People Team AI Ask about a date

How exposed to AI is a Online Merchant?

Of the 34 tasks O*NET lists for online merchants, 11 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 6 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Online Services Manager
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
34
tasks rated for this occupation
41%
hold a degree, from a survey of 22
1030k
people do this job in the US
24 of 48
least protected in business and finance

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

11
  • 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
  • Cancel orders based on customer requests or inventory or delivery problems
  • Create or maintain database of customer accounts
  • Promote products in online communities through weblog or discussion-forum postings, e-mail marketing programs, or online advertising
  • Collaborate with search engine shopping specialists to place marketing content in desired online locations
  • Disclose merchant information and terms and policies of transactions in online or offline materials
  • Transfer digital media, such as music, video, or software, to customers via the Internet
  • Devise, select, or purchase domain name and web address
  • Initiate online auctions through auction hosting sites or auction management software
  • Integrate online retailing strategy with physical or catalogue retailing operations

Only with software built on top

17
  • Fill customer orders by packaging sold items and documentation for direct shipping or by transferring orders to manufacturers or third-party distributors
  • Create, manage, or automate orders or invoices, using order management or invoicing software
  • 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
  • Calculate revenue, sales, and expenses, using financial accounting or spreadsheet software
  • Prepare or organize online storefront marketing material, including product descriptions or subject lines, optimizing content to search engine criteria
  • Determine location for product listings to maximize exposure to online traffic
  • Investigate products or markets to determine areas for opportunity or viability for merchandising specific products, using online or offline sources
  • Measure and analyze Web site usage data to maximize search engine returns or refine customer interfaces
  • Develop or revise business plans for online business, emphasizing factors such as product line, pricing, inventory, or marketing strategy
  • Design customer interface of online storefront, using web programming or e-commerce software
  • Implement security practices to preserve assets, minimize liabilities, or ensure customer privacy, using parallel servers, hardware redundancy, fail-safe technology, information encryption, or firewalls
  • Investigate sources, such as auctions, estate sales, liquidators, wholesalers, or trade shows for new items, used items, or collectibles
  • Participate in online forums or conferences to stay abreast of online retailing trends, techniques, or security threats
  • Create or distribute offline promotional material, such as brochures, pamphlets, business cards, stationary, or signage

Cannot be sped up

6
  • Receive and process payments from customers, using electronic transaction services
  • Purchase new or used items from online or physical sources for resale via retail or auction Web site
  • Determine and set product prices
  • Order or purchase merchandise to maintain optimal inventory levels
  • Maintain inventory of shipping supplies, such as boxes, labels, tape, bubble wrap, loose packing materials, or tape guns
  • Select and purchase technical web services, such as web hosting services, online merchant accounts, shopping cart software, payment gateway software, or spyware
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.