Employing Advice - Ecommerce Executive
Discussion
I run an e-commerce business with online & offline channels to retail and also trade. This year in particular has seen steady growth but it's starting to get a bit too much to handle. I have one full time employee and myself. For the past couple months I've been working day and night, almost non stop.
We're not in a position of letting customers down which is great obviously, but it does mean that we're struggling to get new products added, content added etc etc. We've got a lot of interesting things going on but not enough time to get it all actioned, we're starting to take longer than our suppliers/manufacturers would like.... I also see massive potential but if we can't get the products on and the content out there then it's just a vision!
We really need to employ someone else and I think we need an "e-commerce executive"
Basically I want someone who can:
Add New & Improve Existing Products
Create landing pages & content
Social Media & Content Marketing Creation
Offer advice and quotes on our products (not rocket science for someone a bit technically minded and willing)
Take Orders Over The Phone
Assist with packing/general duties if required (we're a small company)
Come up with their own strategies and ideas for execution (with bonus potential obviously)
After looking through Indeed in my area there are loads of similar rolls for £16000 - £25000 some with OTE earnings, the most similar one to what I'm looking for was £18,000 with OTE of £25,000
Now whilst I can't afford to pay a massive amount right now, I'm not naive to the fact that the right person can quite easily pay for themselves quickly, and the wrong person can be a complete waste no matter what level they are on (I know as I employed someone on this role a few months ago, soon after sacked!) but am I likely to get someone decent for £18,000 + OTE and if so how should I structure the bonus? We are on the South Coast so not London money!
We're growing quite quickly in an exciting field, we have a lot of exciting things on the go and the potential is huge.
For the right person this job role would easily grow into e-commerce manager. I eventually want someone running this side of the business.
I would appreciate any advice as I feel this is a really pivotal point and getting a good person in this role is essential. I don't want to mess it up like last time!
We're not in a position of letting customers down which is great obviously, but it does mean that we're struggling to get new products added, content added etc etc. We've got a lot of interesting things going on but not enough time to get it all actioned, we're starting to take longer than our suppliers/manufacturers would like.... I also see massive potential but if we can't get the products on and the content out there then it's just a vision!
We really need to employ someone else and I think we need an "e-commerce executive"
Basically I want someone who can:
Add New & Improve Existing Products
Create landing pages & content
Social Media & Content Marketing Creation
Offer advice and quotes on our products (not rocket science for someone a bit technically minded and willing)
Take Orders Over The Phone
Assist with packing/general duties if required (we're a small company)
Come up with their own strategies and ideas for execution (with bonus potential obviously)
After looking through Indeed in my area there are loads of similar rolls for £16000 - £25000 some with OTE earnings, the most similar one to what I'm looking for was £18,000 with OTE of £25,000
Now whilst I can't afford to pay a massive amount right now, I'm not naive to the fact that the right person can quite easily pay for themselves quickly, and the wrong person can be a complete waste no matter what level they are on (I know as I employed someone on this role a few months ago, soon after sacked!) but am I likely to get someone decent for £18,000 + OTE and if so how should I structure the bonus? We are on the South Coast so not London money!
We're growing quite quickly in an exciting field, we have a lot of exciting things on the go and the potential is huge.
For the right person this job role would easily grow into e-commerce manager. I eventually want someone running this side of the business.
I would appreciate any advice as I feel this is a really pivotal point and getting a good person in this role is essential. I don't want to mess it up like last time!
Look at uni schemes, speak to the chamber of commerce - speak to everyone DO NOT pay full % for this role until you have looked at all assisted programs (see my Oxford Grad for £90 a month thread) . If you cannot find anyone break the tasks down and its pretty easy finding home workers to draft new listings for you to tweak and upload, a good homeworker can put a few hundred on a shopify site a day, more if just tech text no drivel.
Avoid going to India for this despite the £1 a listing etc it will do your head in.
Avoid going to India for this despite the £1 a listing etc it will do your head in.
Its very difficult. That's a lot of work for someone to do, I think you might need 2 people tbh.
As for pay, generally speaking someone who can do everything you ask and to a good standard and be a self starter will want at least £25k PA maybe 30k, IMHO.
If you want to pay less its going to take more of your time to manage the person and in the end might not really be helping.
I have taken 3 e-commerce people on over the last few years at the lower end of the spectrum and you need to hold their hands, manage their time closely and deal with their mistakes.
I was paying £16k ish and taking people on with some experience and they were almost always gone after 3-4 months. They got bored, moved onto the next thing or just found it too much work. People don't like to start from the bottom these days, esp younger people IME.
I know someone who works mostly in e-commerce and he has a similar issue on a regular basis and has found to get good people its going to be a lot more expensive than you think as a 35 year old with 10 years xp will have kids, mortgage, baggage etc = money. Exceptions are always out there though I guess.
As for pay, generally speaking someone who can do everything you ask and to a good standard and be a self starter will want at least £25k PA maybe 30k, IMHO.
If you want to pay less its going to take more of your time to manage the person and in the end might not really be helping.
I have taken 3 e-commerce people on over the last few years at the lower end of the spectrum and you need to hold their hands, manage their time closely and deal with their mistakes.
I was paying £16k ish and taking people on with some experience and they were almost always gone after 3-4 months. They got bored, moved onto the next thing or just found it too much work. People don't like to start from the bottom these days, esp younger people IME.
I know someone who works mostly in e-commerce and he has a similar issue on a regular basis and has found to get good people its going to be a lot more expensive than you think as a 35 year old with 10 years xp will have kids, mortgage, baggage etc = money. Exceptions are always out there though I guess.
Vandenberg said:
The first three on your list I would send off shore, its dull donkey work.
I'd agree if it was just simply a case of copy and pasting descriptions and adding pictures, but a lot of our products have custom descriptions with good info, advice and guidance etc. If we just do what everyone else does then we'll struggle to compete.DSLiverpool said:
Look at uni schemes, speak to the chamber of commerce - speak to everyone DO NOT pay full % for this role until you have looked at all assisted programs (see my Oxford Grad for £90 a month thread) . If you cannot find anyone break the tasks down and its pretty easy finding home workers to draft new listings for you to tweak and upload, a good homeworker can put a few hundred on a shopify site a day, more if just tech text no drivel.
Avoid going to India for this despite the £1 a listing etc it will do your head in.
Thanks! I'll take a look at local unis and colleges to see what's available.Avoid going to India for this despite the £1 a listing etc it will do your head in.
Someone did suggest getting an apprentice in on a scheme, pretty easy to do but I was also warned that they are completely inexperienced and need their hand holding on everything.
I don't mind teaching, imparting knowledge etc but need someone who at least can pick things up quickly.
If you want someone for £18k then I'd pitch at ecommerce administrator, not exec. I was in the same position about 18 months ago, and hired someone who in the end needed a little hand holding, but was keen and able and picked things up quickly. Happy to answer any questions on PM, it's the industry I work in 
Vandenberg said:
The first three on your list I would send off shore, its dull donkey work.
Sorry but i disagree with that, there is no way i would trust anyone but my self or someone within the company who has a in depth knowledge of the products / company profile activity with any of that. I see hundreds of listings on my competitors web sites / eBay pages that are totally wrong. Duff information and the part in questions does not fit the description. IE listing a water radiator for a 1970 VW Beetle !
Same with social media, you can always tell who know there product they are talking about.
Gassing Station | Business | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff