When I talk to new founders in the e-commerce space, the conversation about hiring an e-commerce manager almost always comes at the same inflection point: the founder is underwater. Their site needs constant tweaks, email flows are half-built, and nobody is owning the full customer buying journey. That’s where an e-commerce manager makes the biggest impact.
Most DTC brands rely on Shopify, but “set it and forget it” doesn’t cut it. Someone needs to measure daily KPIs:
A good manager monitors these like a trader watches stock tickers.
In the same way that you wouldn't walk into Walmart and expect to see items all over the ground, the layout of your store matters!
A good E-commerce Manager will help a store with a high sku count optimize the customer journey so that it's easy to find items on their nav bar, and easier to upsell products in their carts
Shipping delays, poor unboxing, confusing PDPs. Without someone accountable, customer issues pile up. The manager coordinates ops, CX, and marketing so the customer experience feels seamless
Whether it's vetting new 3PL's or launching a new collections page filter option, when you're scaling a brand you need someone who can handle everything. That's why we also see a lot of brand founders also look into hiring e-commerce marketing managers as an early hire and alternative to an e-commerce manager.
Conversion Rate Obsessed
They own the conversion rate on the store and are constantly using tools like Replo & Intelligems to improve
Shopify Fluency
Can build/QA landing pages, implement apps, and work with devs to fix issues fast.
Data-Driven
Knows GA4, Triple Whale, or Northbeam. Can answer: “What’s our blended MER last month and why did it shift?”
Project Management
They keep freelancers, agencies, and vendors aligned. Look for candidates who’ve managed pods of creatives, devs, and media buyers.
Scrappiness
The best ones don’t wait—they set up the test email in Klaviyo themselves instead of waiting three weeks on an agency.
Optional:
Retention
At a smaller scale, brands have their e-commerce managers own Klaviyo flows and marketing campaigns
Cx Management
At a smaller scale, brands have their e-commerce managers oversee gorgias and Customer support reps to handle FAQ's and keep a pulse on where things are breaking on the site.
Step 1: Define Outcomes, Not Just Tasks
Don’t post “looking for an e-commerce manager to manage Shopify.” Instead:
Step 2: Structured Interview Questions
Ask:
Reject anyone who can’t back answers with numbers.
Mid-level (2–4 years): $80K–$110K base, with bonus tied to revenue or KPIs.
Senior (5+ years, managing team): $120K–$160K+.
Equity is rare at <$50M brands, but retention bonuses tied to site growth can be a good incentive.
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