Amazon seller glossary: 414 terms

Amazon speaks in acronyms, and that is a real barrier: you cannot manage a metric you do not understand. This glossary groups 414 terms not alphabetically but by workflow — from opening an account to negotiating as a vendor. The goal is not memorisation but connecting each term to a decision.

How to use this glossary

Do not read it end to end. Jump to the section matching your stage: opening an account, the first section is enough; running ads, go to advertising. Learn terms by tying them to a decision — not ‘what is ACOS’ but ‘what will I change after looking at ACOS’.

Sections: Account, registration and verification · Product, catalog and listings · Fulfillment and logistics · Advertising · Performance, data and reports · Finance, fees and profitability · Vendor / 1P specific · Brand and intellectual property · International and cross-border · Customer, returns and support · Operations and sourcing · General ecommerce and growth

Note: Definitions are deliberately plain. Fee structures, programme names and conditions change over time — always confirm the current operational meaning in Seller Central or Vendor Central help.

Glossary

Account, registration and verification (35 terms)

Term	What it means
Seller Central	Panel where 3P sellers manage account, listings, orders and ads.
Vendor Central	Panel for the 1P relationship; Amazon buys from you wholesale.
1P (First Party)	Model where Amazon buys from you wholesale and sells to the customer.
3P (Third Party)	Model where you sell directly on the marketplace.
Individual plan	No monthly subscription; a per-item fee applies instead.
Professional plan	Monthly subscription; unlocks bulk tools, ads and Buy Box eligibility.
Selling Partner	Amazon's umbrella term covering sellers and vendors.
Marketplace	A country-specific Amazon storefront (e.g. amazon.com, amazon.de).
Unified account	Structure that lets you manage several marketplaces from one account.
Tax interview	Amazon's online flow that collects your tax status.
W-8BEN	IRS form where a non-US individual declares tax status.
W-8BEN-E	IRS form where a non-US entity declares tax status.
W-9	Tax information form for US persons and entities.
Withholding	Tax deducted at source from a payment.
1099-K	US information return reporting payment card and marketplace transactions.
Two-Step Verification	A second verification step at sign-in (2FA).
KYC	Know Your Customer; identity and business verification process.
Identity verification	Confirming the account holder with an official document.
Address verification	Confirming your address with a recent statement or bill.
Video verification	Live call to confirm identity and documents.
Deposit verification	Verifying a bank account via a small test deposit.
Charge method	A chargeable payment card registered on the account.
Account linking	Detection that separate accounts belong to the same person or business.
Account suspension	Selling privileges stopped for a policy or performance reason.
POA (Plan of Action)	The corrective plan submitted to reinstate a suspended account.
Appeal	Formal submission challenging a rejection or enforcement.
Account Health	Dashboard aggregating policy and performance metrics.
Account Health Rating	Single score summarising account health.
Legal entity	The legal body the account belongs to.
Beneficial owner	The true owner of the business, declared during verification.
Business type	Entity form (sole proprietor, LLC, corporation, etc.).
User permissions	In-account user access control.
Storefront	The seller's shop page on the marketplace.
Onboarding	The process of registering and setting up a new seller.
Seller ID	Unique identifier assigned to the selling account.

Product, catalog and listings (45 terms)

Term	What it means
ASIN	Amazon's unique standard identification number for a product.
SKU	Your own stock keeping unit code; independent of the ASIN.
FNSKU	Barcode that identifies your specific FBA inventory.
GTIN	Global trade item number; the umbrella for barcode standards.
EAN	13-digit barcode standard common in Europe.
UPC	12-digit barcode standard common in North America.
ISBN	International standard number for books.
GCID	Catalog identifier issued to brand owners under Brand Registry.
Listing	A product's sales page and all data attached to it.
Product detail page	The product page the buyer sees.
Title	Product name field; drives relevance and clicks directly.
Bullet points	Bulleted feature and benefit section.
Description	Product description text field.
A+ Content	Enhanced visual description available to brand owners.
Premium A+	Higher tier A+ content with advanced modules.
Backend keyword	Hidden field that helps matching in search.
Search terms field	Backend area where search terms are entered.
Variation	Grouping options such as colour or size into one family.
Parent ASIN	The family record of a variation; not sold itself.
Child ASIN	The individual purchasable item within a variation family.
Variation theme	The axis a variation is built on (colour, size, etc.).
Browse node	A category node in the catalog.
Item type keyword	Field that classifies the product correctly in the catalog.
Product type	The catalog template type of the product.
Attribute	A defined property field on a product.
Flat file	Spreadsheet template used for bulk product upload.
Bulk upload	Uploading multiple products or data at once.
Contribution	A recorded change to product data in the catalog.
Listing quality	Score for completeness and quality of listing data.
Suppressed listing	Listing hidden from search due to missing or invalid data.
Inactive listing	Listing closed to sale due to stock or policy.
Stranded inventory	Stock sitting in the warehouse without an active listing.
Condition	Product condition (new, used, refurbished).
Refurbished	Renewed product condition.
Bundle	Different products offered as a single sales unit.
Multipack	Multiple units of the same product in one pack.
Virtual Bundle	Brand-owner bundle created without physical packaging.
Hazmat	Hazardous materials classification.
Dangerous goods	Product category with transport restrictions.
Restricted product	Product limited or prohibited from sale.
Gated category	Category requiring additional approval to sell in.
Ungating	The process of getting approval in a restricted category or brand.
Catalog	The structure holding all of Amazon's product data.
Merchant SKU	The product code in the seller's own system.
Buyable	State in which the product can actually be purchased.

Fulfillment and logistics (45 terms)

Term	What it means
FBA	Model where Amazon handles storage, shipping and returns.
FBM	Model where the seller ships orders themselves.
SFP (Seller Fulfilled Prime)	Program granting the Prime badge on seller-shipped orders.
MCF	Using FBA inventory to fulfil orders placed off Amazon.
Inbound shipment	Sending inventory into an FBA warehouse.
Shipment plan	Plan defining which warehouse receives what and how.
Partnered carrier	Amazon's contracted carrier option.
LTL	Less than truckload freight.
FTL	Full truckload freight.
Carton	Shipping box.
Pallet	Pallet; bulk shipping unit.
FBA label service	Amazon's paid labelling service.
Prep service	Service preparing units to meet FBA requirements.
Polybag	Clear protective bag; may require a suffocation warning.
Suffocation warning	Mandatory warning label on certain poly bags.
Expiration date	Expiry tracking required for consumables and cosmetics.
Lot control	Tracking by production batch number.
Receiving	Warehouse intake process for arriving stock.
Check-in	Registering a shipment into the warehouse system.
Storage fee	Monthly fee for the volume your inventory occupies.
Long-term storage fee	Extra fee for stock held too long without selling.
Aged inventory surcharge	Surcharge applied to ageing inventory.
Removal order	Request to return stock out of the warehouse.
Disposal order	Request to destroy stock held in the warehouse.
Liquidation	Bulk disposal of unsold inventory.
IPI	Inventory Performance Index; FBA inventory health score.
Capacity limit	Limit on the storage volume you may use.
Restock limit	Upper limit on replenishment quantities.
Sell-through rate	How quickly inventory sells relative to stock held.
Excess inventory	Stock accumulated beyond demand.
Reserved inventory	Stock temporarily set aside for orders or transfers.
Unfulfillable	Inventory that cannot be sold due to damage or policy.
Inventory age	How long stock has been held in the warehouse.
Lead time	Time between placing a supply order and receiving it.
Handling time	Preparation time before an order is handed to the carrier.
Ship-by date	The deadline for handing an order to the carrier.
Delivery date	Promised or actual delivery date to the buyer.
Late shipment	Order not shipped within the promised window.
Late Shipment Rate	Share of orders shipped late; a performance metric.
Valid Tracking Rate	Share of orders with valid tracking information.
On-time delivery	Share of orders delivered on time.
Buy Shipping	Buying shipping labels through Amazon.
Volumetric weight	Dimensional weight; billed when it exceeds actual weight.
Billable weight	The greater of actual weight and volumetric weight.
Dimensional divisor	The number used to convert volume into weight.

Advertising (50 terms)

Term	What it means
PPC	Pay-per-click advertising model.
CPC	Cost per click.
Sponsored Products	Core product-level ads shown in search results.
Sponsored Brands	Banner ads featuring a brand and product group.
Sponsored Display	Retargeting ads on product pages and off Amazon.
Amazon DSP	Amazon's programmatic advertising platform.
Campaign	Structure holding budget and targeting rules.
Ad group	Targeting or product grouping inside a campaign.
Automatic targeting	Targeting where Amazon decides the matching.
Manual targeting	Targeting where the seller picks keywords or products.
Keyword targeting	Targeting based on search keywords.
Product targeting	Targeting specific ASINs or categories.
Category targeting	Targeting at category level.
Audience targeting	Audience-based targeting (Display/DSP).
Match type	How a keyword is matched to a search.
Broad match	Widest matching; most reach, most waste risk.
Phrase match	Ordered phrase matching.
Exact match	Narrowest and most controlled matching.
Negative keyword	A search term you do not want ads to show for.
Negative exact	Negating at exact match level.
Negative phrase	Negating at phrase match level.
Negative product	Blocking placement on a specific ASIN.
Bid	The amount offered for a click.
Default bid	The ad group's fallback bid.
Dynamic bids	Amazon adjusting bids automatically.
Bid adjustment	Raising bids by placement.
Placement	Where the ad appears.
Top of search	The placement above search results.
Rest of search	Remaining search result placements.
Product pages	Ad placement on product detail pages.
Impression	Number of times an ad was shown.
Click	Number of clicks.
CTR	Clicks divided by impressions.
Spend	Advertising spend.
Ad sales	Revenue attributed to advertising.
ACOS	Ad spend divided by ad revenue.
TACOS	Ad spend divided by total revenue.
ROAS	Ad revenue divided by ad spend.
Break-even ACOS	The ACOS level at which profit reaches zero.
Target ACOS	ACOS goal derived from your profit target.
CPA	Cost per acquisition.
Search term report	Report showing the actual searches your ads appeared on.
Targeting report	Performance report by targeting entity.
Placement report	Performance report by placement.
Daily budget	Daily spend cap.
Portfolio	Structure for grouping campaigns.
Wasted spend	Ad spend generating clicks but no sales.
Cannibalization	Paying for ads on terms you already rank for organically.
Launch campaign	Initial campaign built to gain visibility for a new product.
Dayparting	Running ads only during selected hours.

Performance, data and reports (45 terms)

Term	What it means
Buy Box	The area on the product page that wins the add-to-cart button.
Featured Offer	The current official name for the Buy Box.
Buy Box percentage	Share of time you hold the Buy Box.
Session	A unique visit to your product page.
Page view	Number of page views.
Glance view	Product detail page view (1P terminology).
Unit session percentage	Units sold per session; the conversion measure.
CVR	Conversion rate; sales divided by sessions.
ODR (Order Defect Rate)	Share of defective orders; the core account health metric.
Negative feedback rate	Share of negative seller feedback.
A-to-z claim	Buyer claim raised under Amazon's guarantee.
Chargeback claim	Claim originating from a card dispute.
Pre-fulfillment cancel rate	Share of orders cancelled before shipping.
Policy violation	Recorded breach of policy.
Business Reports	Report set giving sales and traffic breakdowns.
Detail Page Sales and Traffic	Sales and traffic report at ASIN level.
Sales Dashboard	Summary sales screen.
Inventory Report	Report on inventory status.
Returns Report	Report on returns.
Reimbursement	Compensation for losses caused by Amazon.
Settlement report	Breakdown of revenue and deductions for a payment period.
Payments report	Report of payment transactions.
Brand Analytics	Market and data toolset available to brand owners.
Search Query Performance	Performance report at search query level.
Search Frequency Rank	Ranking of how often a query is searched.
Click share	Your share of clicks on a given query.
Conversion share	Your share of conversions on a given query.
Market Basket Analysis	Analysis of products bought together.
Item Comparison	Competing products shoppers compare with yours.
Repeat Purchase Behavior	Analysis of repeat buying.
Voice of the Customer	Dashboard of customer experience feedback.
NCX rate	Negative customer experience rate.
CX Health	Customer experience health indicator.
Best Sellers Rank	Sales ranking within a category.
Movers and Shakers	List of the fastest rising products by rank.
Product Opportunity Explorer	Tool for analysing demand and niche opportunity.
Review	Product review.
Seller feedback	Rating of the seller.
Verified purchase	Label marking a confirmed purchase.
Star rating	Average review score.
WoW	Week-over-week change reading.
MoM	Month-over-month change reading.
YTD	Year-to-date cumulative total.
Run rate	Current pace extrapolated to a longer period.
Baseline	Reference period used for comparison.

Finance, fees and profitability (44 terms)

Term	What it means
Referral fee	Category-based commission taken on each sale.
Closing fee	Fixed closing fee applied in certain categories.
Fulfillment fee	FBA pick, pack and ship fee per order.
Subscription fee	Monthly fee for the Professional plan.
Per-item fee	Fixed per-sale fee on the Individual plan.
High-volume listing fee	Fee that may apply above a listing count threshold.
Refund administration fee	Administrative fee applied on refunds.
Return processing fee	Return handling fee in certain categories.
Removal fee	Fee for removing stock from the warehouse.
Disposal fee	Fee for disposing of stock.
Coupon fee	Fee charged when a coupon is redeemed.
Deal fee	Fee for participating in a deal or promotion.
Settlement	Closing of a payment period.
Disbursement	Transfer of funds to your bank account.
Reserve	Portion of funds temporarily held.
Payment schedule	The calendar on which payouts occur.
Payout	The net amount transferred to the seller.
Payment terms	Agreed terms for when payment is made.
Contribution margin	What remains after variable costs are deducted from price.
Gross margin	Gross profit margin.
Net margin	Net profit margin.
Unit economics	Revenue and cost balance per unit.
COGS	Cost of goods sold.
Landed cost	Total cost of getting a unit into your warehouse.
Break-even	The point where profit equals zero.
ROI	Return on investment.
Cash conversion cycle	Time between paying for stock and receiving cash.
Working capital	Capital tied up in day-to-day operations.
Sales tax nexus	Connection creating a US sales tax obligation in a state.
Marketplace facilitator tax	Tax the marketplace collects and remits on your behalf.
VAT	Value added tax.
Invoice	Sales document.
Statement	Breakdown of transactions in a period.
Chargeback	Deduction applied in 1P for operational non-compliance.
Shortage claim	Vendor claim raised for short deliveries.
Price claim	Claim arising from a price discrepancy.
Deduction	Amount withheld from a payment.
CoOp	Trade and marketing contribution on the vendor side.
Accrual	An obligation recognised before it is paid.
Net PPM	Core product profitability metric on the vendor side.
Vendor allowance	Discount item within a vendor agreement.
Remittance	Transfer of payment.
Reimbursement claim	Request for compensation for an Amazon-caused loss.
SAFE-T claim	Seller claim contesting an FBM return decision.

Vendor / 1P specific (25 terms)

Term	What it means
Purchase Order (PO)	The order Amazon sends to a vendor.
PO confirmation	Accepting or rejecting a purchase order.
Fill rate	Share of ordered quantity actually supplied.
Confirmation rate	Share of purchase orders confirmed.
ASN	Advance shipping notice sent before delivery.
Direct Fulfillment	Model where the vendor ships directly to the customer.
Dropship	Shipping without holding stock.
Replenishment	Restocking order.
Sourcing share	Share of a product Amazon sources from you.
Shipped COGS	Cost of goods actually shipped.
Shipped revenue	Revenue of units shipped.
Ordered revenue	Revenue of units ordered.
Net received	Net quantity accepted at receiving.
CRaP	Item classified as unprofitable to sell.
Vendor Manager	The commercial counterpart on Amazon's side.
AVN	Annual vendor negotiation process.
Terms	The overall set of commercial conditions.
Damage allowance	Agreed allowance covering damages.
Freight allowance	Freight contribution item.
Price file	The vendor's price list file.
Cost update	Request to change agreed cost.
Item setup	Registering a new product in the vendor catalog.
Provision for returns	Allowance set aside for expected returns.
Born to Run	Program for initial orders of new products.
Manual PO	Purchase order created manually.

Brand and intellectual property (24 terms)

Term	What it means
Brand Registry	Program verifying brand ownership and unlocking protections.
Brand Store	The brand's own storefront on Amazon.
Trademark	Registered trade mark.
IP infringement	Infringement of intellectual property.
Counterfeit	Fake product.
Test Buy	Purchase made to verify an infringement claim.
Transparency	Programme for unit-level authentication against counterfeits.
Project Zero	Programme letting brands remove counterfeits directly.
Brand Gating	Restricting a brand to authorised sellers.
Brand Story	Brand narrative module.
Amazon Vine	Programme sourcing early reviews from selected reviewers.
Subscribe and Save	Subscription-based recurring delivery programme.
Brand Referral Bonus	Share of referral fee returned for externally driven sales.
Manage Your Customer Engagement	Tool letting brands reach their customers.
Follower	Customer following a brand store.
Brand tailored promotions	Targeted promotions specific to a brand.
A9 / A10	Common informal names for Amazon's search ranking algorithm.
Listing hijacking	Unauthorised sellers attaching to your listing.
MAP	Minimum advertised price policy.
Authorized seller	Seller permitted by the brand to resell.
Distributor	Intermediary buying wholesale from the brand.
Reseller	A seller reselling someone else's product.
Private label	Manufacturing under your own brand.
White label	Selling an existing product under your own brand.

International and cross-border (25 terms)

Term	What it means
Global Selling	Amazon's cross-border selling programme.
Pan-European FBA	FBA model distributing stock across European countries.
EFN	European Fulfilment Network; shipping from one country to others.
Multi-Country Inventory	Holding stock in several countries.
VAT registration	Registering for VAT in a country.
IOSS	EU single-window scheme for low-value imports.
EORI	Registration number for EU customs operations.
HS code	Harmonised System customs classification code.
Duty	Customs duty.
Tariff	Import tax rate.
Incoterms	International standard for delivery terms.
DDP	Delivered duty paid.
DAP	Delivered at place; duties payable by the buyer.
FOB	Free on board.
EXW	Ex works.
Freight forwarder	Organiser of international transport.
Customs broker	Agent handling customs clearance.
Currency Converter for Sellers	Amazon's own currency conversion service.
Cross-border payment	Payment flow across countries.
Exchange rate	Currency conversion rate.
Global account	Multi-currency account used to receive marketplace payouts.
Import	Bringing goods into a country.
Export	Sending goods out of a country.
Country of origin	The country where goods were produced.
Demurrage	Charge for goods held beyond free time at port or warehouse.

Customer, returns and support (22 terms)

Term	What it means
Buyer-seller messaging	Messaging channel between buyer and seller.
A-to-z Guarantee	Amazon's buyer protection programme.
Return window	Period within which a return may be made.
Return reason	Recorded reason for a return.
Refund	Money returned to the buyer.
Partial refund	Partial return of the purchase amount.
Replacement	Sending a replacement unit.
Concession	Goodwill compensation given to a customer.
Prime	Fast delivery and benefits programme.
Prime badge	Badge marking Prime eligibility.
Delivery promise	Committed delivery timeframe.
Free returns	Returns at no cost to the buyer.
Gift options	Gift wrapping and messaging options.
Customer service	Customer support process.
Q&A	Questions and answers section on the product page.
Return rate	Share of units returned relative to units sold.
Cancellation rate	Share of orders cancelled by the seller.
Damaged delivery	Item arriving damaged.
Missing item	Item missing from an order.
Ticket	Recorded customer request.
SLA	Service level agreement.
First response time	Time to first reply on a customer contact.

Operations and sourcing (27 terms)

Term	What it means
MOQ	Minimum order quantity.
Supplier	Supplier.
Manufacturer	Producer of the goods.
Wholesale	Buying in bulk to resell.
Retail arbitrage	Buying from retail stores to resell on the marketplace.
Online arbitrage	Buying from online stores to resell on the marketplace.
Dropshipping	Selling without holding stock, shipped by the supplier.
Sourcing	Finding and securing supply.
Sample	Pre-production or pre-purchase sample.
Quality control	Checking goods against a quality standard.
Inspection	Pre-shipment inspection.
Reorder point	Stock level that triggers reordering.
Safety stock	Buffer stock held against demand variability.
Stockout	Running out of stock.
Overstock	Holding more stock than demand justifies.
Inventory turnover	How often inventory is sold and replaced.
Days of inventory	How many days of sales current stock covers.
Demand forecast	Estimate of future demand.
Seasonality	Predictable demand variation through the year.
SKU rationalization	Trimming the product range to the items that work.
Kitting	Assembling items into a set.
Barcode	Machine-readable product code.
Labeling	Applying required labels to units.
Packaging	How the unit is packed for sale and transport.
3PL	Third-party logistics provider.
Cross-docking	Shipping straight through without storage.
Batch	Production or shipment lot.

General ecommerce and growth (27 terms)

Term	What it means
Marketplace	Online platform hosting many sellers.
Organic ranking	Ranking in search results without paid placement.
Conversion funnel	Path from impression through to purchase.
AOV	Average order value.
LTV	Customer lifetime value.
CAC	Customer acquisition cost.
Churn	Rate at which customers stop buying.
Retention	Keeping customers buying over time.
Cohort	Group of customers starting in the same period.
A/B test	Comparing two variants against each other.
One-variable rule	Changing only one thing at a time so results stay measurable.
Attribution	Assigning a sale to the channel that drove it.
Amazon Attribution	Tool measuring how external traffic drives Amazon sales.
External traffic	Traffic arriving from outside Amazon.
Affiliate	Partner earning commission on referred sales.
Amazon Associates	Amazon's affiliate programme.
Coupon	Discount voucher applied at checkout.
Promotion	Time-bound promotional offer.
Lightning Deal	Short, time-limited deal.
Best Deal	Longer-running deal promotion.
Prime Day	Amazon's major sales event.
Q4	The final quarter; the peak ecommerce season.
Season plan	Stock and pricing plan for peak periods.
Ground truth	Principle of relying on verified, sourced data.
Benchmark	Reference point for comparison.
KPI	Key performance indicator.
Signal	A metric movement that calls for action.

The 12 terms to learn first

You do not need all of them at once. If you are starting out, these twelve cover most of the ground: ASIN, SKU, Listing, FBA, FBM, Referral fee, Buy Box, ACOS, TACOS, CVR, Contribution margin, ODR. They show up in nearly every decision you make in the first months.

Connect the terms to each other

Terms are not isolated; they form a chain: Impression → CTR → session → CVR → sale → referral fee + FBA fees + ads → contribution margin. Account health (ODR, late shipments) sits above that chain as a safety layer; if it breaks, the whole chain stops. Knowing which link a metric belongs to makes diagnosis far faster.

The metric chain — from impression to contribution margin.

FAQ

What is the difference between ASIN and SKU?

ASIN is Amazon's universal product identifier, shared by every seller on that product. SKU is your own internal stock code and matters only to you.

What is FNSKU and how does it differ from ASIN?

FNSKU is the label that separates your FBA inventory from other sellers' stock on the same ASIN. ASIN identifies the product; FNSKU identifies your units of it.

What is the difference between ACOS and TACOS?

ACOS divides ad spend by ad revenue; TACOS divides it by total revenue. ACOS measures campaign efficiency, TACOS shows how dependent the business is on advertising.

Who wins the Buy Box?

Price is not the only factor. Delivery speed, seller performance, stock consistency and return rate all matter. A strong performer can win without being cheapest.

What happens if IPI drops?

A falling inventory performance score can lead to storage limits and extra fees. Clearing slow-moving stock and balancing inventory improves it.

Why is ODR the most critical metric?

Order Defect Rate sits at the centre of account health; breaching the threshold puts selling privileges at risk. Watch it before revenue metrics.

What is Net PPM and who does it concern?

It is the core product profitability metric on the vendor (1P) side. It does not apply directly to 3P sellers, whose equivalent is contribution margin.

Why prefer contribution margin over revenue?

Revenue is not earnings. Contribution margin shows what remains after variable costs, and growth decisions are only sound when based on it.

What is a gated category and how do you open it?

A restricted category requiring extra approval. Ungating may require documents and supplier invoices; requirements vary by category.

Do I need to memorise all of these?

No. Learn the section for your current stage and return to the rest as needed. 'The 12 terms to learn first' is the right starting point.

Turn terms into decisions

A glossary is the starting point; the real work is tying these metrics to a weekly reading routine. Which report, which day, which decision?

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