Career Details
Career Details
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Career Details
13-1199.06 - Online Merchants
13-1199.06 - Online Merchants
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.
Key Facts

Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
998,000
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
1,046,000
Estimate
Change in Employment
+48,000
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+4.8%
Estimate
Tasks

Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
- Upload digital media, such as photos, video, or scanned images to online storefront, auction sites, or other shopping Web sites.
- Order or purchase merchandise to maintain optimal inventory levels.
- Maintain inventory of shipping supplies, such as boxes, labels, tape, bubble wrap, loose packing materials, or tape guns.
- Determine and set product prices.
- Disclose merchant information and terms and policies of transactions in online or offline materials.
- Deliver e-mail confirmation of completed transactions and shipment.
- Create, manage, or automate orders or invoices, using order management or invoicing software.
- Create or maintain database of customer accounts.
- Collaborate with search engine shopping specialists to place marketing content in desired online locations.
- Cancel orders based on customer requests or inventory or delivery problems.
- Promote products in online communities through weblog or discussion-forum postings, e-mail marketing programs, or online advertising.
- Fill customer orders by packaging sold items and documentation for direct shipping or by transferring orders to manufacturers or third-party distributors.
- Measure and analyze Web site usage data to maximize search engine returns or refine customer interfaces.
- Investigate products or markets to determine areas for opportunity or viability for merchandising specific products, using online or offline sources.
- Develop or revise business plans for online business, emphasizing factors such as product line, pricing, inventory, or marketing strategy.
- Determine location for product listings to maximize exposure to online traffic.
- Correspond with online customers via electronic mail, telephone, or other electronic messaging to address questions or complaints about products, policies, or shipping methods.
- Compose images of products, using video or still cameras, lighting equipment, props, or photo or video editing software.
- Calculate purchase subtotals, taxes, and shipping costs for submission to customers.
- Receive and process payments from customers, using electronic transaction services.
- Prepare or organize online storefront marketing material, including product descriptions or subject lines, optimizing content to search engine criteria.
- Purchase new or used items from online or physical sources for resale via retail or auction Web site.
- Compose descriptions of merchandise for posting to online storefront, auction sites, or other shopping Web sites.
- Calculate revenue, sales, and expenses, using financial accounting or spreadsheet software.
Supplemental
- Participate in online forums or conferences to stay abreast of online retailing trends, techniques, or security threats.
- Integrate online retailing strategy with physical or catalogue retailing operations.
- Create or distribute offline promotional material, such as brochures, pamphlets, business cards, stationary, or signage.
- Transfer digital media, such as music, video, or software, to customers via the Internet.
- Select and purchase technical web services, such as web hosting services, online merchant accounts, shopping cart software, payment gateway software, or spyware.
- Investigate sources, such as auctions, estate sales, liquidators, wholesalers, or trade shows for new items, used items, or collectibles.
- Initiate online auctions through auction hosting sites or auction management software.
- Implement security practices to preserve assets, minimize liabilities, or ensure customer privacy, using parallel servers, hardware redundancy, fail-safe technology, information encryption, or firewalls.
- Devise, select, or purchase domain name and web address.
- Design customer interface of online storefront, using web programming or e-commerce software.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge

Knowledge
The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools

Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology

Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications

Licensing

Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs

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