IT staff earn more in retail

IT professionals might want to brush up on their e-commerce skills, as retailers are prepared to pay them 24 per cent more than they can earn in other sectors, according to a new report.

Recruitment firm ReThink said demand for e-commerce skills has doubled in the past year. It saw 564 e-commerce vacancies in the final quarter of 2010, compared to just 218 in the 2009 period.

ReThink said the daily rate for programme managers with e-commerce experience in the retail sector is now £850 per day. In other sectors, the daily rate for programme managers in other sectors is just £685. And retailers are paying similar premiums for business analysts and project managers.

High wages are the result of major retailers intensifying their online sales efforts, said Iain Blair, a director at ReThink.

“Retailers are now locked into bidding wars for candidates, which is creating a pay spiral,” he added.

Retailers such as John Lewis, Morrisons and Monsoon have all recently announced plans to enhance their online offerings. Troubled retailer Mothercare is also looking for internet sales to make up for the loss of over 200 stores that are due to close in the coming months.

Key projects for retailers include replacing their core e-commerce platforms and ensuring these integrate with their customer relationship management systems.

A recent report from Martec International, the retail consultancy, found that nearly one in five retailers were planning to replace their e-commerce platform within the next year.

“Retailers are keen to implement systems which provide a single view of their customer and their buying trends,” said ReThink’s Blair.

Elsewhere, a recent report from analyst firm Forrester Research said that retailers are also leading the way when it comes to investing in mobile and social technologies.