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Predictions about the expansion of ecommerce have exceeded expectations, with ecommerce sales in the U.S. tripling in the last five years.

With this comes a growth in the number of ecommerce managers worldwide, as well as in the average ecommerce manager salary. In other words, this is a great time to be an ecommerce manager.

To keep you in the loop, we’ve put together this ecommerce manager salary guide for 2023. It’s meant to help you—whether you’re looking for a new position in ecommerce management, considering moving into ecommerce from a different industry, or looking to hire a new ecommerce manager.

No matter why you’re here, you’ll find actionable ecommerce manager salary information and factors affecting ecommerce job salaries.

What Does an Ecommerce Manager Do?

Companies define ecommerce manager roles differently. An ecommerce manager may oversee all ecommerce operations or have a specialized role in a subset of ecommerce, such as marketing or product management. Companies may employ ecommerce managers for different specializations, as well as at different seniority levels, to cover a wide range of tasks and to allow for delegation between seniority levels.

Ecommerce managers are responsible for online traffic and sales. They manage the content and promotional activities of an ecommerce platform and are responsible for hitting conversion and retention goals.

Ecommerce managers may also be involved in ecommerce strategy and may have a hand in related departments such as marketing and sales.

Ecommerce Manager Salary Information

The ecommerce manager salary information below considers the U.S., Canada, and the UK. Data was compiled from Indeed, Talent.com, and ZipRecruiter. Data for some roles was unavailable, so we substituted it for data from equivalent roles and noted this. Average salaries for some positions are based on fewer salaries, which may cause inaccuracies.

Average ecommerce manager salary

While the average ecommerce manager salary is specific to those with the title of ecommerce manager, it can be relevant for all specializations within ecommerce management. This average also considers different levels of seniority and represents more of a mid-range salary. Senior ecommerce managers can make much more than what is listed here.

The U.S. has the highest ecommerce job salary, which is likely due to demand—the U.S. has a much higher population. This means more ecommerce companies and a greater need for ecommerce managers.

Entry-level ecommerce manager salary

Entry-level ecommerce jobs can include a lot of different roles and responsibilities. While entry-level ecommerce manager positions exist, starting in marketing, product development, or other supporting roles is more common.

The ecommerce manager salary numbers below reflect entry-level ecommerce management positions, so individuals in these roles likely started in a related role and moved up into ecommerce management. This means that “entry-level” is a bit of a misnomer. Also, as the data for Canada is based on limited salaries, this number may be inaccurate.

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Ecommerce marketing manager salary

The role of ecommerce marketing managers includes marketing strategy around ecommerce and content marketing, strategy implementation, ongoing monitoring and optimization, and success measurement.

As a more specialized position within ecommerce management, ecommerce marketing managers tend to have a higher average salary than the average ecommerce manager's salary. The data for Canada reflects the salary of marketing managers. We deemed this number applicable to ecommerce marketing managers because a similar level of experience and seniority is required. Both positions have a specialization in marketing as well.

Web marketing manager salary

Web marketing managers have a broader focus than ecommerce marketing managers. Their role includes responsibilities in overall online marketing, including ecommerce.

Web marketing managers are also involved in marketing strategy and campaign creation around a company’s website and other elements of its online presence, such as social media and email marketing. The U.S. again has the highest salary for this role due to a larger population and higher cost of living.

Ecommerce account manager salary

Ecommerce account managers function similarly to account managers, focusing on ecommerce. This requires a focus on maintaining online accounts and sales skills for moving new products and upselling to existing customers.

The data for Canada uses data for account managers. As, in general, account managers need to consider online and ecommerce accounts, whether their role is specific to ecommerce or not, we deemed this a similar equivalent of the role. These average salary ranges follow the above trend of the U.S. having the highest overall average.

Ecommerce product manager salary

Ecommerce product managers are product managers that specialize in ecommerce. They oversee the planning, development, and launch of products sold through ecommerce. Depending on the company, ecommerce product managers may also be involved in marketing or design.

As ecommerce product managers need to have experience in these areas, they tend to have a higher salary than ecommerce managers with less specialization. The data for Canada uses data for product managers, which is relevant to ecommerce product managers as the skills and experience required are similar.

Director of ecommerce salary

The role of a director of ecommerce focuses on strategy, including market segmentation and omnichannel marketing, as well as managing and assigning work to other ecommerce managers.

This role has some of the highest ecommerce manager salary numbers, reflecting the required years of experience. The data for Canada reflects directors in general. This is applicable even though there is variation in the responsibilities of directors, as all director positions require a high level of experience.

Ecommerce merchandiser salary

The responsibilities of ecommerce merchandisers can vary widely, ranging from warehousing and fulfilling orders to digital merchandising tasks such as categorizing products or UI/UX design.

Canada has a high average for this position, which could be due to more workers categorized as digital merchandisers. Other countries may use merchandisers as a catchall for both types of work. The data for Canada uses data from Vancouver, Canada, and this smaller sample size could explain the high average salary in Canada.

Ecommerce marketing specialist salary

Ecommerce marketing specialists support the ecommerce manager or marketing manager. They act as the go-to person for marketing in the ecommerce department. They tend to have a mid-level amount of knowledge and experience, which is reflected in their salary.

However, their salary tends to be lower than an ecommerce manager or an ecommerce marketing manager. The data for Canada is for senior marketing specialists, which explains the high average. This data applies to ecommerce marketing specialists, as ecommerce marketing specialists tend to be more senior due to their level of specialization.

Ecommerce project manager salary

Ecommerce project managers are another specialization within ecommerce management. Their role is that of a project manager, although the difference is managing ecommerce projects.

Project managers manage deadlines, team members, and ecommerce project planning. Their salary tends to be on the higher end of the scale, as they must have experience with project management and ecommerce and have the leadership skills to lead teams and complete projects.

Ecommerce operations manager salary

Ecommerce operations managers have similar roles to operations managers focusing on ecommerce operations. They are responsible for training individuals in the ecommerce department and creating ecommerce specific procedures.

As another specialization within ecommerce management, operations ecommerce managers tend to have higher salaries. The ecommerce manager salary for individuals specializing in operations is the highest in the U.S., likely due to the higher demand.

The data used for Canada is for operations managers rather than ecommerce operations managers. The data for the operations manager is relevant as both roles require a similar level of experience and training.

Factors Affecting Ecommerce Manager Salary

As noted, the numbers above are averages—there isn’t one number that applies to everyone. As with any position, various factors affect an ecommerce manager's salary, including location, the size of the company, education level, experience level, and whether they are certified.

Location

Location is one of the main factors affecting salary. The data above shows that the U.S. generally has higher salaries than other countries. Their higher population creates demand, whereas other countries don’t necessarily have this demand. Within the U.S., certain cities see higher salaries than the rest of the country.

For example, salaries tend to be higher in San Francisco, likely due to the large number and continued growth of tech companies in Silicon Valley. Another city with higher-than-average salaries is Seattle, which hosts several tech companies and Amazon’s headquarters.

A large corporation like Amazon creates salary competition with other companies in the city, driving up overall salaries.

Company size

There is a difference in salaries between small businesses and larger corporations. Larger companies have the resources and revenues to pay their ecommerce managers in the upper levels of the salary range.

Small businesses may have a tighter budget. However, there is a trade-off here as small businesses and start-ups have the flexibility to be more innovative and allow ecommerce managers to be more creative rather than tied up by hierarchy at larger companies.

That said, salary isn’t everything, and looking at the bigger picture, the company's size doesn’t matter as much as the quality of your time there.

Linda Bustos from Elastic Path weighed in on this topic:

Success as an ecommerce manager responsible for growth, sales, and customer retention is tough. You can have great skills and experience but lack the resources to build a team. Lack of technology budgets or approvals from other departments can also restrict how you market the digital channel against retail stores and channel partners (like authorized resellers of your brand). You might even have to compete with your company selling through Amazon.

Linda Bustos from Elastic Path

She explained that the size or type of company you work for impacts far more than your pay grade:

You may also be working for a company that views digital as an afterthought or that struggles with competitive differentiation. Picking the right company to work for is as important as having sharp skills and working hard.

Linda Bustos from Elastic Path

Education level

In general, more education leads to a higher salary. Ecommerce managers usually have a bachelor’s degree at a minimum, with many having a master’s degree. Degrees tend to be in business primarily but also may be in other areas, such as communications, psychology, or marketing.

Companies may value experience over education, or vice versa, so education equaling a higher salary is not a hard and fast rule. Still, the overall trend suggests a correlation between education and salary.

Experience level

As with any position, having more experience means a higher salary. Companies are willing to pay more when hiring an external candidate with more experience and pay internal employees more as they gain more experience and move up within the company. Either way, if you bide your time and learn as much as possible in every position you take, you can expect to start making salaries in the higher range.

Certifications

Companies hiring ecommerce managers will also look at whether or not a candidate is certified. Certifications can include diplomas and degrees from universities or colleges offering programs in ecommerce and online business management, as well as certificates from accredited online organizations. While certifications don’t impact salary much as some of the other factors listed, they can help you get a smaller bump. Companies also love to see that you are constantly updating your skill set to keep up with the ever-changing digital landscape.

Ecommerce Manager Salary Outlook

Ecommerce manager salaries will continue to grow as more companies adapt to ecommerce and integrate it into their business. Ecommerce manager salary shifts in different locations and education levels are expected, but the overall trend is up as more people flock towards online shopping.

Consider these numbers if you’re looking to get into ecommerce management or to change to a new position. You also might consider them when hiring a new ecommerce manager for your company.

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By Francois Marchand

Francois Marchand is The Ecomm Manager's content strategist and editor. He is passionate about helping and educating business leaders, ecommerce professionals, and digital marketers grow their skill sets to stay ahead of the competition. Francois holds a BA Specialization in Communication Studies & Journalism from Concordia University (Montreal, QC) and 20+ years of experience in ecommerce, marketing, traditional and digital media, and public relations, including The Vancouver Sun, National Post, CBC/Radio-Canada, Unbounce, and Vancouver Film School. He also hosts The Ecomm Manager Podcast, discussing ecommerce best practices, customer experience, branding, inventory management, shipping and delivery, and analytics with expert guests.