Glossary
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3P
Third-party seller. A business that sells a product that is not their own brand or product. Sellers, usingSeller Central, sell product directly to consumers on Amazon under their own business name, taking on the role of retailers. Learn about the difference between Amazon vendors and Amazon sellers.
3PL
Third-party logistics
7-Day Deal
A promotion type for sellers on Amazon. Time-bound offer featured on Amazon’s Best Deals page.Learn more about Amazon deal and promotion types.
A
A+ Content
A detail page where the product description has enhanced content and branding. This includes graphics and images embedded into the page. A+ Content used to be specifically for vendors, but has now also replaced Enhanced Brand Content (EBC) for sellers. Learn more about how to succeed with A+ Content.
AA
Amazon Associate. FC position.
AAP
Amazon Advertising Platform (now known as Amazon DSP). The program advertisers use to buy and create display and video ads.
ACoS
Advertising Cost of Sale. The percentage of attributed sales spent on advertising. The formula for this is total spend / ad sales = ACoS.
ACS
Amazon Creative Services
Affiliates
A program by which referrals earn associates money for driving traffic and sales to Amazon through their marketing. Affiliates operate on many different sites, including individual blogs, forums, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and other social media.
AGS
Amazon Global Selling
AM
Area Manager. FC position.
AMS
Amazon Marketing Services. This is now known as Amazon Advertising.
AMG
Amazon Media Group.
AMZ
Amazon. More specifically, Amazon’s stock abbreviation.
AMZL
Amazon Logistics abbreviation.
Andon or Andon Cord
An Amazon support agent can immediately pull a product from buyable status if they notice a significant issue, especially related to safety and quality. The term refers to a process implemented at Toyota factories in Japan. A physical cord was pulled allowing an immediate stop to production and a warning to management when a problem was noticed.
API
Application Program Interface.
AR
Amazon Robotics
ARA
Amazon Retail Analytics. A selection of reports for vendors sometimes referred to as ARA Basic. These are available to all vendors and look at topics like sales and inventory.
ARAP
Amazon Retail Analytics Premium. An add-on option with more detailed and varied reports that look at a vendor’s traffic and customer behavior for vendors.
ARS
Amazon Robotics Sortable
ARSAW
Amazon Robotics Semi-Automatic Workstation
ASC
Associate Safety Committee. For FC employees.
ASIN
Amazon Standard Info Number. Each Amazon product will have a unique 10-character alphanumeric unique identifier that is used specifically for and within Amazon. ASINs can be further broken down into parent and child ASINs for products that have one overall item or style (the parent) with multiple choices when it comes to color, size, pack size, etc. (the child ASINs).
ASN
Advanced Shipment Notification. Used to communicate a shipment’s tracking number and information to Amazon in advance of delivery.
ASP
Average Selling Price. Calculated by net sales / number of products sold.
Associates
This term refers to the Amazon referral program, and is now called Amazon Affiliates.
AVN
Amazon Vendor Negotiations
AWS
Amazon Web Services
AZ
Amazon
B
B2B
Business to Business. E-commerce between two businesses, rather than a business and consumer.
B2C
Business to Customer. E-commerce between a business and a customer.
BB
Buy Box. An abbreviation of the Amazon Buy Box, the button customers use to purchase a product on an Amazon detail page.
Best Deal
A time-bound promotional offer type for vendors on Amazon.Learn more about Amazon deal and promotion types.
BISS
Business Industrial & Scientific Supplies. A specific selling category on Amazon.
Blue Badge
An Amazon full-time employee (as opposed to a temporary or contract worker.)
BOGO
Buy One Get One. A type of promotion for sellers.
Brand Analytics
A suite of features available to brands enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry.
Brand Registry
Amazon’s program for brands to verify and control their brand.
Brand HQ
The system that sellers on the Amazon Brand Incubator and Amazon Exclusives program can access. Within Brand HQ, sellers can connect with other brands via a forum, expand their knowledge with Amazon’s eLearning courses and have the option to participate in “office hours” and ask an Amazon Associate those pressing questions. Brands can also submit Best Deals and merchandising opportunities such as category page placements.
Brand Store
Amazon Brand Stores are created using a free, self-service tool to create a customized brand experience within Amazon. These can be customized and feature logos, products, and a curated experience that best represents a particular brand.
Browse Node
Numerical codes to identify Amazon product categories. Nodes may be top-level and have many subcategories under them. Sub-cats are known to change. Amazon uses thousands of these per locale, and they are unique to locale (ie, UK and US numbers are not the same).
BSR
Best Seller Rank. The order and ranking of a product in the category where it is listed. The rank is updated hourly and takes into account recent and past sales history. If there are no sales (ie, the product is new), the rank will be “None.”
Bundle
A group of complementary products sold as one ASIN unit.
Buy Box
The button customers use to purchase a product on an Amazon detail page. The phrase “winning the Buy Box” refers to the merchant (whether Amazon or third-party) that a customer buys from when added to cart. Buy Boxes are won through complex algorithms related to stock, ratings, customer service rankings, etc.
C
CA
Abbreviation for the Canadian marketplace.
CAGR
Compound Annual Growth Rate
Category Page
A landing page for a specific group of products within the Amazon website. Examples: Books, Electronics or Toys & Games.
CCR
Counterfeit Complaint Rate
CD
Continuous Deployment
Child ASIN
A buyable variant of a parent ASIN, when the customer must select an option such as size or color to purchase. All child ASINs should be on one detail page, under the parent ASIN.
Climate Pledge Friendly
An Amazon program launched in 2020 to make it easier for customers to shop eco-friendly, sustainable products on its sites. Learn more about the Climate Pledge Friendly badge.
CM
Change Management
CMBR
Change Management Bar Raiser
COGs
Cost of Goods Sold. The value of goods sold during a certain period of time.
Contra COGs
COGs including all backends, such as Vine, ARAP, etc.
Concessions
Amounts Amazon has refunded to customers related to your products or orders.
Coupon/Voucher
A promotional deal on Amazon where a vendor or seller offers an amount or percentage off for a limited time.Learn more about Amazon deal and promotion types.
COW
Consumer Order Workflow
CP
Contribution Profit
CPC
Cost Per Click. This relates to sponsored ads and the amount Amazon charges the seller or vendors when a customer clicks on their ad. The calculation is total ad cost / clicks.
CPH
Cost Per Head
CPI
Cost Price Increase
CPT
Critical Pull Time. The time in which an order is in danger of not shipping in time for customer delivery cut-offs.
CPS
Costs Per Shipment
CPU
Contacts Per Unit
CRAP
Can’t Realize a Profit. If, based on Amazon algorithms, a product is deemed CRAP, it means there is a reason it won’t realize a profit: Shipping costs, too much inventory, pricing issues, etc. can result in this designation.
CTI
Category Type Item
CTR
Click Through Rate. A metric that measures the number of clicks per impression of an advertisem*nt. The calculation for this is # of clicks / # impressions = CTR.
CS
Customer Service
CWGR
Compound Weekly Growth Rate
CX
Customer Experience
D
DEA
Dynamic eCommerce Ads. A component of Amazon DSP, these ads will have eCommerce features built within the display ad, such as retail price and review ratings.
DEA
Delivery Estimate Accuracy. In relation to Amazon FCs.
DOTD
Deal of the Day. On Amazon’s Gold Box or Deals page, a single item or small set of closely related items discounted for a period of one day only.Learn more about Amazon deal and promotion types.
DNR
Delivered Not Received. In relation to warehouse delivery queue.
DMG
Damaged abbreviation.
Dropship
Dropshipping is a fulfillment method for retailers. When a store or merchant doesn’t physically have or ship the item. If the item is purchased by a customer, the retailer orders it from a third party and has it shipped directly to the customer. This can save on costs associated with storage and fulfillment.
DP
Detail Page. A product page for an ASIN on Amazon. This displays important info such as price, title, bullets, description, customer reviews, etc.
DPMO
Defects Per Million Opportunities
DPV
Detail Page Views. A metric showing the number of impressions of a single detail page.
DPVR
Detail Page View Rate
DSP
Demand Side Platform. Amazon’s display advertising program.
DSP
Delivery Service Provider. For warehouse deliveries.
E
EAN
European Article Number. A 13 digit number system for identifying retail products in Europe.
Early Reviewer Program
An Amazon program that incentivizes customers who have purchased a product to leave an honest review.
EBC
Enhanced Brand Content. A detail page where the product description has enhanced content and branding, which includes graphics and images embedded into the page. EBC content used to be specifically for sellers. As of 2020, EBC is obsolete and has been replaced by A+ Content.
ECR
Executive Customer Relations
EDD
Estimated Delivery Date
EDI
Electronic Data Interchange. A method for companies and businesses to send digital information to one another digitally.
EFN
European Fulfillment Network. A fulfillment option that allows selling in other EU locales, while logistics and shipping are fulfilled through the home country.
EOD
End of Day. Usually refers to the close of that particular business day.
Existing Customers
Audiences who have purchased or re-purchased your brand or items on Amazon.
EXSD
Expected Ship Date
F
FBA
Fulfillment by Amazon. When Amazon is responsible for storing your products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers. FBA means Amazon will pick, pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products.
FBM
Fulfilled by Merchant. Also known as MF (Merchant Fulfilled), this refers to shipping products directly to the end customer yourself, as opposed to Amazon doing it.
FC
Fulfillment Center. An Amazon warehouse.
FNSKU
Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit. An Amazon product identifier for products that are fulfilled by Amazon.
FPY
First Pass Yield
FFP
Frustration-Free Packaging. An Amazon program that eliminates excessive packing and overboxing. An Amazon sustainability initiative.
G
Gated Category
Businesses will need prior approval to sell in this category on Amazon. Access is limited.
Glance Views
Similar to DPV. The number of times a detail page has been viewed.
GLN
Global Location Number. Unique identification code of a physical location.
Global SKU
A SKU that is part of a shared inventory pool and is available to be sold and shipped in multiple marketplaces. Learn more about the pros and cons of international ASINs.
GL String
Amazon’s codification system for allocating costs to the correct P&L.
Goldbox
Amazon’s landing page, containing Deal of the Day, Lightning Deals, and a selection of categories’ best promotions and savings. Also known as Today’s Deals.Learn more about Amazon deal and promotion types.
GTIN
Global Trade Item Number. Globally unique 14-digit number to identify items, products, and services.
H
Hazmat
Hazardous materials. These items may be flammable, dangerous, corrosive, pressurized, etc. They require special precautions and regulations when transporting or storing.
Headline Search Ads
Advertisem*nts that are located on top of a search results page. These have been renamed to Sponsored Brands.
Hijacking
When a seller jumps on a brand’s listing to sell a counterfeit product at a lower price. This causes the legitimate brand to lose the Buy Box and can result in a number of issues for the brand.
I
IAT
Inbound Andon Tracker
IB
Inbound
ICQA
Inventory Control Quality Assurance
IDQ
Item Data Quality. Refers to the condition of an item’s information, for example, if the product has bullet points and images.
Impressions
A measure of views or ad views. Determined by the number of single times a page is located and loaded.
IP
Intellectual Property
ISBN
International Standard Book Number. A 13-digit identity number assigned to individual books by standard book numbering agencies. Until 2006, ISBNs were 10 digits. An ISBN, SKU, and ASIN may all be used in listings on Amazon.
J
K
KPI
Key Performance Indicators. A measurable value that determines how well your business or organization is performing against set objectives.
L
LBB
Lost Buy Box
LD
Lightning Deal. A promotion on Amazon offered in a limited quantity for a short period of time. Lightning Deals are available, one per customer, until either the deal’s promotion period expires or all the available inventory is claimed.
Less Than Container Load
Shipment measure that means less than 18 cubic meters.
Less Than Truckload
Shipment measure for ground transport that means more than 30 cartons in a combined load with other merchants.
Lightning Deal
Discount type on Amazon’s Today’s Deals/Goldbox page. Lightning Deals run for up to 10 hours. Learn more about Amazon deal and promotion types.
Listing Optimization
The process of improving an Amazon detail page and product information, including titles, bullet points, features, description, and images.
Long-Term Storage Fee
Amazon’s chargeback for inventory that has been stored in a fulfillment center for more than 365 days.
M
Marketplace
What locale or domain you are selling in. Refers to a country (UK, DE, etc.) or overall third-party merchants.
MAP
Minimum Advertised Price. A special note on MAP by locale: In the US, if a retailer buys inventory from a manufacturer that has a MAP policy, they must not sell the product below that price. If they do, they risk no longer working with that manufacturer. However, this is not legal in Europe.
MCF
Multi Channel Fulfillment. For sellers who sell on Amazon and other marketplaces. Some inventory is fulfilled by Amazon, and other inventory by other sales channels or the merchant themselves.
MF
Merchant Fulfilled. Refers to shipping products directly to the end customer yourself, as opposed to Amazon doing it.
MNR
Manifested Not Received. In relation to warehouse delivery queue.
MOM
Month Over Month
MOQ
Minimum Order Quantity. The minimum amount Amazon must order.
MTD
Month To Date
MSRP
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. Sometimes referred to as a “sticker price.” The purpose being to keep prices similar store to store. But retailers may not price items using MSRP, and customers may end up paying higher or lower prices based off supply and demand.
N
NAFN
North American Fulfillment Network. Vendors in North America (US, Canada and Mexico) may find their products shipped to any of these countries using Amazon’s fulfillment channels.
NDA
Non Disclosure Agreement
NIS
New Item Setup. The initial creation of a product, from accepting terms and agreements, to developing an ASIN and filling out detail page info.
NP
New Product. A newly listed item.
NR
Non Replenishable. An item that is not available.
NTB
New to Brand. Launched in 2019, Amazon’s advertising metric that determines whether an ad-attributed purchase was made by an existing customer or one buying a brand’s product on Amazon for the first time over the prior year. With NTB, advertisers receive campaign performance metrics such as total new-to-brand purchases and sales, new-to-brand purchase rate, and cost per new-to-brand customer.
O
OA
Online Arbitrage. Businesses that purchase products at lower prices to resell them online for a greater price to reap profits.
OB
Obsolete. When referring to stock.
OB
Outbound. When referring to FC scheduling.
ODR
Order Defect Rate. The percentage of orders that have received negative feedback, an A-to-Z Guarantee claim, or a service credit card chargeback. It allows Amazon to measure overall performance with a single metric.
OLR
Organization and Leadership Review. This review process is done at Amazon during Q1 and Q3.
OM
Operations Manager. FC postion.
OOS
Out Of Stock
OP
Order Picker
Ops
Operations, abbreviated term
ORDT
On Road Dynamic Transfer. For warehouse deliveries.
P
P&L
Profit and Loss
PA
Process Assistant. An Amazon warehouse position who works as a supervisor under the Area Manager.
Parent ASIN
An ASIN that serves to group variations on one detail page. Each main ASIN can have multiple variants, such as color, size, flavor, scent, etc. The variants are referred to as child ASINs.
PCOGS
Product Cost of Goods Sold. The formula is shipped units * cost price.
PED
Prime Exclusive Discount. A deal type available only to FBA sellers on Amazon for Prime-eligible items. Can be an amount or percentage off, a limited-time deal.
PDA
Product Display Ads. A type of display advertising where a product’s ad appears throughout Amazon on category and product pages.
PMV
Process Map Visuals
PNOV
Preliminary Notice of Violation
POD
Proof of Delivery. When Amazon has not received an item a vendor has sent and needs proof that the item was delivered by the carrier.
POPS
Proactive Outbound Problem Solve
PPC
Pay Per Click. A term often used for Amazon Advertising, in which advertisers pay a fee each time an ad is clicked.
PPE
Personal Protective Equipment. Often required for working in certain positions at an Amazon FC.
PPM
Pure Product Margin. The formula for calculating this is: (Revenue – PCOGS) / Revenue
PPQA
Process Path Quality Assurance
PPV
Product Price Variance. When a vendor raises an invoice and the item price on the invoice differs from what Amazon has in the system.
PQV
Product Quantity Variance. When a vendor sends inventory to Amazon and the amount they shipped differs from the amount Amazon received.
PR
Planned Replenishment (when referring to stock).
Prime
Amazon Prime. A paid subscription service for free, fast delivery on millions of items. Also includes a range of services and streaming entertainment options such as Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Pantry, Twitch, and more.
Private Label
Products legally owned by a retailer or supplier and sold under their own brand name, but made by other manufacturers. Learn more about Amazon’s private label business.
Professional Seller
A selling account on Amazon where a business pays a monthly fee (but no per-item fee). Allows access to a range of tools, discounts, and reports that are not available as an individual seller.
Project Zero
An Amazon program for Brand Registry businesses to weed out counterfeits and IP infringement through self-service reporting, serialization, and more.
Q
Q1
First quarter. Jan-March of any given year.
Q2
Second quarter. April – June of any given year.
Q3
Third quarter. July – Sept of any given year.
Q4
Fourth quarter. Oct – Dec of any given year, also notable for containing Black Friday and the holiday shopping season.
QA
Quality Assurance
QBR
Quarterly Business Review
R
RA
Retail Arbitrage. Businesses that purchase products at lower prices to resell them for a greater price to reap profits.
RoAS
Return On Ad Spend. Used to determine the effectiveness of an ad campaign. Should tell you how many dollars you will receive for every dollar you spend on advertising.
ROI
Return on Investment. Performance metric to determine success of an investment relative to the costs.
RRP
Recommended Retail Price
RSP
Robotics Service Platform. In the context of working at the FC.
RSR
Reserve Stow Racks
S
Sales Rank
Amazon’s internal ranking of products in search and browse.
SB
Sponsored Brands. Keyword-targeted ads that promote a specific brand, and are on a cost-per-click basis.
SBC
Simple Bin Count
SEO
Search Engine Optimization. A process to increase traffic and visibility to a website, brand, or product through a search engine on the web. Refers only to “organic,” or unpaid or free results, as opposed to paid placement, such as ads.
Session
One session is a group of interactions/page views/loads that one user takes on a website within a certain time frame. A useful metric when it comes to shopping or customer habits on Amazon.
SFP
Seller Fulfilled Prime. Sellers that stick to the Amazon Prime SLA, but ship from their own warehouses and control their own fulfillment.
SIOC
Ships in Own Container
SKU
Stock Keeping Unit. A unique code to identify a product.
SLA
Service Level Agreement
SLAM
Shipping Label Auto Manifest
SnS
Subscribe and Save. Amazon’s service that allows customers to routinely auto-order delivery on certain products at a discounted price. Bundling more of these products increases the discount level.
Small and Light
An Amazon fulfillment program for smaller items that, when qualified, results in reduced shipping costs.
Sponsored Brands
Keyword-targeted ads that promote a brand with the logo, creative, and a collection of products.
SP
Sponsored Products. Keyword-targeted ads that promote an individual product, and are on a cost-per-click basis.
SPN
Service Provider Network
SPOO/SP00
Shipping Package #
SRC
Simple Record Count
SRP
Suggested Retail Price
Storefront
An Amazon brand store, and a mini shop within Amazon curated for your brand.
T
Third-Party Seller
A 3P merchant is a business that sells a product that is not their own brand or product. Sellers, using Seller Central, sell product directly to consumers on Amazon under their own business name, taking on the role of retailers. Learn about the difference between Amazon vendors and Amazon sellers.
TOS
Terms of Service
TOT
Time Off Task. An FC term used to determine task completion duration.
TTT
Tote Transition Time
Twister
Amazon’s detail page function for merging ASINs of various colors and sizes onto one page. This is more customer-friendly than having each seller or item with a specific size or color on its own detail page.
U
Unverified Review
A product review from someone who may or may not have actually purchased the item.
UPH
Units Per Hour
UPC
Universal Product Code. A 12-digit number displayed with the barcode on the vast majority of retail products.
UR
Universal Receive
URP
Universal Receive Prep
URS
Universal Receive Sort
UTA
Unable to Access
UTL
Unable to Locate
UX
User Experience
V
Variation
Many products have one main item with options for size, color, flavor, pack sizes, and more. Often the main product is a parent ASIN with the variants being child ASINs.
VAT
Value Added Tax. For products sold in the UK and EU.
Verified Review
A review obtained from a genuine purchaser of the product in question.
Vendor
Vendors, usingVendor Central, sell product to Amazon’s retail side to be sold by Amazon to end consumers, taking on the role of wholesalers.Learn about the difference between Amazon vendors and Amazon sellers.
Vine
An Amazon program in which vendors or sellers can enroll their products to obtain verified, legitimate reviews.
VIR
Volume Incentive Rebate. Higher volume sales result in a greater discount, making this a beneficial scenario for both the seller and the supplier.
VIS
Video In Search. Offers advertisers a content-rich medium in which to make a direct connection with Amazon customers through videos in mobile search results.
VNHO
Virtual New Hire Orientation
Voucher/Coupon
A promotional deal on Amazon where a vendor or seller offers an amount or percentage off for a limited time.Learn more about Amazon deal and promotion types.
W
Warehouse Deals
Sold by Amazon Warehouse, a business of Amazon that sells quality “used” (usually just items with damaged packaging or returned) products and rents out used textbooks. All items are inspected and graded using Amazon’s rigorous 20-point quality inspection process and sold at a discount. Purchases are Prime-eligible and backed by Amazon’s 30-day return policy and customer service. Read more: What are Amazon Warehouse Deals?
WHS
Warehouse Health and Safety. Alternatively, may just be shorthand for warehouse.
WOW
Week Over Week
X
Y
YOY
Year Over Year
YTD
Year Over Year
Z
Need something explained? Notice something is missing? Feel free to contact us so we can address it and help other sellers and vendors.