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Appropriate salary for an internet manager?

Here we go again, once again Dealers appreciate who they have running their internet specially if they are good at their job because I bet they are under paid according to salary.com eCommerce Marketing Manager Salary - Salary.com here is the skinny.....

From my experience the title of eCommerce Manager/Director in the auto business is much different from one you'd see for traditional eCommerce stores. I'd say traditional eCommerce Managers job responsibilities have more direct impact on their companies revenues so the salaries are much higher.
 
The general rule of thumb should be something a car dealer can easily grasp.

For example:

  • Internet Manager of 1 rooftop should be paid around the same level as the other store managers.
  • eCommerce Director of a dealer group should be paid around the same level as a general manager.

If there isn't comfort in paying at that level then the hiring manager/executive might not be equipped for their own job. The days of not inspecting how well someone is improving SEO or Pay Per Click efforts, just assuming things are okay, are over. Any General Manager and up should have the dialog and understanding to manage someone in the Internet department. When someone hits the desk level, or GSM level, is when learning the digital world is acceptable.
 
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I hear ya Derek.

Thanks Jeff,
The Internet Department really consist of two parts. 1) A Marketing Specialist whose job it is to meet with upper management as to what is working, what is not, what is new, produce effectiveness reports, deal with vendors etc. 2) A Sales Executive (Mgr., Director or whatever) whose job it is to MAKE IT HAPPEN. This is my job. I oversee 6 salespeople in the internet department. I am "knee deep in their asses" Consequently my guys/gals averaged 17.5 cars apiece last month. The will all make 6 figure incomes.

Do not get me wrong. I work really closely with the Marketing Specialist- a 9 to 5 no Saturdays employee. BUT for a dealership to expect ONE person to do it all is unrealistic. Oh I am sure that someone will chime in and say that he/she is the one stop shop at their store and they do it very successfully. I will then assure you that if I come into that store and take over the sales part of the internet and leave him/her to the marketing aspect that I will double the numbers in the first month!

Now back to the question, "What do you think the appropriate salary should be for someone who does this?"

Marketing Specialist- 60,000 to 70,000
Internet Director- Salary to commensurate with results. I will make 175,000 this year.
 
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