Online Merchants

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Business & Financial
• O*NET-SOC code: 13-1199
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• 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.
• Compose descriptions of merchandise for posting to online storefront, auction sites, or other shopping Web sites.
• Compose images of products, using video or still cameras, lighting equipment, props, or photo or video editing software.
• Upload digital media, such as photos, video, or scanned images to online storefront, auction sites, or other shopping Web sites.
• Calculate revenue, sales, and expenses, using financial accounting or spreadsheet software.

Tools and technology

AJAX, Adobe Photoshop, Apple macOS, C#, Extensible markup language XML, Facebook, Google Analytics, Hypertext markup language HTML, Intuit QuickBooks, JavaScript, Linux, Microsoft .NET Framework

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Product Marketing Managers
• Sales Managers
• Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
• Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
• Advertising Sales Agents
• Advertising and Promotions Managers
• Search Marketing Strategists
• Business Intelligence Analysts

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Online Merchants — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.