Overview

Amazon’s expansion into more than 20 countries has forced many sellers to look outside their core teams for help. Saqib Azhar, the CEO of Enablers, explains that hiring virtual assistants (VAs) can plug skill gaps, lower operating costs, and speed up scaling. Sellers who learn to recruit and manage VAs can shift strategic planning to themselves while remote talent handles routine Amazon tasks.

Key Points

• Global reach demands 24/7 support — With Amazon present in over 20 markets, a single in‑house crew cannot cover round‑the‑clock operations.
• Labor cost can drop up to 70 % — Employing a VA from the Philippines or Pakistan often costs a fraction of U.S. wages while maintaining quality.
• Niche expertise is on‑demand — VAs can be hired specifically for PPC management, product research, or customer service without long‑term contracts.
• Vetted talent pools are massive — Communities such as Enablers host more than one million members, allowing sellers to tap vetted candidates within days.
• Structured contracts reduce risk – Clear SOPs, written agreements, and regular performance reviews keep miscommunication low and protect brand reputation.

How Hiring Virtual Assistants Works

1. Define role and deliverables — Write a focused job brief that lists daily duties, expected outputs, and required tools; for example, a VA who runs daily keyword research in Helium 10’s Cerebro and logs results in a shared Google Sheet.
2. Source candidates from niche communities — Post the opening in Amazon‑focused groups like Enablers’ Facebook community or specialized VA marketplaces; a typical seller receives around 20 qualified applications within 48 hours from candidates already familiar with Amazon policies.
3. Screen for Amazon know‑how — Conduct a brief interview that includes a practical test, such as asking the applicant to audit a product listing and suggest three concrete improvements, revealing both expertise and communication style.
4. Set up collaboration tools — Grant access to project‑management software such as Asana or Trello and create a dedicated Slack channel; a seller might build a “Product Research” board where the VA moves cards from “In Progress” to “Ready for Review.”