Occupations · Business and Financial Operations

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.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 13-1199.06

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

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.
Design customer interface of online storefront, using web programming or e-commerce software.
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.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Reading Comprehension3.6

Active Listening3.5

Speaking3.5

Critical Thinking3.5

Writing3.4

Monitoring3.1

Mathematics3.0

Active Learning2.9

Learning Strategies2.4

Science1.2

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

AJAX●Adobe Photoshop●Apple macOS●C#●Extensible markup language XML●Facebook●Google Analytics●Hypertext markup language HTML●Intuit QuickBooks●JavaScript●Linux●Microsoft .NET Framework●Microsoft Access●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Project●Microsoft SQL Server●Microsoft Visio●Microsoft Visual Studio●Microsoft Windows●Microsoft Word●MySQL●Oracle Java●PHP●Structured query language SQL●WordPress●

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

4 / 5Considerable preparation — a four-year degree plus several years in the field.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets−1.9 below average

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls−1.2 below average

Exposed to Contaminants−1.2 below average

Spend Time Sitting+1.1 above average

E-Mail+1.0 above average

Spend Time Standing−1.0 below average

Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions−0.9 below average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2014-07

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

Bachelor's Degree41%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)33%

Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)12%

Some College Courses9%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2014-07

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Conventional6.0

Enterprising5.8

Realistic2.4

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Persuasion3.4

Service Orientation3.4

Judgment and Decision Making3.2

Negotiation3.1

Social Perceptiveness3.1

Complex Problem Solving3.0

Coordination3.0

Management of Financial Resources2.9

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

English LanguageSales and MarketingCustomer and Personal ServiceCommunications and MediaAdministration and ManagementComputers and Electronics

Abilities it leans on

Written ComprehensionProblem SensitivityWritten ExpressionOral ExpressionSpeech ClarityNear Vision

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

E-tailerE-MerchantWeb RetailerMerchandiserWeb MerchantSales AssociateOnline MerchantOnline RetailerE-Commerce ClerkPersonal ShopperInternet MerchantInternet RetailerE-Commerce ManagerE-Commerce Analyst

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 3 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 37

+Adobe Dreamweaver+JamBoard+ProPay payment processing software+Extensible markup language XML+Microsoft SQL Server+Square+Microsoft Windows+PHP+Linux+Shopify software+IBM Digital Analytics+AJAX+Apple macOS+Bing for Power BI

No longer listed 7

−Magento software−Kagi software−Google AdWords−Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver−ProPay software−Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop software−Intuit Merchant Services software

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

E-tailerE-MerchantWeb RetailerWeb MerchantMerchandiserSales AssociateOnline MerchantOnline RetailerPersonal ShopperE-Commerce ClerkInternet RetailerInternet Merchant

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
eBusiness manager	2431.10.2	exact
online sales channel manager	1221.3.2.1.4	broader
wholesale merchant in computers, computer peripheral equipment and software	3324.4.8	broader
online marketer	2431.10.4	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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