Traits To Look For in eCommerce Product Managers

Traits To Look For in eCommerce Product Managers

 

eCommerce product management requires a specific set of skills and experiences and a particular mindset. While a good understanding of product management is essential, there are also several traits that make the most successful product managers in eCommerce stand out and succeed.

 

Let's examine five of these traits and why they're so important.

 

Curiosity and a willingness to learn

A product manager must always be on the lookout for valuable input from customers, colleagues, or the marketplace. A product manager can never get to set in their ways if they are to keep developing category-leading products. Therefore, a hunger for new knowledge and an eagerness to stay at the forefront are essential traits of successful product managers.

 

A results-driven mindset

The product is not an end in itself; it's the results it brings that matter. Therefore, a product manager must embrace a data-driven and scientific approach to ensure all projects yield the desired outcome. This requirement means a product manager needs to be equally aware of the "why" as the "what" and prioritise the actions that will generate the most value.

 

A customer-centric approach

A good product manager is obsessed with customer research. They keep in close contact with customers, collect feedback throughout their projects, and continuously perform customer research in different forms. The intelligence derived from customer research should be one of the main parameters in the product manager's decision-making process.

 

Strong business acumen and tech skills

A product manager needs to understand both what is required from a commercial perspective and what is possible from a technical standpoint. Therefore, a great product manager keeps in close communication with the organisation's technical and commercial side and helps find the balance between the different priorities.

 

Outstanding communication skills

Communication skills are perhaps the most crucial tool in the product manager's toolbox. The product manager must communicate with and gather information from customers, internal stakeholders, developers, and salespeople. But they also need to communicate convincingly around the product visions to obtain buy-in from the different parties involved.

 

Key takeaways

When looking for an eCommerce Product Manager, it's crucial to look beyond the technical skills list and include personality and mindset in the hiring equation. While skills can be taught and acquired, mindset is often more difficult to foster, so getting a candidate with the right attitude and approach is crucial.

 

How djr can help

Our Consultants' expertise is an inch wide and a mile deep in their respective sectors. This approach ensures that every candidate they manage is the right cultural fit for your business and aptitude and attitude for your team.