Do you know what an eCommerce virtual assistant does for an eCommerce business? This article will discuss how helpful an eCommerce virtual assistant can be for your business.
An eCommerce business can be rewarding; however, it demands much courage and time for the owner. However, there is a way to manage your online store more efficiently and cost-effectively by using this method. In particular, those just starting, such as startups or small businesses, should read this article.
What is a eCommerce virtual assistant?
An eCommerce virtual assistant is a professional who can perform various tasks to help manage and operate an online store. These tasks include product research, inventory management, customer service, marketing and advertising, and order fulfillment. The virtual assistant works remotely and via the internet to complete their tasks.Â
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Those already in business for a few years will understand the amount of time you need to invest. Therefore from handling the shipping orders, keeping the inventory and product listing up to date, checking customer reviews, doing your PR, managing your social media sites, managing promotions, too much more − the list sometimes seems endless.
However, all these manual tasks can distract you from what you should be doing – building your brand and producing or selecting great products people want to buy. More so, if your attention wanders, the strategic aspects of your company can start to slide. Anyway, let’s be honest; you will end up working harder, impacting your family relationships and overall wellness.
Successful entrepreneurs know the secret that you cannot do it alone. Indeed, you need to get help. Therefore, the smart choice is, therefore, to hire an eCommerce virtual assistant. Consequently, this is someone working remotely, handling all the admin work for you, therefore offering you more time to address the strategic aspects of your business.
A virtual eCommerce assistant can be sourced through an agency, or you can look for a freelancer. Therefore, eCommerce assistants work contractually: they are paid only for the work done and nothing more. Moreover, businesses can thus save a great deal by hiring such part-time staff.Â
Want to know what tasks can be assigned to a virtual eCommerce assistant?
Therefore, here is a list of nine such tasks that can be delegated to a virtual eCommerce assistant.
Seven tasks that you can allocate to an online virtual assistant
1. Order processing
Your online assistant can handle all order processing. As such, order processing facets comprise:
- Producing, printing, then handling shipping labels;
- Managing the shipment process;
- Organizing invoices;
- Transferring customer invoices to shipping companies or the facility.
2. Customer service and account management
It’s a well-known fact – if you have happy clients, you will have more business. Furthermore, your clients will spread the news about how great you are through word-of-mouth marketing. However, customer service can rob you of your time. An online eCommerce assistant with excellent communication skills can perform the following tasks for you:
- Deal with all customer queries, either telephonically, via email, or through your social media channels;
- Gather all the feedback and send it to be addressed by the right department;
- Set up automated responses for standard responses, keeping the messages updated;
- Aid your clients through the buying process;
- Analyze your client’s feedback to uncover any fake reviews damaging your brand. They will therefore ensure that you maintain a high-quality rating status;
- Keep your customers happy. The result is that satisfied customers will give you more business. In addition, as the process of customer service can demand much time, a virtual eCommerce assistant with good communications skills will be able to perform all account-management aspects.
3. Refunds, returns, as well as exchange management
Your eCommerce virtual assistants will be able to deal with returns. In addition, they will inform clients of your return policy. Furthermore, they will assist clients, making the return or exchange process smooth.
4. Inventory management
Your associate can also be tasked to control your inventory. This is vital for an effective eCommerce business – the online stock must be kept up to date. Also, any products marked as sold out are, in fact, a potential loss. Also, the assistant can deal with your suppliers to ensure that sufficient stock is supplied.
5. Examine your online store performance and research your competitors
Your internet marketing virtual assistant can task the following online store data: revenue generated, conversion tracking, daily website visitor numbers, average order value, and customer retention figures. In the end, this performance report is significant for your strategic thinking: it will indicate areas that can be improved.
That said, your virtual assistant can also research your competitors. Also, if you have insights into how and what your competitors are doing, you will be better positioned to stay ahead of them. And competitor research gives you that advantage.
6. Manage your digital marketing
An essential part of your marketing strategy or the potential success of your business is your digital marketing. Therefore, digital marketing is demanding on time, and there are many tricks only skilled eCommerce whiz kids will know. As such, your assistant will be skilled at managing the campaign and analyzing the outcomes of each campaign.
As eCommerce virtual assistants are skilled with SEO guidelines, they can update your website and ensure search engine optimization. Furthermore, this will mean that more people will be able to find your website.
The SEO techniques will be keeping the blog section up to date and arranging with guest bloggers or influencers to add fresh content to your site. Also, your aide can help with keyword research, optimize internal links, add more quality black links, ensure no broken links, conduct your PPC campaigns, and ensure that your website is the perfect reflection of your brand.
7. Brand manager
Your online aide can also act as your brand manager. Plus, your assistant will ensure that your brand is presented consistently across all platforms, from social media to website, to printed content such as inserts for your orders, fully aligned with the business brand identity. As such, this is why larger companies are so successful – they maintain a solid brand identity. Therefore with each message or mere sighting of your logo, your company’s values and mission are transferred.
To conclude about the top tasks, you could outsource to an eCommerce virtual assistantÂ
You may have an eCommerce business. Whether it is already established and you want to upscale or yet a startup, contact us at Aristo Sourcing. In fact, we have worked with various companies to make them successful by outsourcing their talent to virtual assistants.
More so, in this highly competitive market, time could mean you are falling behind and putting your company at risk for failure. Do not let that happen – we can supply the perfect online virtual assistant to match your needs. Meanwhile, you will have more time for complex strategical thinking, which will direct your business and brand to new levels of success.Â