A rise in online shopping throughout the pandemic led to an increase in hires in both the e-commerce and social commerce spaces, according to GlobalData. The leading data and analytics company noted that the number of ecommerce jobs open for recruitment grew from 28,933 in September 2020 to 80,890 in September 2021 – a huge 180%. Meanwhile, social commerce positions increased from 39 in September 2020 to around 240 in September 2021.

Ajay Thalluri, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Social commerce channels and networking websites are fast becoming an integral part of companies’ direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategies. In the last year, there has been a five-fold increase in hiring for specialists in social commerce. GlobalData’s Job Analytics database observes that big names such as Visa, Adidas, Apple, Visa and Flipkart are all seeking candidates with these skills”.

Thalluri identifies some key demonstrations of companies that have been hiring ecommerce and social commerce positions:

• An August 2021 role for ‘Senior Manager – Digital Strategic Partnerships’ shows that Visa is driving strategic partnerships with top social commerce platforms such as TikTok, Snap, Twitter, Pinterest, Twitch and Clubhouse to power secure global money movement across social platforms.
• Meanwhile Adidas is amplifying its presence on social commerce in China, its biggest and most profitable market, for the next stage of DTC-led growth. The ‘Senior Director Digital Transformation & Head Office’ role shows that Adidas is accelerating its digital expertise and offerings in China through JD.com and Alibaba. The company listed the majority of its jobs in China, Germany and the US in 2021*, according to GlobalData’s Job Analytics database.
• Another example can be seen with Bausch and Lomb, which is developing and implementing social commerce and cross-border strategies to grow its contact lens brand’s sales and online presence – as shown by a role for Senior Manager, eCommerce Customer Development. Meanwhile, L’Oreal is another company that is developing influencer commerce strategy and pool of influencers for leveraging social commerce.
• Flipkart’s affiliate Myntra Designs set up social commerce as an independent business vertical and is increasing listings for the team. The company created over 10,000 content assets to build a social proof shopping experience and complement the traditional individualized shopping, a September 2021 role for ‘Deputy Director & Head Category Management – Social Commerce’ shows. Additionally, its parent company Walmart listed 32 roles in 2021* to lead its social commerce strategy across Walmart’s social media platforms.
• Tech giant Apple is creating consistent brand experience in the digital world, on partner’s websites, global marketplaces, and on social commerce platforms across regions, including Middle East, Australia, Brazil, and Switzerland. The company listed multiple roles for ecommerce specialists, digital channel managers, and digital channel specialists that require experience in social commerce. Amazon.com Inc categorizes social commerce and shopping as entertainment as high growth area. ‘Head of Product, Inspirational Shopping’ role shows the company’s plans for social commerce that include leading investment decisions and creating a roadmap to scale shopping programs.

*Data updated to September 24, 2021.