In this article, we will know what is the role of a VA to an Amazon seller.
For Amazon sellers, managing an Amazon business can be overwhelming given all the things that you need to handle alone. This is where the role of a VA comes handy as they provide support to you. From managing day to day tasks, posting listings, sourcing for products and many more. Buckle up as we explore the roles and responsibilities of a VA and shed light on how they can contribute to the success of Amazon sellers.
Responsibilities of a VA
As an Amazon seller and the owner of your business, it is essential to delegate tasks effectively to maximize productivity. In order to determine the roles and responsibilities that can you can give to your VA, it is important to identify first the functions and activities that currently consume a significant amount of your time. By understanding these tasks, you can then decide which ones require your personal attention, and delegate the rest to your VA.
To start, list the functions and activities that demand most of your time. This could include tasks such as inventory management, order processing, sourcing products, customer inquiries, and more. Next, assess the activities that you can only perform. Typically, these tasks require your expertise, decision-making, and direct involvement in the core aspects of your business, such as strategic marketing, financial analysis, and growing the business – where your personal attention is required. Then the remaining responsibilities are what you can assign to your VA.
Virtual Assistant Roles
1. Product Research or Sourcing
Since it is widely known that product research is one of the most challenging and time-consuming aspects of running an Amazon business. A VA can be an instrument in tackling this demanding task. They can actively search for products that offer profitability in your business and can even arrange for a sample of products to be evaluated before selling them on Amazon.
One essential skill of an efficient Amazon VA is the ability to analyze the profit performance of products. They can evaluate profitability trends and implement effective pricing strategies using tools like Keepa, SAS, BuyBotPro, and many more. These tools enable them to assess the historical data of a product listing on Amazon.
2. Administrative Tasks
They can assist with tasks that are repetitive and straightforward in nature. These tasks include account and shipment management, inventory management, product listing, and managing FBA orders.
To explore a more comprehensive guide on the administrative tasks that a VA can handle, we recommend reading our article titled “How to Train an Admin Virtual Assistant.” This resource will provide you with detailed insights and strategies to train and delegate administrative tasks to a VA.
3. Product Listing
To make sure that your listings are cohesive and accurate according to Amazon guidelines, it is beneficial to have a VA assist you with these tasks. As they can help you manage and double-check all aspects of listing optimization.
As mentioned earlier, we can also assign product listings to an administrative VA. To effectively guide your VA and ensure they can support their business, provide them with specific details and instructions regarding the tasks they should perform.
4. Purchasing Manager
Hiring a dedicated Purchasing Manager is a valuable step. This individual will be responsible for various responsibilities related to procurement and sourcing. Here are some specific tasks and responsibilities you can assign to your Purchasing Manager:
Monitoring and analyzing purchases
Sending daily reports on purchasing activities
Reviewing of deals
Recording of purchases
5. Customer Support
This is another crucial aspect of any Amazon business, but managing an in-house customer support team can be resource intensive. A viable alternative is to delegate customer support responsibilities to a VA or a team of VAs, allowing you to focus on other activities in your business.
6. Ad Campaigns
Running ad campaigns on Amazon is an effective way to drive traffic and generate sales for your Amazon store. Having a VA who is knowledgeable in managing ad campaigns can be a valuable asset to your business. Some tasks a VA can perform:
Campaign Setup
Negative Keyword Input
Monitoring Analytics
Making adjustments
7. Order Processing
Same with product research or sourcing, these tasks can also be time-consuming for Amazon sellers. That is why hiring a VA can be helpful to your business while you focus on other important aspects of your business.
Sending FBA Inventory
Amazon barcodes
Downloading Labels
Monitoring Shipments
Checking Units
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Where to find Virtual Assistants?
If you have decided to hire an Amazon Virtual Assistant, there are several avenues you can explore to find the right. Here are 3 popular options to consider:
1. Freelance Marketplaces
These are online platforms where businesses can connect with freelancers or VAs who can work remotely. These platforms offer a DIY approach, allowing you to post job advertisements or tasks and receive responses from interested freelancers. However, it's important to note that there are two types of freelance marketplaces.
Job Advertisement Type
In this type, you create a job post specifying the skills and qualifications you require in a VA, and freelancers respond to your posting. However, be prepared to receive a high volume of applications, some of which may not meet your requirements. Example of job advertisement freelance marketplaces include Onlinejob.ph, which charges $69 per month for job posting, and Upwork, where freelancer pays a fee of 5 to 20% of their earnings, while you pay nothing.
Platform-Based Type
These marketplaces have pre-vetted VAs listed on their platforms, and you can directly hire them based on their profiles and skill sets. Examples of platform-based freelance marketplaces include Fiverr and Freelancer.com.
2. Amazon VA Agencies
If you prefer a more hands-off approach to hiring, you can also consider getting your VA. These agencies specialize in providing expert VAs who are experienced in Amazon operations. You can benefit from their established hiring processes and avoid the need to learn everything yourself.
3. Referrals and Recommendations
Another effective way to find an Amazon VA is through referrals and recommendations. You can reach out to your professional network and social media platforms like LinkedIn, or participate in community groups dedicated to Amazon sellers. Requesting recommendations from trusted sources can help you find a VA who has already proven its capabilities and has a track record of success.
If you're interested in determining whether hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) will be a profitable investment for your business, we recommend reading our guide, which provides detailed insights on this topic. This guide will provide you with valuable information and considerations to help you make an informed decision about hiring a VA and the potential impact on your business' financial success.
Also, for a comprehensive understanding of an Amazon VA and the benefits it can bring to your business, we recommend reading our previous article titled “Everything You Need to Know About Hiring an Amazon FBA virtual assistant this 2023.” This article covers various aspects of hiring an Amazon VA, why should you hire, where to hire, and how to interview. By reading this article, you will acquire valuable insights into how an Amazon VA can contribute to your business and help you achieve success on the platform.
FAQs
What is the goal of Amazon virtual assistant?
They help with a host of things, handling the most important tasks that often eat up the time of a store owner or manager. Numerous sellers on Amazon use them for tasks to take control of their online stores. Today, even businesses operating their own online store take advantage of virtual assistants.
What are the duties of a virtual assistant?
Typical tasks a virtual assistant might perform include scheduling appointments, making phone calls, making travel arrangements, and managing email accounts. Some virtual assistants specialize in offering graphic design, blog writing, bookkeeping, social media, and marketing services.
What is the job description for VA?
A virtual sales assistant provides administrative and sales-related services to entrepreneurs or businesses. A VA can work as an independent contractor or under a company providing such a service. The work is often performed remotely with the help of various online tools.
How do I become an effective Amazon Virtual Assistant?
You don't need to have the best computer skills or writing skills in the world to be a VA. You do need to be organized and customer-service oriented. You must be able to manage your time efficiently and meet all deadlines that you agree to.