Online Merchants: Job Description
Conduct retail activities of businesses operating exclusively online. May perform duties such as preparing business strategies, buying merchandise, managing inventory, implementing marketing activities, fulfilling and shipping online orders, and balancing financial records.
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What Do Online Merchants Take On?
The core tasks performed by online merchants span:
- Fill customer orders by packaging sold items and documentation for direct shipping or by transferring orders to manufacturers or third-party distributors.
- Receive and process payments from customers, using electronic transaction services.
- Create, manage, or automate orders or invoices, using order management or invoicing software.
- Deliver e-mail confirmation of completed transactions and shipment.
- Correspond with online customers via electronic mail, telephone, or other electronic messaging to address questions or complaints about products, policies, or shipping methods.
- Purchase new or used items from online or physical sources for resale via retail or auction Web site.
- Determine and set product prices.
- Calculate purchase subtotals, taxes, and shipping costs for submission to customers.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful online merchants rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Online Merchants Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- E-Commerce Account Manager
- E-Commerce Administrator
- E-Commerce Analyst
- E-Commerce Assistant
- E-Commerce Associate
- E-Commerce Business Analyst
- E-Commerce Business Channel Specialist
- E-Commerce Clerk
How Many Online Merchants Are There?
There are about 615,492 online merchants working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +10.1% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Online Merchants
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $106,971 |
| Hourly median | $51.43 |
| 10th percentile | $65,123 |
| 25th percentile | $86,047 |
| 75th percentile | $127,895 |
| 90th percentile | $148,819 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Online Merchants Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $106,810 |
| Maryland | $100,740 |
| Alabama | $98,070 |
| Washington | $93,450 |
| Hawaii | $90,580 |
| Alaska | $90,150 |
| Colorado | $89,860 |
| Oklahoma | $89,170 |
| New Hampshire | $88,860 |
| New Jersey | $88,070 |
| Rhode Island | $86,880 |
| Massachusetts | $86,030 |
| Virginia | $85,800 |
| Arizona | $85,390 |
| New York | $84,310 |
| Connecticut | $84,170 |
| California | $83,820 |
| South Dakota | $82,900 |
| Guam | $82,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $81,340 |
| Kansas | $81,100 |
| Missouri | $81,060 |
| North Dakota | $80,200 |
| Utah | $79,790 |
| Texas | $79,540 |
| South Carolina | $79,190 |
| Iowa | $78,970 |
| Nebraska | $78,590 |
| Illinois | $77,980 |
| Florida | $77,930 |
| Michigan | $77,920 |
| Ohio | $77,710 |
| Minnesota | $77,340 |
| North Carolina | $77,090 |
| New Mexico | $76,490 |
| Georgia | $75,820 |
| Indiana | $75,800 |
| Kentucky | $75,800 |
| Mississippi | $74,990 |
| Idaho | $74,960 |
| Maine | $74,510 |
| Wyoming | $74,470 |
| Montana | $72,690 |
| Tennessee | $72,550 |
| Oregon | $72,370 |
| Vermont | $67,160 |
| Wisconsin | $66,600 |
| Nevada | $63,970 |
| Virgin Islands | $62,510 |
| Louisiana | $62,300 |
| West Virginia | $62,210 |
| Arkansas | $60,610 |
| Puerto Rico | $45,510 |
Where Online Merchants Earn the Most
Compensation for online merchants shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $92,280 | 15.3% | 2.46 |
| Rocky Mountains | $86,084 | 5.7% | 1.80 |
| Far Western US | $84,231 | 22.0% | 1.36 |
| New England | $83,073 | 3.1% | 0.73 |
| Southwest | $80,519 | 10.7% | 0.89 |
| Plains States | $79,575 | 5.3% | 0.83 |
| Southeast | $77,005 | 26.6% | 1.35 |
| Great Lakes | $76,365 | 10.4% | 0.79 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $131,610 | 2,210 |
| Huntsville, AL | AL | $120,910 | 3,130 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $106,680 | 13,710 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $104,000 | 77,770 |
| Gettysburg, PA | PA | $102,500 | 110 |
| Decatur, IL | IL | $101,950 | 400 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $101,420 | 34,600 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $100,610 | 2,310 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of online merchants are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 155,730 | $85,150 |
| Educational Services | 100,750 | $66,200 |
| Finance and Insurance | 76,760 | $83,480 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 71,430 | $68,010 |
| Manufacturing | 70,690 | $101,460 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 67,210 | $85,920 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 62,030 | $66,550 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 46,900 | $66,050 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: AJAX (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C# (hot technology)
- Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Data mining software: Google Analytics (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Hypertext markup language HTML (hot technology)
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: JavaScript (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: jQuery (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of online merchants reflects the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level online merchants positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Purchasing Managers (Primary-Long)
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products (Primary-Short)
- Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products (Supplemental)
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Search Marketing Strategists (Primary-Long)
- Business Intelligence Analysts (Primary-Long)
- Counter and Rental Clerks (Supplemental)
- Retail Salespersons (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Aspiring online merchants often complete programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
5 programs across 4 majors
- Business Administration & Management
- International Business
- Hospitality Management
- Business Support & Assistance
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-1199.06 (Business Operations Specialists, All Other).
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