The eCommerce Salary - is there parity in the industry?

When it comes to the eCommerce salary debate, it's a topic we have covered in our annual eCommerce salary survey. 

There are many factors that make up this important debate. It's not just about a potential gender pay gap, but also that all eCommerce professionals feel there are equal opportunities to be had. However, is everyone comfortable discussing salary, especially approaching the subject of a pay rise? 

In the blog, we will delve into our exclusive data to determine if professionals feel parity has been achieved or if there is still some work to be done!

eCommerce salaries by seniority and gender

In our annual eCommerce salary survey, we always share the industry average salary. This year, it reached £69,459. It got us thinking about the average salary not just for each seniority level, but for the people within each group. For example, are men earning more than women in more senior positions like the C-Suite? Let's see what we found...

As we can see, there is a noticeable gap as we move up the seniority ladder. It's interesting to note that while more male respondents were within the senior levels, there is still a gap in the junior to mid-level salaries despite more female respondents on this level. This could indicate that more women are entering the industry with a lower starting salary, which in turn does not increase quite as much as they climb the career ladder. Addressing these gaps requires comprehensive and sustained efforts from organisations to ensure that all employees, regardless of gender, are compensated fairly for their contributions.

To note: Our questionnaire included a diverse range of options for gender identities including non-binary, transgender, gender neutral and prefer not to say.

Promotions and pay rises - is anyone feeling overlooked?

While our 2023 questionnaire showed that 67% of eCommerce professionals were comfortable asking for a pay rise, we wanted to angle the question differently for our newest edition. Instead, we asked respondents if they ever felt overlooked for promotion or pay rise opportunities. Though professionals might be comfortable raising the subject, it doesn't always mean they will get the answer they were looking for.

While only 30% of our overall respondents answered that they do feel overlooked for promotions or pay raises, it's interesting to note that 56% of these respondents were female. This discrepancy suggests a significant gender disparity in perceptions of career advancement and compensation fairness. Though the eCommerce industry is considered modern and inclusive, it appears women still feel they face challenges. 

Do eCommerce professionals feel fairly compensated in comparison to other genders?

This is another new question for our 2024 report. It's simple - do some people feel they are not fairly paid because of their gender?

While 44% feel all is fair, the slight majority is not sure. Does this indicate a lack of transparency? Perhaps it shows there is a gap in trust between employees and management. Without access to comparative salary information or a clear understanding of the criteria used for compensation decisions, employees are left to speculate.

Moreover, this uncertainty highlights the potential for gender-based pay disparities to persist unchecked. If employees are unsure whether they are being paid fairly, it indicates that the systems in place to ensure pay equity might be inadequate or poorly communicated.

However, when we asked respondents directly if there was any gender disparity in certain areas of their business, a salary gap was not featured in the top 3 choices. It scored 21% overall. Stay tuned for more insights around this particular question coming very soon!

Want more eCommerce industry insights?

We will be focusing more on this topic in upcoming blogs. Want to discover the full range of data and insights? Simply click below to request a free copy!