Average compensation levels for several key job titles in e-commerce showed some decline between 2001 and this year, according to data just released from an annual survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting. For the most part, salaries either stayed about the same or dropped markedly. The position of e-commerce executive averaged $250,000 for the top jobs in retail and wholesale, for example, which is down from an average $254,000 last year.
Average compensation for e-commerce marketing directors dropped to $115,000 from $136,100 last year, while the job of top technical manager for e-commerce dropped from an average $152,400 to $108,100. The only job which gained significantly in compensation among those for which data were available both this year and for 2001 was e-commerce customer support manager, which shot up to an average $75,400 in 2002 from $48,000 last year.
Mercer does not speculate on reasons for either upward or downward trends, noting that its population sample of about 120 companies isn’t identical from year to year. It instead presents the data as an annual snapshot of the marketplace. However, beyond factors such as shifts in the sample population from year to year, this year’s drop-offs may well reflect general economic conditions. Mercer’s pay figures include annual bonuses as well as base compensation. While base pay may not drop from year to year, short-term incentives, tied to a company’s overall business performance, may be down in a struggling economy.
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