Ecommerce Manager

1. When a consumer wants to buy a certain product, he go to the website and selects the product he wants to buy.

2. Once the product is selected, the consumer transaction is moved to the online transaction server where he places an order.

3. The informations is exchanged over a secure channel through a private gateway to a processing network.

4. The networked banks accept or reject the transaction.

5. All this happens in just a matter of seconds.

6. eCommerce is a very secure due to the SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology.

The basic steps involved in becoming Commerce Enabled are:

☛ 1. Getting an Internet Merchant Bank Account

☛ 2. Web Hosting

☛ 3. Obtaining a Digital Certificate

☛ 4. Finding a Provider of Online Transactions

☛ 5. Creating or Purchasing a Shopping Cart Software

In order to identify and recruit the right talent, clients should be ready to articulate their key goals around e-commerce and determine how they align with the larger business goals. For example, how big is the e-commerce business expected to get? What are the multi-channel strategies (e.g., order online, return in stores; development of comprehensive CRM strategies to maximize customer loyalty and value)? What is the time frame for getting there? How much of an investment will it take to reach these goals? These strategy points are vital because the candidate who can build a business from scratch typically is very different from one able to triple an existing $50 million enterprise. An alternative candidate would be required to scale a $300 million business into a $1 billion enterprise. Building from scratch versus optimizing an existing business, or building large-scale, competitive capabilities requires very distinct skills and demands different talent.

Identifying these long-term objectives and strategies is one of the most important challenges for a company embarking on a talent search. For example, it’s becoming increasingly common for a company to consciously hire someone who is “too big” for its existing business with the knowledge that it is hiring a leader capable of handling its future size.

There is no one correct answer, but before beginning the search, it is important to consider how reporting lines will impact the qualified candidates’ perception of both the role and the organization’s commitment to the e-commerce initiative. Two likely expectations of candidates will be that P&L responsibility for e-commerce will come with the job and that the position will report directly to the CEO or president. Without these two conditions in place, it’s possible that some high-caliber candidates may opt out of the process.

This isn’t about ego on their part; having the e-commerce leader report directly into the same level of command as the head of retail and merchandising sends a clear message that the development of e-commerce is a company priority and that the candidate will be the business owner. This type of reporting ensures that the e-commerce leader will be directly involved in executive conversations and planning sessions that drive the direction of the company. It also indicates that e-commerce is a priority for the CEO and the board and broadcasts a message throughout the organization that the leadership team is embracing the channel. This is not to say this model is right for all organizations, but companies should give serious consideration to organizational structure in order to attract the right level of experienced leader. Another way to reassure candidates about the company’s commitment is to establish an on-call board member who can provide reassurance and answer questions about the e-commerce strategy during the final recruitment stages.

Web experience and a proven track record of scaling an e-commerce business, of course, constitute the foundation of any viable candidate. However, outstanding e-commerce general managers will possess several specific competencies and leadership traits:

They must be strategic in mindset. An ideal e-commerce candidate envisions long-term market potential and business opportunities, generates strategies for addressing future market scenarios, and positions the business to capitalize on them using innovative and analytical thinking. Strategic executives will be adept at employing research and customer data and drawing upon best practices to drive the business. The strategic leader also seeks out opportunities that are game-changing for the business.

They must have operational expertise. Strategic thinking is indispensable, but an e-commerce leader also must have an excellent track record of driving results. The ideal candidate cannot only project the vision and mission of the organization but needs to know how to turn it into viable plans. Personality traits that serve this role well are pragmatism and adaptability, and the candidate will possess the ability to focus and execute in a competitive and fast-paced environment. In addition, successful leaders in this field will make useful and sensible recommendations outside their area of expertise to their colleagues. The ideal candidate is one who accepts responsibility for results and expects the rest of the e-commerce team to follow suit. Successful operational leaders can balance the drive for business urgency with the ability to motivate, attract and retain strong talent that will form the backbone of a successful team.

They must be skilled at influencing colleagues and building relationships. This trait is critical for success in e-commerce, a unit that often requires strong partnerships with merchandising, marketing, technology and retail operations. Without effective and strong coalitions, e-commerce will not thrive. We’ve found that the most successful people in this realm possess both personal confidence and a willingness to listen to other ideas. They are tenacious but also have high emotional intelligence, traits that allow them to push the business forward while building consensus along the way.

☛ 1. The merchant submits a credit card transaction to the Payment Gateway on behalf of a customer via secure connection from a Web site, at retail, from a MOTO center or a wireless device.

☛ 2. Payment Gateway receives the secure transaction information and passes it via a secure connection to the Merchant Bank’s Processor.

☛ 3. The Merchant Bank’s Processor submits the transaction to the Credit Card Interchange (a network of financial entities that communicate to manage the processing, clearing, and settlement of credit card transactions).

☛ 4. The Credit Card Interchange routes the transaction to the customer’s Credit Card Issuer.

☛ 5. The Credit Card Issuer approves or declines the transaction based on the customer’s available funds and passes the transaction results, and if approved, the appropriate funds, back through the Credit Card Interchange.

☛ 6. The Credit Card Interchange relays the transaction results to the Merchant Bank’s Processor.

☛ 7. The Merchant Bank’s Processor relays the transaction results to Payment Gateway.

☛ 8. Payment Gateway stores the transaction results and sends them to the customer and/or the merchant. This communication process averages three seconds or less.

☛ 9. The Credit Card Interchange passes the appropriate funds for the transaction to the Merchant’s Bank, which then deposits funds into the merchant’s bank account. The funds are typically deposited into your primary bank account within two to four business days.

In an ideal world, a compensation model should be developed before an e-commerce search begins. From a basic planning standpoint, that is obvious. However, there is another, more critical reason. Compensation models that focus almost exclusively on increasing online sales can cause internal strife at the company. Since an online sale may come at the expense of a store sale, retail-side leaders may feel threatened by e-commerce initiatives in a battle over the customer. According to the 2009 State of Retailing Online report from Shop.org, companies have adjusted their management and incentive structures to better align the online division with the rest of the company and vice versa.

One important area to address will be assigning credit for in-store revenue generated online. Successful compensation models also may emphasize shared credit for revenue performance and multi-channel sales, as well as companywide strategies around buyer loyalty and customer satisfaction. Not only will a successful compensation model avoid debilitating, money-losing rivalries, but it will incentivize cooperation across business lines. When recruiting e-commerce talent, the candidate will inquire about how his or her bonus will be measured.

The new hire isn’t a good cultural fit. One of the most important competencies in an e-commerce leader is the ability to be a change agent but also mesh culturally within the organization. What will make a successful e-commerce leader is the ability to deftly navigate the existing culture while simultaneously executing the e-commerce strategy.

Under- or over-hiring. If an organization is going to go through the considerable effort of conducting a comprehensive search, it stands to reason that retaining the successful hire would be extremely desirable. This is why right-sizing the candidate for the opportunity is critically important. As laid out in No. 2, it’s important for organizations to thoroughly evaluate their needs so that they pick the right candidate.

No two e-commerce businesses are the same—success at one dot-com doesn’t necessarily translate to another. Generally speaking, evidence of past success does predict future success, but it’s important to know more than the broad strokes of a candidate’s experience. In order to make sure a candidate’s past will translate well to a new business, context is essential. For example, how big was the e-commerce business at the previous company upon arrival? Inquire about revenue and order volume because large revenue dollars can mask operational inefficiencies. This will help determine if the candidate has the required experience for a complex logistical environment.