters from ATM and replenish machine supplies, such as deposit envelopes, receipt paper and cash.
Analyze sales and expenses associate with website tools and measure the ROI of investments in online tools and advertising campaigns.
Utilize Java, JavaScript and ASP.net to modify AAP corporate systems management systems and assist multiple auto part ordering interfaces.
Plan and build from scratch of the corporate website, implement with e-commerce and wholesale order processing functionalities using Magento system.
Coordinate and facilitate edits to copy, graphics and/or offer structure, monitor and maintain e-commerce tool and data integrity.
Strengthen eBay DSR compliance through timely moderation of customer inquiries.
Develop layout of eBay store; including store logo, product categories and appearance.

E-commerce merchant skills and personality traits

We calculated that 14% of E-Commerce Merchants are proficient in Photography, Market Trends, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Analytical skills, and Communication skills.

We break down the percentage of E-Commerce Merchants that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Photography, 14%
Established a style guide for online e-commerce & print photography production.
Market Trends, 9%
Devised a compelling assortment to enhance the customer experience through analysis of sales history and key market trends.
Customer Service, 9%
Self-directed education includes marketing, SEO, inventory management, customer service and all clerical duties related to small business management.
Photo Shoots, 7%
Style photo shoots for Facebook, Twitter, and email blast outfit guides.
Online Sales, 5%
Participate in business transaction processes from start to finish, having serviced over eighty customers in online sales.
Customer Orders, 4%
Placed customer orders via live chat Performed light billing duties

Most e-commerce merchants use their skills in "photography," "market trends," and "customer service" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential e-commerce merchant responsibilities here:

Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for an e-commerce merchant to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what e-commerce merchants do because "market research analysts must pay attention to minutiae to evaluate data." Additionally, an e-commerce merchant resume shows how e-commerce merchants use detail oriented: "added looks to website across shop the look section, product descriptions and details for each look. "

Analytical skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling e-commerce merchant duties is analytical skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "market research analysts must evaluate large amounts of data and information related to market conditions." According to an e-commerce merchant resume, here's how e-commerce merchants can utilize analytical skills in their job responsibilities: "develop and maintain the product database, uploaded into google, amazon and various other search engines. "

Communication skills. e-commerce merchants are also known for communication skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to e-commerce merchant responsibilities, because "market research analysts must be able to clearly convey information when gathering material, interpreting data, and presenting results to clients." An e-commerce merchant resume example shows how communication skills is used in the workplace: "provided excellent customer service, sales and data terminal entry, as well as superb communication. "

All e-commerce merchant skills

The three companies that hire the most e-commerce merchants are:

Audacy9 e-commerce merchants jobs
JPMorgan Chase & Co.2 e-commerce merchants jobs
United Natural Foods1 e-commerce merchants jobs

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Compare different e-commerce merchants

E-commerce merchant vs. Online retailer

The annual salary of online retailers is $36,494 higher than the average salary of e-commerce merchants.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between e-commerce merchants and online retailers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like photography, market trends, and customer service.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an e-commerce merchant are more likely to require skills like "photo shoots," "b testing," "product content," and "inventory control." On the other hand, a job as an online retailer requires skills like "ebay store," "retail business," "inventory acquisition," and "web design." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

On average, online retailers reach similar levels of education than e-commerce merchants. Online retailers are 0.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

E-commerce merchant vs. Director, internet services

On average, directors, internet services earn a $52,904 higher salary than e-commerce merchants a year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. E-commerce merchants and directors, internet services both require similar skills like "html," "css," and "gross profit" to carry out their responsibilities.

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that e-commerce merchant responsibilities requires skills like "photography," "market trends," "customer service," and "photo shoots." But a director, internet services might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "crm," "email templates," "bdc," and "sales associates."

Average education levels between the two professions vary. Directors, internet services tend to reach similar levels of education than e-commerce merchants. In fact, they're 2.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

E-commerce merchant vs. Owner, e commerce company

On average, owners, e commerce company earn higher salaries than e-commerce merchants, with a $56,777 difference per year.Using the responsibilities included on e-commerce merchants and owners, e commerce company resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "customer service," "customer orders," and "inventory control.rdquo;

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, e-commerce merchants are more likely to have skills like "photography," "market trends," "photo shoots," and "online sales." But a owner, e commerce company is more likely to have skills like "seo," "e-commerce website," "customer relationships," and "financial data."

Most owners, e commerce company achieve a similar degree level compared to e-commerce merchants. For example, they're 4.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

E-commerce merchant vs. Online merchant

Online merchants typically earn higher pay than e-commerce merchants. On average, online merchants earn a $20,911 higher salary per year.While both e-commerce merchants and online merchants complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like customer service, customer orders, and product pages, the two careers vary in some skills.Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. An e-commerce merchant uses "photography," "market trends," "photo shoots," and "online sales." Online merchants are more likely to have duties that require skills in "customer satisfaction," "apparel," "product line," and "retail business. "online merchants reach similar levels of education compared to e-commerce merchants, in general. The difference is that they're 4.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of e-commerce merchant

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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