Category: Amazon / Marketplaces

A look at how compensation expectations are shifting in the Amazon hiring market

Over the past few years, I’ve had countless conversations with hiring managers, founders and Amazon professionals about one recurring theme: salary expectations versus commercial accountability. It’s a topic that sparks genuine debate, and I think it deserves a balanced, honest exploration.

The Salary Surge: What Happened Between 2020 and 2023

Between 2020 and 2023, Amazon became mission-critical for brands across the board. Whether you were running a D2C business, leading an aggregator portfolio, or managing an Amazon-first brand, the platform moved from “nice to have” to “essential revenue driver” almost overnight.

The result? Demand for Amazon talent surged, competition for experienced hires intensified, and salaries rose sharply, particularly at mid to senior level.

Fast forward to today, and the landscape looks different. With increased margin pressure and more disciplined financial oversight, leadership teams are reassessing return on investment when it comes to senior hires.

The compensation conversation has shifted. It’s no longer simply about platform experience. It’s about measurable commercial impact.

Not All Amazon Experience Equals Full Commercial Ownership

Here’s something I’ve observed repeatedly: many Amazon professionals have genuinely strong channel exposure. They’ve managed PPC campaigns, optimised catalogues, led international expansion projects, and delivered impressive revenue growth.

However, fewer roles have historically included:

• Full P&L accountability
• Margin ownership and profitability targets
• Inventory and supply chain influence
• Cross-functional commercial decision-making

This isn’t a criticism of individuals. In most cases, it’s simply a structural limitation of the role itself. Many Amazon positions were designed around channel execution rather than end-to-end commercial leadership.

The challenge arises when salaries move into senior brackets. At that level, expectations around commercial literacy and ownership increase accordingly, and rightly so.

Is This a Skill Gap or an Exposure Gap?

I’ve heard several leaders question whether there’s a skill gap at current salary levels. My honest take? The issue is often more nuanced than that.

The reality may be that professionals are being paid at a senior level before being given true end-to-end ownership. They’ve not had the opportunity to demonstrate margin impact or make the kind of commercial decisions that justify senior compensation, simply because their previous roles didn’t allow for it.

At the same time, brands are becoming more financially disciplined and outcome-driven. They’re asking harder questions about what they’re getting for their investment in senior Amazon hires.

This creates a mismatch that benefits no one.

What This Means for Amazon Professionals and Hiring Leaders

For Amazon professionals, the path forward is clear: those who can demonstrate margin impact, profitability improvements and genuine commercial decision-making will continue to command strong compensation. The market still values this expertise highly.

For hiring leaders, it’s worth reflecting on whether the roles you’re creating genuinely offer the commercial ownership you’re expecting. If you’re hiring at a senior salary but limiting the scope of responsibility, you may be setting both parties up for frustration.

The Real Question

Rather than asking, “Are Amazon professionals being paid too much?” I think the more constructive question is:

Are salaries aligned with measurable commercial ownership, on both sides of the table?

It’s a question that invites honest reflection from candidates and clients alike.

I have spent the last four months speaking with e-commerce leaders and senior candidates daily. One trend stands out: there is a significant shortage of quality talent across almost every pocket of the Amazon ecosystem. As client side brands look to grow, the traditional preference for hiring purely from other in-house teams is shifting as the market becomes more bouyant.

Every day, I am seeing more Heads of Amazon, D2C and e-commerce directors look toward agencies to find their next mid – senior hires. Agencies have become incubators for the exact type of talent that fast-growing brands need right now as pace & agility become premium requirements in the current market.

The Breadth of Agency Experience

The primary reason I see brands “fishing” from agencies is the sheer amount of exposure these candidates have. An in-house hire often wins on depth & tangible results: they know one brand, one catalogue, and one set of internal processes inside out. This works well when a business is stable and every task is clearly defined and candidates can point to end to end ownership of results.

However, agency talent brings a different set of skills:

• Multiple Categories: An agency account manager might look after beauty, electronics, and FMCG brands simultaneously. They understand how different algorithms and consumer behaviours affect various sectors.
• Speed of Growth: Brands today want to scale quickly. Agency professionals are used to high-pressure environments where they must deliver results for several clients at once.
• End-to-End Ownership: In many AMZ agencies, Account Managers and Client Directors own the entire brand relationship. They handle everything from strategy to execution.

Hire direct from Amazon?

I often hear from clients that candidates coming directly from Amazon can sometimes feel more like project managers than hands-on operators – they can run a great process which fits businesses with great structure. While they understand the internal workings of the platform, they may lack the “scrappy” execution skills required by a D2C brand – the vast majority of these have minimal structure and need talent who work with ambiguity (or chaos depending on the time of year!)

In contrast, performance marketers and account leads in agencies are usually in the weeds of the data every day. For a D2C brand that views itself as agile and fast-moving, the agency mindset often feels like a more natural fit than the more “polished” approach of a Blue Chip or Amazon corporate hire.

The Reality of the Move In-house

While the move from an agency to a brand is popular, it does come with specific challenges that I discuss with candidates regularly.

1. Salary Adjustments: It is common for candidates to sacrifice a portion of their base salary or bonus structure when moving from a high-level agency role to an in-house position. The trade-off is usually more focus and a closer connection to the product.
2. Cultural Shifts: Moving from a fast-paced agency to a brand requires a change in pace. You move from managing ten brands to being responsible for the long-term health of just one.
3. Depth of Focus: For those who enjoy the variety of agency life, moving in-house can feel restrictive. I advise candidates to ensure the brand they join has a large enough catalogue or ambitious enough expansion plans to keep them engaged. They will face different challenges and need to recognise that they will be sacrificing some of the exhilarating highs agency life can offer.

Finding the Right Fit

The talent landscape is changing. Agencies are no longer just service providers; they are training grounds for the next generation of e-commerce leaders. Whether you are a brand looking to hire someone who can hit the ground running, or a senior agency professional looking to take ownership of a single brand, the opportunities are there.

Want to discuss it further? Reach out to me on luke@vertical-advantage.com.

Amazon’s third-party seller business now accounts for over 60% of sales on the platform, with consistent YOY growth of around 20% for every quarter in 2023.

Unsurprisingly, the competition for talent has matched this relentless growth over the past few years. While the market has cooled slightly since the heights of 2022, it can still be challenging to find the right people.

I’ve pulled together a quick run-down of some of the main areas that we see top Amazon talent coming from, with the pros & cons of hiring from them.

Directly from Amazon:

Look out for job titles such as Partner Managers, Marketplace Consultants, and Team Leads.

Pros:

• The robust hiring process ensures the recruitment of top-tier talent.
• They possess strong ‘insider’ knowledge of how Amazon 3P operates.
• Process-driven, strong problem solvers, analytical.

Cons:

• Can be expensive, with base salaries in line with the wider market but often supplemented by very strong share packages.
• The Partner Management program provides top-line exposure to 3P but may not require individuals to be hands-on operators.
• They may struggle to adapt to cultures that are less process-driven than Amazon.

CPG brands:

Look for job titles such as Marketplace Managers, Amazon Advertising Managers, Heads of Marketplace, and National Account Managers.

Pros:

• Strong operational experience, often required to be very hands-on inside seller central.
• Scrappy and able to work at pace, particularly from smaller brands that have scaled successfully on 3P.
• Can offer good value for money, especially in SMEs where there is undervalued talent.

Cons:

• Those from larger businesses might not have been ‘hands-on’, with lots of resources to handle operational work.
• Strong 3P operators who have been very hands-on may lack stakeholder management experience or struggle to adapt to larger corporates.
• Individuals from larger brands often come with strong packages including car allowance, bonus, pension, and shares.

Agencies:

Look for job titles such as Client/Account Managers, Client/Account Directors, Amazon Advertising Specialists, and Marketplace Consultants.

Pros:

• Agencies foster the most up-to-date knowledge of winning on Amazon.
• Exposure to multiple clients allows individuals to see the successes and failures of different strategies.
• Can offer good value for money compared to brands, Amazon, AdTech, or aggregators.

Cons:

• May lack true ownership of Amazon accounts, involved with some elements but not complete ownership.
• Some may struggle with stakeholder management and ‘politics’ when working for larger brands.
• May lack strategic insight.

Network media agencies:

Look for job titles similar to those in agencies.

Pros:

• Strong media and PPC knowledge, with an understanding of the retail media landscape.
• Used to working with big brands and big budgets.
• Strong process and stakeholder management skills.

Cons:

• Not as Amazon-centric as specialist agencies, potentially lacking constant learning.
• Generally not required to be as hands-on with running accounts.
• Lack of ownership, responsible for one piece of a larger puzzle but not for making decisions.
• May lack commercial acumen when evaluating the impact of advertising on the bottom line.

Other options – AdTech, Aggregators, Amazon FBA business owners:

There are increasingly more AdTech platforms with a specialist Amazon focus, offering strong talent, particularly in PPC & DSP. While aggregators have not been hiring as aggressively as during the 2020-2022 period, they often have exceptional talent. Individuals who have built and run their own FBA businesses can offer great value for money, having been involved in every decision from NPD to sales to marketing to finance to supply chain management.

The way we shop is constantly evolving.

And, as it happens, Amazon is the original influencer.

When it comes to commerce, no company has had quite the seismic impact as the Bezos-owned behemoth.

For shoppers and retailers alike, it can sometimes feel like it’s Amazon’s world and we’re just living in it especially when it accounts for 43% of all US online retail sales.

Amazon has impacted our shopping habits at seemingly every turn. Here’s why… and, more importantly, this is how you can join them instead of failing miserably at trying to beat them.

1. Step up your logistics game

Obviously, the bigger Amazon gets, the more they can capitalise on economies of scale.

This means making excellent profit margins on every item you sell isn’t such a big deal when you’re selling a bucket load of stuff at the speed Amazon does.

It’s driven by a phenomenally efficient operations and logistics process that other businesses have struggled to keep up with, although Ocado is an exception to the rule.

Ocado is one company managing to go toe-to-toe with Amazon where logistics are concerned. According to Peel Hunt analysts, Ocado’s warehouse robots perform far more efficiently than those at Amazon.

So how long before Amazon tries to buy Ocado?

2. Follow Amazon’s shipping time lead

In the face of Amazon’s impressive market dominance and scale of infrastructure, any and all efforts to compete can quickly seem futile. No one can match their sheer size and scale.

And yet, competing, at least on some level, is necessary.

Look at the arrival of Aldi on British high streets. It was their unassuming and limited range of products sparked a slow-burn doom for profit margins at Tesco and Sainsburys in the early-aughts.

The easiest place to start is on shipping. Thanks to the Amazon influence, customers want faster shipping. And by faster shipping, 96% reportedly means ‘same day delivery’.

So, if you’re still offering 3-5 day shipping for £4.99, customers probably won’t be flocking to your online store.

In short, follow Amazon’s lead and speed up your shipping.

3. Offer an experience

This may well be one of the key advantages of operating as a bricks-and-mortar, independent retailer in an Amazon world. Shopping isn’t just about the price anymore, it’s about the experience (especially if Millennials are your target market).

Why? Because Amazon’s abundance of online products has made some shoppers more discerning. When we can buy practically anything we want online, at the swipe of a thumb or click of a mouse, the experience of shopping in-store becomes something of a luxury.

But what about online retailers? Do they stand a cat’s chance in hell of competing against Amazon?

Long story short: yes.

Amazon’s infrastructure may be impressive, and its ease of use is undeniable, but it remains a faceless, corporate entity. If you want to beat Amazon at its own game in the online-only sphere, you have to go above and beyond when it comes to service. Give consumers that experiential vibe they crave from bricks-and-mortar stores.

Simple things like personalised (but not pushy) emails, handwritten notes sent along with orders, speedy customer service, and a willingness to own up to and correct mistakes will go a long way.

And, I cannot stress this enough, make sure your website is as seamless and slick as possible. Invest in excellent copywriters to jazz up your product descriptions (an Amazon weak point) and link between products pages and informative blog posts.

Basically, make sure the buyer has everything they need at their fingertips.

(Related: See what exciting eCommerce, Digital, Marketing & Sales opportunities we have at Vertical Advantage now)

4. Build an actually useful brand

As Instagram influencers can attest to, brand is everything. And brands-as-a-culture is also a major trend for 2019.

So, while Amazon’s brand is, uh… everything, make your brand ‘one thing’. In short, do one thing well–while offering high quality and a cohesive brand strategy–instead of many things poorly.

Take a look at Baudoin and Lange. This niche loafer company has successfully tapped into the premium side of the market and they’ve done so without the tangible presence of a bricks-and-mortar retail space.

Follow in the footsteps (ha!) of Baudoin and Lange, then.

Invest in clever advertising and marketing, you can build your brand authentically, and watch your business flourish.

And remember: you’re a business, not an everything bagel.

5. Tap into Big (and Small) Data

Amazon is all about that Big Data. And you can be too.

As Jeremy Goldman at Inc. writes, “at this point, all brands need a strong data strategy.”

But tapping into data and making it work for your business doesn’t mean you need to invest in costly AI software. Even something as commonplace as Google Analytics can be of use.

Once you’ve decided what kind of data will be of most use to your business, you should start setting Google Analytics goals.

For example, do you want to know about newsletter signups or are you more interested in seeing who’s visiting what page and for how long?

The information generated by doing so can then inform your long-term decisions. What did you find out about the people signing up for your newsletters? Tailor your copy to them or diversify and personalise your newsletter delivery system based on which page they signed up from. The options are limitless.

Tap into social media too with software like Twilert which helps track mentions of your brand or search terms related to your business. From there, you can boost engagement, nip any emerging problems in the bud, and use the comments you’re generating to inform further business decisions.

Just remember that the data game can be heavily dependent on trial and error though, especially for smaller businesses with limited resources.

While making a data generation and utilisation strategy can be incredibly useful to begin with, be prepared to deviate from the plan if things aren’t working out.

6. If you really can’t beat Amazon… join them.

That’s what mega-brand Nike decided to do, despite initially thinking Amazon would devalue their carefully crafted brand. However, they quickly realised they were missing out on massive sales, and, in the process, being undercut by not-so-reputable third-party sellers.

Besides, Amazon is currently pushing for vendors to sign up with Brand Registry. As Digiday reports, this is “a program that lets brand owners and licensees submit proof that they are authorized sellers of a brand’s products”. So, it seems the time is ripe to take control over your company’s Amazon presence.

In reality, beating Amazon would be a long and impressive journey. If you’re there already don’t need to worry about this blog! (And cheers to you!)

But if you’re not quite there yet, my advice is to learn from Amazon’s journey and use their powerful reach to your advantage. After all, if it’s good enough for Nike, then why shouldn’t it be good enough for you?

And remember, I’m always keen to talk to people about this stuff, especially as a lot of you know far more than I do! So, give me a shout on LinkedIn or on andy@vertical-advantage.com if you want to chat.