eCommerce Recruitment FAQs

At Cranberry Panda, we’ve spent over a decade working with some of the UK’s most exciting eCommerce brands, from household names to fast-growth start-ups. One thing we’ve learned? Every business has different recruitment needs… and lots of questions.

So, we’re answering some of the most common queries we hear from clients, with honest advice and plenty of panda personality. Let’s dive in…

What types of eCommerce roles do you hire for?

From digital marketing to product and CRM, our pandas specialise in the full eCommerce ecosystem. Here’s just a taste of what we cover:

• eCommerce & digital leadership
• CRM & email marketing
• Performance marketing (PPC, Paid Social, SEO)
• Merchandising & trading
• Analytics & CRO
• UX, UI & product
• Contract & freelance specialists
• Executive search for senior digital talent

We partner with B2C brands, agencies, D2C disruptors and high-street retailers. Whether you need one superstar or want to build an entire team, we’ve got the network and knowledge to make it happen.

Should I choose permanent, contract or retained search recruitment?

Each hiring route has its advantages, and we offer all three.

• Permanent Recruitment: Ideal for growing your long-term team with future-focused talent.
• Contract & Freelance: Great for short-term projects, peak seasons or digital transformation. We can often place a contractor within 24–48 hours.
• Retained & Exclusive Search: If you're hiring for senior leadership or niche roles, our retained service gives you a dedicated panda, market mapping, competitor insight and a bespoke shortlist. Exclusive partnerships often lead to faster, more successful outcomes.

As our company presentation highlights, our clients benefit from a 90% placement success rate on exclusive roles and a faster average time-to-hire compared to multi-agency briefs. It’s a true partnership.

How long does it take to hire through Cranberry Panda?

It depends on the role and level. For contractors and freelancers, we can usually present qualified candidates within 24–48 hours. For permanent and retained roles, we’ll agree on a clear timeline upfront, often with first interviews within two weeks.

We take engagement seriously, too. Your panda consultant will manage candidate relationships, expectations and communications every step of the way so you don’t lose out on top talent.

Can you help with writing job specs or benchmarking salaries?

Absolutely. Writing a great job spec and offering the right salary are crucial steps in securing great talent. We’ll help you:

• Define role responsibilities
• Align expectations with market conditions
• Benchmark salaries using real-time candidate feedback
• Create job descriptions that excite the right people

Don’t forget to download our latest eCommerce salary survey for insights on compensation trends, hiring sentiment and must-have benefits in eCommerce.

Why work with Cranberry Panda over another recruitment agency?

We’re not just recruiters, we’re eCommerce enthusiasts. What sets us apart:

• Over 13 years in digital & eCommerce
• Specialist consultants across marketing, CRM, trading, and product
• Personalised support from brief to placement
• An honest, human, and friendly approach
• A highly engaged talent network (and pandas who care!)

Our mission is simple: to make digital hiring more human. We listen, we collaborate and we genuinely love what we do.

What’s the benefit of working exclusively with Cranberry Panda?

Working with us exclusively means we can dive deeper, move faster, and focus entirely on getting it right without distractions. Exclusive briefs allow us to:

• Provide enhanced candidate engagement
• Position your brand as a top choice in the market
• Coordinate a clear, efficient hiring timeline
• Protect your brand integrity in the market
• Deliver better quality, not just quantity
  

Exclusive roles are filled faster and more successfully. It’s a win-win.

Can you help us hire remotely or across international markets?

Yes! Remote work has reshaped the talent landscape, and we’ve helped many clients tap into fully remote or hybrid candidates, as well as global hires in key markets like the US, Europe, and Australia.

We’ll guide you through the practicalities and expectations for location-flexible roles, ensuring your company remains competitive in a global talent pool.

How does your contract recruitment service work?

eCommerce Contract and freelance recruitment is perfect for short-term support, project work or sudden gaps in your team. Our contract team has placed talent across:

• Email and CRM migration
• Website redesign projects
• Performance marketing campaigns
• Interim eCommerce trading cover
• UX and CRO testing phases

We have a trusted, pre-vetted network ready to go and we’ll manage onboarding, availability and market rates to make the process smooth and speedy.

Do you help eCommerce start-ups hire their first few team members?

We love working with ambitious start-ups and scale-ups. Whether you’re looking for your first performance marketer or a hands-on head of eCommerce, we’ll help you build a team that aligns with your brand values, growth goals, and budget.

With our flexible terms and honest advice, we make it easy for smaller businesses to access top talent and hire with confidence.

What if I’m not sure what I need yet?

No problem. Many of our clients start with a quick chat to discuss where they’re at. Whether you're scoping out a team restructure, weighing up perm vs. contract or exploring leadership gaps, we're here to advise.

We don’t do pushy sales or off-the-shelf recruitment. Just honest, tailored guidance to help you shape your eCommerce dream team.

Ready to hire?

Whether you’re recruiting now or planning ahead, Cranberry Panda is here to support you. Drop us a message, send over a job brief or browse our client hub to learn more about how we can help.