E-commerce sales are projected to grow to 5.4 trillion US dollars in 2022. Subsequently, the market for e-Commerce manager candidates is strong. If you sell online and don’t have one already, you will soon find yourself needing one for your business as your revenue grows.  In this article we’ll look at the qualifications to look for when pursuing an e-Commerce Manager and we’ll go into detail on one of those skills: Conducting Market Research. And if you need help with e-Commerce fulfillment, give us a call at 718-238-2919. We have an entire division ready to fulfill your orders!

What is an e-Commerce Manager? Succinctly, e-Commerce managers are responsible for the online sales of the brand. They oversee the business’s website – particularly the marketing, advertising, content and selling elements. While they are not the programmers or developers of the site, they collaborate with others and possibly oversee these positions.

Job Responsibilities. Possibly the most important responsibility of the e-Commerce manager is the ability and know-how to conduct market research. The e-Commerce manager has to know their audience persona intimately in order to know what they need. There are some great tools for gathering Market Research, which we will discuss later in this article. First, let’s look at the qualifications of an e-Commerce manager.

Qualifications of an e-Commerce Manager

Identifying the skills needed in a position will help you decide if a candidate is qualified for the position.

SKILL	DESCRIPTION	PURPOSE
Market Research	Knowledge of how to collect data from your target audience	The goal is to uncover the needs or expected needs of your audience.
Web Design	Knowledge of web design, new trends and tools to engage the audience	To maintain a relevant, flourishing e-Commerce site.
Knowledge of e-Commerce platforms	Familiarity with e-Commerce platforms, no matter what platform the company is presently using.	Depending on your target marketing, different platforms have capabilities that will give your company an advantage.
Marketing Skills	Knowledge of SEO; social media, advertising on social media, conversion rates and analytics	Knowing how to optimize sites, familiarity with audiences on various social sites, understanding conversion rates and analytics are all important in getting the results desired.
Presentation Skills	The ability to succinctly and accurately describe/present a project	Presentations must accurately describe the outcomes and objectives, risks, budget, approval and monitoring process.
Digital Logistics Skills	General knowledge of various logistical tools to manage warehouse, transportation and inventory of goods.	Knowing what’s possible in these three key areas is key to organization and responsiveness.
Analyzation Skills	Knowledge of metrics and data-driven decision making	Drives profits and sales.

The Tools for Tools For Conducting Market Research.

The better your e-Commerce manager understands your customer, the more likely the business will attract, service and retain your customers. By gathering the right information on your audience, you will be able to position your products to fit the market better. The best market research tools help you understand market trends and what gaps there are in the market as you launch new products. The right tool can also help you create compelling content. And the best tools provide data that help you serve your customers better. The tools may differ for each market, each industry, but there are basic research tools every company should rely on for critical information. In this guide we’ve gathered these top-notch marketing tools.

Topnotch Market Research Tools

Market Research Tool	What It Does	Description	Pricing
SurveyMonkey	In-depth market research surveys	Create specific, targeted surveys to collect information and examine consumer preferences	Varies depending on the number of users and frequency of use
Qualtrics	Uncover details about your target audience	Provides market trends, sample audiences for surveying, helps you understand purchase behaviors	Not given; but demo can be requested
Statista	Statistical data analysis and visualization website	Collects market data for over 600 industries and makes them easy; provides global perspective	Three tiers of pricing based on single/corporate/ enterprise account
Typeform	Like SurveyMonkey, runs research surveys and builds feedback forms	Cloud-based feedback and survey creation tool; desktop, mobile and includes tools for data analysis	From free/month to more complex versions up to $70/month
Think with Google Research	A collection of tools to provide high level insights and statistics	Understand your market, uncover new trends, gain insights that will give you an advantage	Free
US Census Bureau	Resource for searching US Census data	Allows filtering by income, age, year and location; visualization of data allows user to see potential markets	Free
Nielsen IQ	Retail and consumer intelligence consultant to help you grow business	Collects consumer insights, identifies best distribution channels; access to forecast metrics	Pricing available upon request
Tableau	Business intelligence suite of products; allows connectivity to any data source	Data visualized for easy understanding; allows user to take complex data and glean insights into potential markets	Pricing varies from $12/month up to $70/month
Pew Research Center	Research for better understanding of target markets	In-depth and accurate data across many industries covering diverse topics from economic conditions to social media usage; allows filtering to granular data	Free

No matter the size or complexity of your business, there are marketing research tools to fit every need and every budget. E-commerce demands timely marketing research. And with the right e-Commerce manager, one with high-level skills, you will likely increase your sales and conversion rates.

If you sell online, CMS would like to discuss your business with you. We specialize in e-Commerce order fulfillment – and can take care of your needs – whether you’re a well-established business or a newer start-up. Our e-Commerce group, ShipLogx, can take care of your fulfillment needs. Nor does it matter what site you use to sell your own goods. ShipLogx.com offers e-Commerce Order Fulfillment tailored to your specific needs.