Many distributors struggle with eCommerce and digital transformation because they lack the right internal expertise. Without a knowledgeable team, even evaluating third-party vendors—whether agencies or technology providers—becomes a challenge. The result? Poor decisions that lead to wasted time, resources, and stalled progress.
Successful digital transformation starts with having a dedicated leader who can champion the initiative. This person must act as a bridge between IT, Sales, Operations, and Marketing, ensuring alignment across teams.
But before building the right team, distributors must first define a clear vision for their digital future. If you haven’t already, start with Chapter I of the Ultimate Distribution Guide, where we cover the foundational strategies for digital transformation.
If you're ready to assemble your digital Avengers and build a team that can drive real transformation, keep reading. This chapter explores how to structure your team, balance in-house talent with outsourced expertise, and develop a culture that supports long-term digital success.
Without well-defined goals, even the most talented team will struggle to drive meaningful progress. Start by outlining what success looks like and how digital initiatives will support broader business objectives. This clarity will guide team structure, strategy, and investment decisions.
Start by pinpointing the primary goals for your digital transformation. These may include:
Ensure that eCommerce efforts align with overarching business priorities, whether it’s market expansion, customer retention, or operational efficiency. Depending on these goals, you may need a marketing-driven team focused on customer engagement or a more technology-led team optimizing backend operations.
An effective eCommerce and digital transformation team brings together critical functions that drive strategy, execution, and growth. While larger distributors may have specialized teams, smaller organizations can combine responsibilities or outsource certain tasks to get started.
Here are the core positions in a digital transformation team:
On top of that, they need to be in close alignment with sales, operations, and IT. For any distributor new to digital transformation, it's not realistic to hire all these roles at once.
💡 Pro Tip: For smaller distributors, some roles can be combined (e.g., an eCommerce Manager who also handles digital marketing). As the business scales, specialization becomes more important to maintain efficiency and innovation.That is why we generally recommend starting with the eCommerce manager and outsourcing other roles.
The eCommerce Manager is responsible for developing and executing a digital commerce strategy that aligns with business objectives. This role oversees the eCommerce platform, managing product listings, pricing, and promotions while ensuring seamless coordination with marketing, sales, and logistics—including third-party providers. They must analyze sales performance, refine strategies, and oversee the implementation of new features and optimizations to drive growth.
What makes this role particularly challenging in distribution is the need to bridge the gap between sales reps and the digital platform. Unlike traditional eCommerce, distributors must integrate IT, marketing, sales, and operations—often in a newly formed digital department. Successfully managing these complexities requires both technical expertise and a deep understanding of B2B sales dynamics.
While the eCommerce Manager leads overall strategy, additional specialized roles help ensure smooth operations and scalability. Depending on your business needs, bringing these functions in-house can improve efficiency and control over your digital commerce initiatives.
The Product Manager oversees the digital catalog, ensuring product data is accurate, up-to-date, and optimized for sales. This role is responsible for product descriptions, images, specifications, pricing strategies, and promotions, all while maintaining seamless coordination with suppliers and logistics teams. Additionally, they implement merchandising strategies to enhance product discoverability and conversion rates.
This role is critical for connecting eCommerce platforms with backend systems like ERP, CRM, and inventory management software. The IT & Systems Integration Expert ensures real-time data synchronization, supports order processing and fulfillment, and develops automation solutions to enhance operational efficiency. They also manage system security, compliance, and infrastructure maintenance to ensure seamless digital operations.
For many distributors, outsourcing key roles can be a practical and cost-effective solution. However, the right outsourcing approach depends on your budget, expertise, and project complexity. Here’s a breakdown of common outsourcing options:
Contractors offer the most affordable option with the potential for high rewards, but they also come with significant risks. Without deep expertise in the area you're outsourcing, managing contractors can be challenging. Novice distributors should avoid this route unless they have internal expertise to oversee the work properly.
A small agency can be a great fit for smaller distributors. They are often priced similarly to contractors but bring more expertise and project management capabilities. However, small agencies can be unstable, and their expertise may be limited. They might excel in development but lack strength in marketing or UX. It’s important to evaluate their capabilities across all necessary areas before committing.
Mid-size agencies strike a balance between cost, expertise, and stability. They are large enough to offer a comprehensive skill set—reducing the need for multiple third-party vendors—but small enough to provide personalized service. They also tend to be more resilient in economic downturns, making them a solid choice for most distributors.
Enterprise agencies like Deloitte Digital, WPP, and Accenture offer global scale and deep expertise, making them ideal for large, complex projects. However, they come with a high price tag and are often overkill for most distributors. This option is best suited for large enterprises with multinational operations that require expertise at a global level.
Regardless of who you choose, make sure they have experience working with distributors. Distributors have unique needs such as complex catalogs / data challenges, ERP integration, complex pricing and the need for robust company accounts.
Most distributors rely on external agencies and partners to fill critical digital roles. Outsourcing these functions ensures access to specialized expertise without the overhead of full-time hires. Depending on the scope of your eCommerce strategy, these roles can be covered by a mix of agencies, contractors, and consultants.
A digital marketing specialist is responsible for driving traffic and customer engagement through targeted campaigns across multiple digital channels.
This function is often divided into multiple specialized roles, including frontend developers, backend developers, and UX/UI designers.
A data analyst translates raw data into actionable insights that drive eCommerce performance.
A CX specialist ensures a frictionless and engaging customer journey across all digital touchpoints.
For distributors, the right mix of outsourced expertise depends on business size, digital maturity, and available resources. Starting with core functions and scaling as needed ensures a strategic and cost-effective approach to digital transformation.
Successful digital transformation isn’t just about technology—it requires a shift in mindset, processes, and collaboration. Distributors must invest in training, agility, and data-driven decision-making to build a culture that supports long-term digital growth.
Replacing an entire team isn’t practical, nor is it necessary. Many employees already have deep industry knowledge—what they often lack is digital expertise. Invest in internal training to help them adopt new tools and workflows. Bring in digital experts or consultants to guide the process and fill knowledge gaps.
Outsourcing certain areas—such as digital marketing, platform development, or data analytics—can accelerate transformation. Not every role needs to be in-house from day one. The key is finding the right balance between internal expertise and external support.
As your organization matures digitally, agility is key to staying competitive. That doesn’t mean skipping foundational planning. A strong discovery and requirements process is critical in the early stages. However, once the foundation is in place, distributors must embrace an iterative approach to refine, test, and scale faster.
Digital success depends on breaking down silos between Sales, Marketing, IT, and Operations. Establish regular feedback loops to uncover root causes of inefficiencies and collect customer insights that inform strategy. Your customers—not internal assumptions—should shape your roadmap and priorities.
Set KPIs and measure conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, and average order value. Don’t forget about adoption metrics. What % of customers are signed up to use the website? How many have placed their first order? How many have placed their second order? Experiment with different strategies and optimize based on results. Use analytics to understand behavior and tailor marketing efforts.
Digital transformation is an ongoing process. Allow teams to test new ideas, iterate, and learn from failures without fear of setbacks. Provide access to training, industry events, and certification programs to keep employees ahead of eCommerce trends.
Success doesn’t happen overnight. Hold regular performance reviews to assess progress against KPIs, refine strategies, and ensure accountability. Expect this to be a multi-year journey, not a quick fix. The goal is steady, incremental progress—small wins that compound into significant transformation over time.
Becoming a digitally native company is hard—especially for distributors that built their businesses long before digital was a priority. If the process feels easy, you’re probably underestimating the investment of time, resources, and talent required. Digital transformation isn’t a quick fix; it’s a multi-year journey that demands commitment, adaptation, and a willingness to embrace incremental progress. Once you shift your mindset from expecting immediate results to focusing on steady, long-term growth, the path forward becomes clearer—and far more sustainable.
If you're stuck with your digital transformation, speak with a Zaelab expert today to unlock new growth opportunities.
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