Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for internet sales associates in the United States
Are internet sales associate jobs in demand?
Internet sales associate job and salary trends over time
Internet sales associate jobs over time
Internet sales associate job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,370 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,160 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,366 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,325 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,299 | 0.00% |
Average internet sales associate salary over time
Internet sales associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,838 | $16.75 | +7.2% |
| 2024 | $32,484 | $15.62 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $31,133 | $14.97 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $29,859 | $14.36 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $29,178 | $14.03 | +4.1% |
Internet sales associate jobs by state
Most common states for internet sales associates
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 1,182 | 88% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 616 | 64% |
| 3 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 824 | 62% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 3,524 | 51% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 6,340 | 50% |
| 6 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 2,528 | 50% |
| 7 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 905 | 50% |
| 8 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 3,250 | 49% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 2,962 | 49% |
| 10 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 515 | 49% |
| 11 | Vermont | 623,657 | 307 | 49% |
| 12 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 4,833 | 47% |
| 13 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 3,989 | 47% |
| 14 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 1,686 | 47% |
| 15 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 356 | 47% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 4,098 | 46% |
| 17 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 3,096 | 46% |
| 18 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 1,459 | 46% |
| 19 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 1,440 | 46% |
| 20 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 5,265 | 45% |
Internet Sales Associate job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of internet sales associate experts
Weber State University
University of Southern Mississippi
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Florida State University
The University of Findlay
University of Mount Union
Landmark College
Franklin and Marshall College
California State University Channel Islands
Penn State Behrend
University of North Carolina at Asheville
Drexel University, Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Ryan McKeehan
Weber State University
General Sales, Merchandising And Related Marketing Operations
What general advice would you give to an Internet Sales Associate?
Ryan McKeehan: I advise seeking experiences over money when you are beginning your career. Often, new graduates will take the job that offers the most compensation. Choosing employment that provides the best opportunities to develop different skill sets will pay dividends in the long run. Leadership and problem-solving depend heavily on the experiences one can draw upon.
What Internet Sales Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ryan McKeehan: At the start of one’s career, there are numerous ways to maximize one’s salary potential. One way is to change jobs every few years. The traditional stigma around job hopping has diminished, and each job change can bring new opportunities for salary upgrades and skill acquisition. By demonstrating a willingness to work hard and continuously upgrade skills, one can develop rare and valuable expertise that will be in high demand, opening doors to better opportunities and higher earnings.
What will help Internet Sales Associates increase their earning potential?
Ryan McKeehan: With the rapid advancement of AI and other technologies, the role of salespeople is evolving. In this changing landscape, superior soft skills will be in high demand. The ability to communicate effectively, provide exceptional customer service, and sell ethically will be more crucial than ever. By honing these skills, one can stay ahead in the job market.
What general advice would you give to an Internet Sales Associate?
Kevin Buckley: The biggest factor in earning potential is performance - salespeople get paid based on their ability to hit and exceed quotas through revenue generation. With a sales career, you have a lot of control over earnings. My advice is to be metrics-driven and have a plan to intentionally grow your sales skills through training, mentors, and personal development. Build a reputation for consistent over-achievement. It's also important to do research and understand typical compensation benchmarks. Some may offer higher base pay, while others offer more earnings leverage through aggressive commission/bonus structures.
What Internet Sales Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kevin Buckley: Adaptability - The sales environment is evolving rapidly with changes in buyer expectations, technologies, and go-to-market strategies. Successful salespeople will need to be highly adaptable, comfortable with change, and able to quickly adjust their approach as needed. Those stuck in outdated methods will struggle. Digital Selling - The ability to effectively sell through digital channels and virtual interactions is now table stakes. Mastering skills like virtual presentations, video marketing, social selling, and leveraging sales technology tools will separate the top performers. Buyers expect a seamless, digitally-enabled experience. Business Acumen - More than ever, salespeople need the ability to position their products/services as strategic solutions that tangibly impact the client's key objectives, financial metrics, and business outcomes. Knowing how to speak the language of business strategy is crucial for consultative selling.
What will help Internet Sales Associates increase their earning potential?
Kevin Buckley: My top advice is to be a continuous learner, both about your company/products and about the sales profession itself. Sales is a skill that requires ongoing development through practice, coaching, and studying new techniques. Don't rest on what you learned in school - seek out mentors, training opportunities, and ways to keep enhancing your sales capabilities. I would also advise resilience and to view every 'no' as a step closer to 'yes.' Sales has its share of rejection. Have a positive attitude, persist through obstacles, and be a student of why buyers say no so that you can improve.
What general advice would you give to an Internet Sales Associate?
Dr. John Hansen: Regarding the third question, the only real way to maximize your salary in sales is to perform well against the success metrics in place in your role. Sales is, for the most part, an outcome-based profession, meaning that pay increases (or decreases) based on outcomes attained. Whatever the success metrics are in the position one is currently in, they will maximize their income to the extent that they perform well in relation to these success metrics.
What Internet Sales Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. John Hansen: As to the first question, I would suggest any new graduate beginning in sales understand themselves to better understand what type of role they will best fit to. There has been a growing increase in assessment tests in sales to ensure that sales people are being placed in roles they will flourish in. For example, some sales people are more oriented towards finding new customers, while others are more oriented towards managing existing relationships. To the extent that new salespeople can better understand what role they will fit best to, and then secure that role, they are more likely to be successful. Beyond that, there is no substitute for hard work - particularly as one begins their career.
What will help Internet Sales Associates increase their earning potential?
Dr. John Hansen: In terms of the second question, consultative selling has become critically important and will become even more important moving forward in the future. Gone are the days of salespeople simply being able to show up and pitch products while negotiating price. Today, instead, salespeople must be able to craft solutions in response to their customer’s problems. They must truly be consultative in their approach, guiding their customers through the purchasing process. To the extent that they can do this, they will be more successful in their careers.
What general advice would you give to an Internet Sales Associate?
Derrek Schartz: Be agile and able to adapt. Sales has changed more of the last 20 years than over the previous 100. It's not your father's sales career. Over the last several decades the role of sales in most organizations has changed dramatically.
What Internet Sales Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Derrek Schartz: To maximize your total income in sales one must always be learning and growing. Improving their knowledge, skills, and abilities particularly in light of the disruptions beginng to occur, such as AI, digitization, and others.
What will help Internet Sales Associates increase their earning potential?
Derrek Schartz: The future of sales will require a change to the knowledge, skills, and abilities of salespeople (KSAs). Knowledge is a very important part of what a salesperson needs to be effective.
C. Darren Brooks Ph.D.
Assistant Department Chair and Executive Director, Center for Human Resource ManagementFlorida State University
Department of Management and the Center for Human Resource Management
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Internet Sales Associates?
C. Darren Brooks Ph.D.: As jobs become more complex and require additional knowledge and skills, more advanced qualifications are becoming more the norm. However, this will largely be determined by the type of work a job prospect is seeking. Professional and technical positions often require advanced certifications, licenses, or degrees in certain areas such as a certified public accountant or a certified professional in human resources or a course in SQL. In order to be competitive in a post-pandemic job market, job seekers should research the field(s) of interest to understand what would be considered minimum requirements for a job to evaluate if they should invest in additional licensure or preparation.
What's a good job out of college for Internet Sales Associates?
Amy Rogan: There are any number of ways to break into journalism. There is no one true path. If a journalist is interested in television I recommend they look for assistant producer positions or assignment editor positions. Many people who think they want to be on-air talent figure out they really enjoy producing much better.
Digital content producer is another good way to work a journalist way into on-air television work. It's also a way to work into newspapers as they are now more digitally dependent.
Larger organizations have more specialty digital positions in research or digital analytics. But starting out in a small market allows you to learn a lot and work your way into bigger markets and responsibilities.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Internet Sales Associate job market given the pandemic?
Amy Rogan: Certainly, the coronavirus pandemic has had a major effect on all industries including journalism. I think the pandemic has changed how journalists conduct and record interviews and produce stories.
Technology was already allowing reporters to act more independently by allowing more mobile flexibility. I believe this is where the industry will continue to develop for digital reporters, including broadcast and print.
Trends in journalism include more interviews via video services such as Zoom, and finding ways to shoot interviews safely. As has happened a number of times in our industry, what's happening in the world affects the technology we develop and use. Whether it's covering a war from the front lines, or learning the best way to safely conduct an interview (via video call or in person) during a pandemic, the times have always influenced the technology in our business.
But journalists are also fighting an uphill battle to deal with a public that now sees the Fourth Estate as the enemy of the people.
Political leaders have had conflicting messages about the pandemic, which has made it difficult for journalists to report actual facts about a pandemic shrouded in secrecy. This in turn has made it difficult for the public to know who to trust for information about COVID-19.
Finding trusted resources over the last four years has been difficult for the general public. It is overwhelmed with a multitude of media outlets which makes the fight for media literacy increasingly difficult. So new journalists need to develop thick skin quickly, become even more tenacious in the pursuit of facts, and maintain strong ethics and commitment to accuracy to protect their reputation as a trusted news source.
Michael Grossman Ph.D.
Professor, Political Studies and International StudiesUniversity of Mount Union
Department of Political Science and International Studies
What will help Internet Sales Associates increase their earning potential?
Michael Grossman Ph.D.: It's all about practical knowledge. Employers are less interested in your major or the classes you take. They want to see that you can do the work they need you to do. So internships are important. Also employers want to see you can be trained and can think critically, write well, and speak well. So in this regard more liberal arts focused curriculum is important.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Internet Sales Associates?
Michael Grossman Ph.D.: It is less about licenses or courses and more about experiences. In this regard, internships are crucial.
What technical skills for an Internet Sales Associate stand out to employers?
Daniel Miller Ph.D.: As the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and other organizations have repeatedly found, students graduating with degrees in the liberal arts (the areas in which I teach and have competence) have the skills and capacities that employers desire (e.g., critical thinking skills, strong verbal and written communication skills, synthetic and analytical thinking skills, etc.). But the technical capacities necessary to communicate and used these skills will be more important than ever. I would anticipate that graduates will have to be comfortable moderating and running meetings on online platforms. They will have to know how to design and share presentations that are well-suited to online and remote platforms. They will have to be able to multi-task in presentations, tracking on-screen discussions as well as simultaneous chat options. Along with all of this, they have to have a greater awareness of creating online and virtual content that is accessible to all users. I would think that graduates who can communicate these skills to employers will be far better situated than those who cannot.
What's a day at work look like for an Internet Sales Associate?
Daniel Miller Ph.D.: One of the biggest things to understand is that there likely won't be a typical "day at work" post-Covid. That is, organizations will be all over the place with their organizations and structures following the pandemic. While some will likely seek to go back to their pre-Covid organizational and work models, many (maybe most?) will continue to incorporate elements of the structural changes imposed in response to Covid.
This means, in particular, the graduates are likely to encounter at least some positions in which remote working is a constitutive feature of their jobs. This will bring both costs and benefits to grads, and will provide both challenges and opportunities. Graduates will have to have familiarity with the technologies necessary for remote work, collaboration, and communication. Some will have the opportunity to work remotely full-time, or most of the time, which brings with it flexibility but also requires excellent individual time-management skills. The flexibility that comes with remote is also accompanied by the risk of "work creep," which we're all already familiar with from our mobile devices. The breakdown or softening of the boundaries of the traditional 9-5 workday brings with it the risk of increased after-hours and weekend video meetings, increases already-existing expectations that employees will check and respond to work-related emails in off hours, etc.
Many companies will likely also realize (or have already) that they can cut costs by shifting their employees to remote work options, which will be popular with many employees, for the reasons already noted, as well as others. However, I think one significant downside to this is that some costs traditionally incurred by businesses and other organizations will be passed on to employees. Employees will be increasingly responsible for providing adequate internet service, technical hardware, and suitable workspaces, which would traditionally have been provided by employers. I don't think most employers are going to suitably increase wages or otherwise subsidize these new costs passed on to employees (and will use the economic downturn associated with Covid as a reason not to), and many likely will not maintain IT departments or related resources to serve employees. Adding to all of these costs is the fact that, since the passage of the Republican tax bill in 2017, employees cannot deduct non-reimbursed business expenses on their personal taxes. Finally, shifts to increased remote work will continue to exacerbate and extend inequalities have come into stark relief during the Covid crisis, disproportionately affecting women, parents will children, and communities of color negatively.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Internet Sales Associates?
Cynthia Krom: Professional certifications matter. If your profession has a certification, you need to have that certification to be competitive in this new world. So, a public accountant needs to have a CPA, and a corporate accountant needs to have their CMA. A fraud examiner needs their CFE. Find out what is available in your profession and take whatever courses or exams are needed to be at the top of your game, because everyone else will.
We don't really know what will be happening with professional licenses with remote work. A psychotherapist may be licensed in New York, but remotely treating a client in New Mexico. Technically, they probably need a license in New Mexico. But who will control that? Will it just be the professional responsibility of the therapist to only practice where licensed? Will their malpractice insurance only cover them if the client is where they are licensed? What about a physician operating on someone a thousand miles away using robotics?
In terms of courses not related to professional certification or licensure, technology is where it is at. First and foremost, polish your Zoom skills. Zoom is now your face-to-face workplace and you need to be a pro. YouTube has great videos about lighting for Zoom, even with reflective eyeglasses. Perhaps your IT department is able to help with connectivity issues and learning remote technologies. And, as we have all recently seen, you need to learn how to turn off filters that make you look like a kitten! For nearly every field, you have to know Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) or similar programs. You need to know how to work collaboratively on projects through things like Google Drive. If you are not fluent in the basics, you are showing up for a horse race with a little pony.
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.
Associate Professor of MarketingCalifornia State University Channel Islands
Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics
What technical skills for an Internet Sales Associate stand out to employers?
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.: Our most recent survey with employers, really emphasize that technical skills are not the priority for most. Almost all mention communication and problem solving skills are the most desired, followed by critical thinking and professionalism. Given the nature of the digital economy, data literacy is one technical skill that would be relevant to almost anyone in the upcoming years. In certain areas learning automation (operations or marketing), and databases (SQL) would also benefit new graduates.
What's a good job out of college for Internet Sales Associates?
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.: I think a description of a "good" job opportunity is dependent on so many factors, almost all subjective. What I recommend my students usually, is that they try different things before graduation and find something that makes them feel a purpose other than (and in addition to) making ends meet. For this reason we started a program on our campus where students are hired to help non-profits and small businesses in our area of service. In this program, students get to gain and practice skills that can help them succeed in a corporate or freelance capacity. The students get to experiment without fear of losing a job and find what they would like their entry level positions to look like. While doing this they also help organizations and individuals who have the need but not the resources to get the services from professionals.
What technical skills for an Internet Sales Associate stand out to employers?
Linda Hajec: I think the basics are still important - the feedback from employers still says that they want to see excellent skills in Excel - but if we are talking about changes as a result of the pandemic, job candidates that can also show a comfort level with remote meeting software will feel more natural and less awkward going forward. If you are going to meet on Zoom, make sure you know where to find the features on the screen and if you need to, practice with someone who knows you are just needing to mess around with the settings.
The last thing you would want to do is accidentally exit your interview halfway through because you didn't know where the "share screen" button was. Being familiar with other online collaboration software such as Teams or GoogleDocs is important, too. Even companies that are not working 100% remote are finding great use for these kind of sites, even just to house documents such as policy manuals that they want to share with a group of employees. The fact that a group can work together an collaborate asynchronously is a reality that many companies had not faced before, so the employee needs to be prepared to remember to follow up on team projects instead of waiting for a meeting to see where everything stands.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Internet Sales Associate job market given the pandemic?
Linda Hajec: From the standpoint of the business student, I think the trend that will most significantly impact them is in the area of remote work. Certainly there are entire businesses and even industries that are being impacted either positively or negatively by changes in what people are able and willing to do as far as being in public places, so there will be a shift as come companies that used to have a strong annual recruiting pattern may scale back and other companies are scaling up to handle the shift in business. But the individual employee is likely to see a very big change in the recruiting process as well as the work environment, regardless of the sector they enter. Employers in many sectors have discovered that at least the early phases of recruiting, if not the entire recruiting process, can be done remotely. What this means to the applicant in the job market is that they may benefit from being able to complete more of their job search without having to leave home. But it also means that the traditional do's and don'ts of interviewing now have to include being aware of your bandwidth and background for an online interview, and thinking about looking at the camera on your computer instead of looking at the image of the person you are speaking with on the screen. The benefit is that students entering the job market used to juggle interview schedules between cities, missing classes, and sometimes became fatigued, so this approach to recruiting may make it easier to handle the whole process overall as long as the candidates can find a great place from which to hold their end of the conversation.
The other trend that I think job candidates need to be prepared for is remote onboarding. Students that were entering the workforce in 2019 were able to report to a location and go through the hiring process with human resources, meet people in various departments with whom they would be working, and perhaps shadow someone for a period of time. Co-workers tended to look out for the new hire and would check in on them as they passed by their work area. As many companies continue to have a partial or fully remote work environment, new employees will complete the hiring process remotely, and may spend their training period reading and learning more independently. I think this is going to really put pressure on students that perhaps have been hesitant to ask questions. New employees are going to have to keep the notebook by their side at all times and write down things they are not sure they understand so that when they have the opportunity to ask, they do. New hires should always have kept track of questions and asked them; but being remote will make this even more critical and perhaps even a little harder to do, so it's going to have to be a very conscious decision to make sure that happens. No one is going to schedule a Zoom meeting to say, "Hey, how's your first week going? Are you finding everything OK?" the same way they might have stopped at your desk on their way to lunch. New employees are going to have to make that happen for themselves.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Internet Sales Associate job market given the pandemic?
Sonya DiPalma Ph.D.: Companies will offer more remote positions as cost-savings benefits and work hour flexibility provide a win-win situation. The upside brings more employment opportunities since geography isn't a major factor, however the downside brings more competition for the same reasons. You will be expected to use the online collaboration tools selected by the organization, such as Trello, SharePoint, or Slack. We should see an uptick in hiring by tourism and travel companies as more people receive the COVID-19 vaccination and travel increases domestically and then internationally.
What soft skills should all Internet Sales Associates possess?
Sonya DiPalma Ph.D.: Be personable and a person someone wants to talk with and work with on a continuing basis. Listening and note-taking skills will be critical. Great employees listen well and ask good follow up questions. Be versatile and adaptable. If you find some downtime between projects, ask how you may help with another project.
What's a day at work look like for an Internet Sales Associate?
Sonya DiPalma Ph.D.: With more positions going partially or totally remote, you'll need to be self-disciplined and proactive. Doing the bare minimum will not get you by in either a remote or a traditional professional work environment. You can expect more flexibility with remote work hours. For instance, if you have small children or you're an early riser, then working early mornings starting at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. may be possible, or if you're a night owl, late evenings may be an option. But once your schedule is set, your hours are likely to stay this way for some time. You will be expected to log into a portal to clock-in, and some online collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams can notify your supervisor when you're dormant. In-person meetings will probably occur on a bi-weekly or monthly basis.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Internet Sales Associates?
Joseph Hancock: Graduates wanting to work in sales will be digital savvy and understand technology. It will be essential to have soft skills and personalize sales in a manner that will suit the current climate of potential distance buying. Your customers will be global citizens and anyone in sales will need to be one as well! Many students have not brushed up on their soft skills in the areas of customer service, they are too enthnocentric and have been raised by helicopter parents. New graduates need to think for themselves, understand they are working across cultures, generations and not everyone thinks like they do. My words of advice, stay current by reading about new methods of customer service and practice through role play. I think we have forgotten role play can be extremely important for feedback on how we can improve.
What's a day at work look like for an Internet Sales Associate?
Joseph Hancock: New graduates will need to be self-disciplined and self-motivated. No one is going to hold your hand and tell you "get to work" or you will soon be looking for a new job. The new world may be one where you don't go to an office, but instead work right from home, scheduling appointments and doing your own calendar. My last years working for Target in a regional field position taught me that no one was going to motivate me each day, I had to motivate myself. Also, it can be lonely working from home as a new graduate, so find outside interests and ways to make friends. I am from the old fashion ideologies that getting a hobby is extremely important, and that hobby is not going to the gym or watching television. It includes something that enriches your life to be a better person in society.