Demand for e-commerce skills spikes 158% as retailers expand multi-channel services

Retail sector demand for IT professionals with e-commerce skills has more than doubled in the past year.

Recruitment firm, ReThink Recruitment, received 564 requests for candidates with e-commerce skills in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to 218 in the same quarter in 2009.

Iain Blair, director at ReThink Recruitment, believes retail competition to provide multi-channel online, mobile and home delivery customer services has increased demand and pushed up pay-rates for IT professionals with e-commerce skills and experience.

"IT specialists with e-commerce experience are now commanding up to a 24% pay premium over colleagues in equivalent roles in other sectors," Iain Blair said.

The daily rate for programme managers with e-commerce experience in the retail sector is now around £850 a day, compared to £685 a day for programme managers working in other industry sectors, said ReThink Recruitment.

ReThink believes business analysts and project managers can also demand similar rates in the retail sector.

"E-commerce and financial sector IT skills command the highest salaries," said Blair.

The increase in demand in IT skills has been driven by retailers such as Waitrose, John Lewis and Morrisons. The retailers plan to expand home delivery activities and require an influx of e-commerce IT skills.

According a recent report by Martec, 19% of retailers are planning to replace e-commerce platforms in the coming year. The report claims 5% of retailers will implement an e-commerce platform for the first time, including the introduction of customer management systems (CRM) systems.