From the shop floor to the bottom line.
Understand retail reports, decode the shorthand, and turn unfamiliar terms into useful knowledge.
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Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — An EMVCo authentication framework for card-not-present payments.
In practice: An issuer requests an additional authentication step through 3DS.
The authentication flow and liability treatment depend on network, issuer, and transaction rules.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — An outside provider performing agreed logistics services for a business.
In practice: A 3PL stores inventory and ships web orders.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — A provider coordinating a wider logistics network and its service partners.
In practice: A 4PL manages multiple transport and warehouse providers.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A classification method grouping stock by relative business importance or value.
In practice: High annual consumption-value products are assigned class A.
A/B/C boundaries and criteria are chosen by the business; ABC is a category label.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — A U.S. network supporting electronic credit and debit payments between financial institutions.
In practice: A retailer pays an approved supplier through ACH.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — The federal civil-rights law prohibiting disability discrimination in covered contexts.
In practice: A retailer evaluates accessibility obligations for customer services.
Employment and public-accommodation provisions have different requirements.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A GS1 prefix specifying the meaning and format of the data that follows.
In practice: AI 01 identifies a GTIN data field.
Different from artificial intelligence in technology discussions.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — Computational systems performing tasks associated with learning, inference, or other intelligent behavior.
In practice: A demand tool uses AI-generated forecasts for planner review.
AI also means application identifier in GS1 data.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — A document recording an entity's attestation regarding a PCI assessment.
In practice: A merchant requests the relevant service provider's AOC.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — Average sales value per order using the reporting system's revenue definition.
In practice: An online store divides order revenue by completed orders.
An order and an in-store transaction are not always interchangeable.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — Choosing the mix of products, variants, locations, and timing offered to customers.
In practice: AP assigns different size ranges to different store clusters.
AP can also mean accounts payable or asset protection.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — Amounts the business owes suppliers or other creditors for purchases on credit.
In practice: Finance matches an invoice before recording it in AP.
Different from asset protection and assortment planning.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — The function protecting people, merchandise, property, and other business assets.
In practice: AP coordinates incident reporting and loss analysis.
Different from accounts payable and assortment planning.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — A defined way for software systems to exchange requests and information.
In practice: The ecommerce platform calls an API for inventory availability.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — Amounts customers or other parties owe the business.
In practice: A corporate buyer's unpaid invoice remains in AR.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — Amazon's catalog identifier for a product listing within its marketplace system.
In practice: A marketplace team checks the ASIN associated with a listing.
An ASIN is not a universal substitute for a GTIN.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — A manager who supports the store manager and leads assigned operations.
In practice: The ASM coordinates the opening shift.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — Electronic or other advance information describing a shipment expected to arrive.
In practice: The warehouse prepares receiving using the ASN's carton information.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — Average price realized for each unit sold in a defined group.
In practice: A category's ASP rises after its premium mix expands.
Often equivalent to AUR when both use identical sales and unit definitions.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — A PCI SSC-approved organization providing required external vulnerability scanning services.
In practice: A merchant coordinates applicable scans with an ASV.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — Inventory or supply that can be committed to an order for a stated date.
In practice: The OMS checks ATP before offering Friday delivery.
May include future receipts and existing commitments; not simply on-hand quantity.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — Inventory the system currently permits customers to purchase.
In practice: Reserved and damaged units are excluded from ATS.
Allocation and buffer rules vary by retailer.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — Average sales value per completed transaction.
In practice: Net sales of $6,000 across 100 transactions give ATV of $60.
Formula: sales / transactions. Define whether tax, shipping, discounts, and returns are included.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — Average realized selling price per unit sold.
In practice: $2,400 in net sales divided by 80 units gives AUR of $30.
Formula: net sales / units sold. Do not confuse with average inventory unit cost.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A payment check comparing supplied address information with information held by the issuer.
In practice: A web checkout evaluates the AVS response as one fraud signal.
AVS responses are signals, not guarantees against fraud.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — Transactions between businesses.
In practice: A retailer also accepts B2B orders from local offices.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — Transactions in which a business sells to individual consumers.
In practice: The retail storefront supports B2C purchases.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — Tools and processes that turn business data into reports and insights.
In practice: BI combines store sales and inventory reports.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — An industry term for the issuer-identifying initial digits of a payment card number.
In practice: A processor uses BIN information in payment routing and analysis.
Issuer identification numbers can use different lengths; do not assume all BINs are six digits.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — The federal statistical agency producing labor-market and price data.
In practice: An analyst obtains CPI data from BLS.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A credit or deferred-payment arrangement allowing a purchase to be paid later or in installments.
In practice: A checkout offers BNPL through a financing provider.
Fees, underwriting, repayment terms, and legal treatment vary by product.
Loss prevention & safety · Training mnemonic · Store floor — Checkout shorthand reminding staff to check merchandise on a cart's lower rack.
In practice: The cashier checks BOB during the store's checkout procedure.
An employer-dependent training mnemonic.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — A promotion pairing one purchase with a second item under specified terms.
In practice: A BOGO offer provides a second eligible item at half price.
BOGO alone does not say whether the second item is free or discounted.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — Non-public work areas such as stockrooms and receiving spaces.
In practice: New deliveries are checked in BOH before replenishment.
In some inventory reports BOH instead means beginning on hand; check the report legend.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — A transport document recording shipment details and relevant carriage terms.
In practice: The receiver compares delivered freight with the BOL.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — The opening balance or measurement for a month, often inventory in retail planning.
In practice: BOM inventory becomes the starting point for the stock plan.
BOM also means bill of materials in product and assembly systems.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — The component list and quantities needed to make or assemble a product.
In practice: A gift-basket BOM lists each included item.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — An opening balance at the start of the selected reporting period.
In practice: BOP units plus receipts establish stock available for the period.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — An order journey in which an online purchase is collected outside the store.
In practice: An associate brings a BOPAC order to the designated parking space.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — An order journey in which the shopper purchases online and collects at a store.
In practice: The associate stages a paid BOPIS order for collection.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — A return journey in which an online purchase is returned to a physical store.
In practice: A shopper brings an eligible web order to the BORIS desk.
Eligibility and refund method depend on the retailer's return policy.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — Transactions between consumers, often facilitated by a marketplace.
In practice: A resale marketplace enables C2C sales of used apparel.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — Included acquisition costs divided by new customers acquired during a defined period or cohort.
In practice: $4,000 acquisition cost for 100 new customers gives CAC of $40.
State which sales and marketing costs are included.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — Spending on assets expected to benefit more than the current accounting period.
In practice: A major store fit-out may require CAPEX approval.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — The federal agency responsible for customs and border functions, including trade enforcement.
In practice: An importer follows CBP procedures for entry documentation.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — GS1 vocabulary defining shared business meanings for EPCIS event data.
In practice: A receiving event uses the CBV business-step vocabulary.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — The time between paying for inventory and collecting related sales cash, commonly DIO + DSO - DPO.
In practice: Lower DIO can shorten the CCC if other factors stay constant.
Grocery & food safety · Food retail term · Grocery — A step where control is essential to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food-safety hazard to an acceptable level.
In practice: A validated food-safety plan identifies its CCPs.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — California's consumer privacy law applying to covered businesses and data practices.
In practice: A covered retailer reviews its handling of consumer privacy requests.
This is a state law; coverage and obligations require current legal analysis.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — A camera system transmitting video to a restricted monitoring or recording system.
In practice: Authorized personnel review CCTV for an incident.
Access, retention, and use should follow applicable rules and store policy.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — Cardholder verification performed on a consumer's device, such as using its supported biometric method.
In practice: A wallet confirms the shopper on the phone before a tap.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — People, processes, and technologies that store, process, or transmit cardholder or sensitive authentication data.
In practice: A scoping exercise identifies systems in the CDE.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — Software that unifies customer data into profiles for permitted uses across systems.
In practice: A retailer combines consented customer interactions in a CDP.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — A survey measure of the effort required to complete an interaction.
In practice: The returns team asks how easy the process felt.
Scale direction and scoring depend on the survey method.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — Payment card account data, including the primary account number and specified associated data.
In practice: A retailer maps where CHD enters its systems.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — An estimate of a customer's economic value over a defined relationship horizon.
In practice: A retailer compares cohort CLV estimates with acquisition costs.
Models may estimate revenue or contribution profit; use consistent horizons and assumptions.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — Software for creating and managing digital content.
In practice: The marketing team updates landing-page content in the CMS.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A payment context in which the card is not physically presented to the merchant.
In practice: An online checkout typically creates a CNP transaction.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — The inventory costs assigned to merchandise sold during a reporting period.
In practice: A margin report subtracts COGS from net sales.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — Cost of goods sold divided by net sales, expressed as a percentage.
In practice: $60,000 COGS on $100,000 net sales gives COGS% of 60%.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A payment context in which a physical card or supported payment device is presented at acceptance.
In practice: A shopper taps a wallet at a checkout terminal for a CP payment.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — Advertising cost divided by measured acquisitions or conversions.
In practice: A campaign reports a $12 CPA for its defined purchase conversion.
An acquisition can mean a sale, signup, or other configured action; CPA is not always CAC.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — Advertising cost for each measured click.
In practice: $100 spend for 200 clicks gives average CPC of $0.50.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A trading-partner process for aligning plans, demand forecasts, and replenishment.
In practice: A retailer shares promotion assumptions in a CPFR review.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — Packaged products consumers typically use up and replenish.
In practice: A CPG supplier offers detergent and personal-care products.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — A BLS family of indexes measuring price changes for consumer goods and services.
In practice: A retailer considers CPI alongside nominal sales growth.
An aggregate index does not describe every retailer's prices or costs.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — Advertising cost per one thousand impressions.
In practice: $20 spend for 2,000 impressions gives a $10 CPM.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — The California law that amended and expanded the CCPA framework.
In practice: A privacy team reviews the CCPA as amended by the CPRA.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — The federal agency addressing safety of covered consumer products.
In practice: A retailer checks CPSC recall information for stocked merchandise.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — The share of a defined audience that completes a desired action.
In practice: Thirty transactions from 600 store visits give a 5% transaction-based CR.
Specify the action and denominator. Store visits, shoppers, and web sessions differ.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — Practices and systems for managing customer information and interactions.
In practice: A service agent reviews purchase history in CRM.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — Improving a user journey to increase its defined conversion rate.
In practice: A retailer tests clearer delivery information during CRO work.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — A packaging or ordering unit containing a specified quantity of products.
In practice: Receiving checks the CS pack before converting to eaches.
CS also means customer service. Case quantities differ by item.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — Assistance provided before, during, or after a purchase.
In practice: CS handles a missing-item report from a shopper.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — A survey measure of satisfaction with an interaction, product, or experience.
In practice: A store asks customers to rate a recent pickup experience.
A common score is the share of satisfied responses; scales and cutoffs vary.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — A prompt inviting a specific next step.
In practice: The product page uses an Add to cart CTA.
Grocery & food safety · Food retail term · Grocery — An event in a product's supply chain for which traceability information is recorded.
In practice: A traceability workflow records a receiving CTE.
Specific regulatory definitions may differ from general GS1 terminology.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — Clicks divided by impressions, expressed as a percentage.
In practice: Forty clicks from 2,000 impressions gives a 2% CTR.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A card-brand term for a card security verification code.
In practice: The shopper enters the requested CVC during checkout.
Do not store card verification codes after authorization.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A method used to verify that the person using a payment instrument is its legitimate holder.
In practice: A payment flow applies the supported CVM for that transaction.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — An abbreviation for the rate at which users or visits complete a measured action.
In practice: The ecommerce team reports purchase CVR per session.
Platforms may use different attribution and denominator rules.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A card verification code used in payment authentication; exact naming varies by card brand.
In practice: A checkout requests the printed security code for an eligible CNP flow.
Codes must not be retained after authorization under PCI DSS rules, even if encrypted.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — The customer's overall experience across interactions with a retailer.
In practice: Late delivery can affect CX even after a smooth checkout.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — Organizing and managing digital files such as approved product photos.
In practice: The ecommerce team selects current images from DAM.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — An Incoterms rule delivering goods ready for unloading at a named destination, with import clearance generally for the buyer.
In practice: A buyer compares DAP with a DDP quotation.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A facility that receives, stores, allocates, and ships merchandise.
In practice: A regional DC supplies replenishment to nearby stores.
DC also means distribution channel or direct current in other contexts.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — The route or arrangement through which products reach customers.
In practice: A brand adds a direct online DC alongside wholesale partners.
DC more commonly means distribution center in logistics documents.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — An Incoterms rule placing delivery and import-clearance obligations on the seller to the named destination, subject to the rule.
In practice: An importer reviews the seller's DDP quotation.
Confirm the seller can lawfully perform import obligations; unloading is generally the buyer's responsibility.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — Average inventory at cost divided by COGS, multiplied by the period's day count.
In practice: A 365-day year with 5 inventory turns implies 73 DIO.
Also called days sales of inventory; specify the period and averaging method.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — A manager responsible for a group of stores in a district.
In practice: The DM compares store staffing plans across the district.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — The federal department administering and enforcing multiple labor-related laws and programs.
In practice: Payroll staff consult DOL wage-and-hour guidance.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — Coordinating order sourcing and fulfillment across multiple inventory locations or partners.
In practice: DOM splits an order between a DC and a store.
Merchandising & buying · Performance metric · Merchandising — The estimated number of days available inventory can cover demand.
In practice: A daily average of 10 units gives 8 DOS for 80 units.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — An estimate of the time taken to pay supplier obligations.
In practice: Finance checks DPO against negotiated payment terms.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A supplier distribution model delivering directly to stores rather than through a retailer's DC.
In practice: A beverage supplier uses DSD on a scheduled store route.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — An estimate of the time taken to collect credit sales from customers.
In practice: The finance team monitors DSO on wholesale customer accounts.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A supplier that ships an order directly to the retailer's customer.
In practice: The DSV sends tracking information to the retailer.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — A selling model in which a brand sells directly to end customers.
In practice: A manufacturer launches its own DTC web store.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — A quantity unit representing one individual item.
In practice: The order line requests 12 EA, not 12 cases.
Barcodes & product data · Name with historical initials · Supply chain — A historical expansion associated with the EAN retail barcode family.
In practice: An EAN-13 symbol carries a 13-digit GTIN.
The barcode is used internationally; the prefix does not prove country of manufacture.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — A plan specifying actions and responsibilities for relevant workplace emergencies.
In practice: Staff review evacuation responsibilities in the EAP.
EAP also means employee assistance program.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — An employer-supported service offering help with specified personal or work-related concerns.
In practice: An employee accesses confidential support through the EAP provider.
Services and confidentiality arrangements depend on the program.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — A tag-and-detection system used to help identify merchandise leaving a protected area.
In practice: Checkout staff deactivate eligible EAS tags after sale.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — An earnings measure excluding specified financing, tax, and noncash expense items.
In practice: An earnings presentation reconciles adjusted EBITDA to its stated accounting measure.
Not cash flow; adjusted versions may exclude additional items.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — An electronic system for delivering and using eligible government benefit funds.
In practice: An authorized retailer accepts eligible SNAP purchases using EBT.
Benefit programs have separate eligibility and transaction rules.
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — Structured exchange of business documents between organizations' systems.
In practice: The retailer sends purchase orders through EDI.
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set used to bill for goods or services.
In practice: AP reconciles EDI 810 with the purchase order and receipt.
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set for payment orders and remittance information.
In practice: Finance uses remittance detail in EDI 820 to apply payments.
820
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set for exchanging inventory availability information.
In practice: A vendor sends EDI 846 availability to a marketplace.
846
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set used for purchase orders.
In practice: A supplier receives an EDI 850 from a retailer.
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set reporting product activity such as sales and inventory.
In practice: A supplier uses EDI 852 sales data in replenishment planning.
852
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set acknowledging or proposing responses to a purchase order.
In practice: A supplier reports accepted quantities in EDI 855.
A functional receipt acknowledgment is different from business acceptance.
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set commonly used as an advance ship notice.
In practice: EDI 856 describes cartons and items expected in a shipment.
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set for a buyer's requested changes to an existing purchase order.
In practice: A buyer changes a requested delivery date through EDI 860.
860
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set instructing a warehouse to ship goods.
In practice: A retailer sends EDI 940 to its fulfillment provider.
940
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set reporting a warehouse shipment.
In practice: The warehouse returns EDI 945 with shipped quantities.
945
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set acknowledging functional receipt and syntax analysis of EDI data.
In practice: EDI 997 reports whether a transmitted document passed relevant syntax checks.
It does not prove the buyer accepted the business terms of an order.
EDI documents · Transaction code · Supply chain — The X12 transaction set reporting syntactical and implementation-guide conformance results.
In practice: A system uses EDI 999 to report implementation errors.
999
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — A strategy centered on relatively consistent low prices rather than frequent deep promotions.
In practice: A retailer uses EDLP for everyday household essentials.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — The federal agency enforcing specified employment discrimination laws.
In practice: HR consults EEOC guidance when reviewing employment practices.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — An electronic movement of money, covering several payment mechanisms.
In practice: Payroll direct deposit is one form of EFT.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — Electronic payment transfer through a retail point-of-sale system.
In practice: A retail document labels card terminal transactions EFTPOS.
More common terminology outside the U.S.; a specific network brand in some markets.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — A federal tax identification number assigned by the IRS to a business or other entity.
In practice: A new employer uses its EIN on payroll tax filings.
Payments & checkout · Name with historical initials · Payments — The historical names behind EMV, now used for a family of payment specifications managed by EMVCo.
In practice: A retailer accepts an EMV chip payment.
The initials are historical; EMV is now a registered payment-technology brand.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — The closing point for a store's daily reporting or operational cycle.
In practice: The supervisor reconciles tenders during EOD close.
The business day may end after midnight.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — The closing balance or measurement for a month.
In practice: The buyer compares actual EOM stock with the target.
On an invoice, EOM may describe a payment-term convention.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — A closing balance at the end of a selected reporting period.
In practice: The plan projects EOP units for the final week.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A model's order quantity balancing ordering and holding costs under specified assumptions.
In practice: A planner uses EOQ as an input for a stable-demand item.
Basic EOQ assumes steady demand and costs; practical constraints still apply.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — An identification scheme used to identify physical objects, including serialized items, in GS1 systems.
In practice: An EPC encoded on a tag identifies a particular garment.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A GS1 standard for sharing event data about products and other assets.
In practice: Partners exchange receiving events through EPCIS.
The standard supports event visibility across organizations; it is not itself a barcode.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — Software connecting core business processes and records across functions.
In practice: ERP links purchasing, inventory accounting, and finance.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — A digital shelf display showing product price and other information.
In practice: An ESL price change is checked against the checkout price.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — A forecast of when a shipment or vehicle will arrive.
In practice: The carrier updates the ETA after a weather delay.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — A forecast of when a shipment or vehicle will leave.
In practice: Receiving uses ETD with transit time to estimate arrival.
Some organizations use ETD for estimated time of delivery; confirm the milestone.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — Amazon's service for storing and fulfilling eligible sellers' inventory and orders.
In practice: A seller sends eligible stock into FBA.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — A model in which the seller fulfills marketplace orders itself or through its own provider.
In practice: An FBM seller arranges packing and delivery.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A facility that picks, packs, and ships individual customer orders.
In practice: The FC prepares orders for home delivery.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — An Incoterms rule under which delivery and risk transfer occur at a named place to the buyer's nominated carrier.
In practice: A supplier quotes FCA at a named logistics facility.
The exact delivery point and version of the rules matter.
Grocery & food safety · Food retail term · Grocery — The federal agency regulating covered food and other product categories.
In practice: A retailer checks FDA recall and food-safety resources.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — Stock rotation that prioritizes the earliest expiration date.
In practice: A chilled-goods team picks the earliest-expiring eligible cartons first.
Actual expiry dates take priority over receipt order.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — The law providing for Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes.
In practice: Payroll applies the relevant FICA tax treatment.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A stock rotation or costing approach that uses the earliest received goods or costs first.
In practice: Staff place new stock behind older stock under FIFO rotation.
Physical rotation and accounting cost-flow assumptions are distinct decisions.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — The federal law establishing wage, overtime, child labor, and recordkeeping standards for covered employment.
In practice: A retailer checks FLSA requirements for covered staff.
Coverage and exemptions require their own analysis; state or local protections can also apply.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — Frequently purchased products that usually sell quickly at relatively low unit prices.
In practice: Everyday toiletries are commonly treated as FMCG.
Usage overlaps with CPG, but the emphasis is sales velocity.
U.S. organizations & rules · Name with historical initials · U.S. reference — A food-industry association whose initials reflect its former Food Marketing Institute name.
In practice: A grocery team consults FMI industry resources.
Current organization name retained; Food Marketing Institute is the historical expansion.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — A federal law providing qualifying leave and related protections for eligible employees of covered employers.
In practice: HR checks eligibility before designating qualifying FMLA leave.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — An Incoterms rule for sea or inland-waterway shipments in which risk transfers when goods are on board at the named shipment port.
In practice: A purchase contract specifies FOB and its named port.
U.S. domestic FOB usage can differ. Specify governing terms and named location.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — Customer-facing selling and service areas of a store.
In practice: A lead moves available staff to FOH during a rush.
Grocery & food safety · Food retail term · Grocery — The USDA agency responsible for safety of covered meat, poultry, and egg products.
In practice: A grocer checks an FSIS recall affecting stocked products.
FDA and FSIS responsibilities differ by product and legal authority.
Grocery & food safety · Food retail term · Grocery — The federal law establishing preventive and other food-safety authorities implemented through specific rules.
In practice: A supply-chain team checks applicable FSMA obligations.
Coverage, exemptions, and dates must be checked against the applicable current rule.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — An employment or scheduling category defined by the employer or applicable rule.
In practice: The staffing plan distinguishes FT and PT roles.
Do not assume one hour threshold applies to all benefits or legal purposes.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — The federal agency enforcing covered consumer protection and competition laws.
In practice: A retailer consults FTC guidance for advertising claims.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — A standardized measure of workload expressed relative to a defined full-time basis.
In practice: 80 weekly hours equal 2 FTE under a 40-hour planning basis.
The full-time basis varies by purpose and applicable rule; FTE is not headcount.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — Freight service using a truckload arrangement for a shipment.
In practice: A retailer books FTL for a large replenishment load.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — The federal law governing employer unemployment tax.
In practice: Finance reconciles FUTA liability for the applicable period.
Sales & retail metrics · Reporting period · Retail analytics — The annual accounting period selected by an organization.
In practice: A retailer's FY may use a 52- or 53-week calendar.
A fiscal year need not match January through December.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A GS1 network for sharing standardized product master data between trading partners.
In practice: A supplier synchronizes product dimensions through a GDSN data pool.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — An international framework for chemical hazard classification and communication.
In practice: A cleaning-product label uses GHS-aligned hazard pictograms.
National implementations and adopted revisions differ.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — The central accounting record of accounts and posted transactions.
In practice: Sales and inventory journals post to the GL.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — The area of a property available for leasing under the applicable measurement convention.
In practice: A leasing report lists a store's GLA.
Measurement standards and lease definitions matter; GLA may differ from selling area.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A GS1 identifier for parties and locations.
In practice: Trading partners use a GLN to identify a distribution facility.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — Sales less cost of goods sold, expressed as dollars or as a percentage of sales.
In practice: $100 sales less $60 COGS gives $40 GM, or 40%.
Gross margin is not net profit. GM also means general manager and general merchandise.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — The manager responsible for overall operations of a business unit or location.
In practice: The GM reviews store operations with department leaders.
GM also means gross margin and general merchandise.
Grocery & food safety · Food retail term · Grocery — Nonfood merchandise categories, with boundaries defined by the retailer.
In practice: The grocer's GM department stocks household accessories.
GM also means gross margin and general manager.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — Gross margin dollars divided by net sales, expressed as a percentage.
In practice: $40,000 gross margin on $100,000 net sales gives GM% of 40%.
Formula: (net sales - COGS) / net sales × 100. Different from markup on cost.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — Gross margin dollars earned per dollar of average inventory investment at cost.
In practice: $90,000 gross margin divided by $30,000 average stock cost gives GMROI of 3.
Use the same period; a 3-month value is not automatically annual. This is a ratio, not net ROI.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — A measure of the value of merchandise transacted through a platform using its stated rules.
In practice: A marketplace reports GMV separately from its fee revenue.
Taxes, shipping, discounts, cancellations, and returns may be treated differently by each platform.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A GS1 classification system grouping products by shared characteristics.
In practice: A supplier assigns the appropriate GPC brick to an item.
Barcodes & product data · Form or standard code · Supply chain — A GS1 use of Code 128 symbology carrying application-identifier-based data.
In practice: A logistics label encodes an SSCC in GS1-128.
A symbology name, not a separately expanded acronym.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A GS1 identifier for a trade item that may be priced, ordered, or invoiced.
In practice: A brand assigns a GTIN to a saleable product variant.
GTIN formats include 8, 12, 13, and 14 digits; assignment rules determine when a new number is needed.
Grocery & food safety · Food retail term · Grocery — A systematic approach identifying food-safety hazards and controls at critical steps.
In practice: A food operation monitors controls specified by its HACCP plan.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — A broad approach and software category for managing the employee lifecycle.
In practice: HCM connects hiring, employee records, and workforce processes.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — A strategy alternating regular prices with promotional discounts.
In practice: A seasonal category follows a Hi-Lo promotional calendar.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — The business function supporting employment processes and people management.
In practice: HR coordinates onboarding with store management.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — A system maintaining employee records and supporting HR processes.
In practice: A new employee's details are entered into HRIS.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — The international system of headings and subheadings used to classify traded products.
In practice: A product's HS category helps locate the relevant U.S. tariff entry.
National tariff schedules add detail beyond the internationally harmonized levels.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — The U.S. schedule used to classify imported goods and identify applicable tariff provisions.
In practice: An importer checks the current HTS classification for a product.
This database does not assign tariff codes or determine duty rates.
Workforce & payroll · Form or standard code · People & payroll — The U.S. form used to document identity and employment authorization verification for employees.
In practice: The onboarding process includes properly completing Form I-9.
A form identifier, not an acronym. Follow current official instructions and permitted document rules.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — An industry organization developing digital advertising resources and standards.
In practice: A media team consults IAB retail media measurement guidance.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — Planning that connects commercial, operational, and financial decisions.
In practice: IBP links the sales forecast to cash and inventory constraints.
U.S. organizations & rules · Name with historical initials · U.S. reference — The member organization serving the marketplaces and retail real estate industry.
In practice: A retailer consults ICSC resources on retail property.
Formerly International Council of Shopping Centers; the organization now uses ICSC as its name.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — The identifier for a payment card issuer within the applicable numbering scheme.
In practice: The gateway identifies the issuing institution using the IIN.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — The difference between original retail price and cost, often expressed as a percentage of retail.
In practice: An $80 original price and $40 cost give 50% IMU on retail.
Confirm whether the percentage denominator is retail or cost. The conventions produce different values.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — The expanded short title associated with the INFORM Consumers Act.
In practice: A marketplace reviews applicable seller verification and disclosure duties.
Applicability depends on statutory definitions, thresholds, and circumstances.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — Connected physical devices that collect or exchange data.
In practice: Temperature sensors form an IoT monitoring system for refrigerators.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — The federal agency administering U.S. internal revenue laws.
In practice: The payroll team obtains federal employment-tax instructions from the IRS.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — The systems, infrastructure, and practices used to manage digital information.
In practice: IT supports store networks and business applications.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — The number of inventory investment cycles implied by COGS divided by average inventory at cost.
In practice: $240,000 annual COGS divided by $60,000 average stock cost gives 4 turns.
Other unit-based turnover methods exist. Do not mix sales at retail with inventory at cost.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — An approach that schedules supply close to when it is needed.
In practice: A retailer coordinates frequent small deliveries for limited backroom space.
Lower buffers can increase exposure to disruption.
Grocery & food safety · Food retail term · Grocery — A required or selected data field describing a traceability event.
In practice: A receiving record includes the applicable KDEs.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — A selected measure used to track progress toward a business objective.
In practice: A manager tracks conversion and UPT as weekly KPIs.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — A comparison made on an equivalent set of stores, products, or periods.
In practice: LFL sales use matched locations and comparable trading weeks.
Often used similarly to comparable sales; review the report definition.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A costing assumption assigning the latest inventory costs to sales first.
In practice: The finance team applies its permitted LIFO accounting method.
Not a recommendation for physical rotation of perishable products.
Loss prevention & safety · Training mnemonic · Store floor — A checkout mnemonic for following store procedures on containers and items that could conceal other goods.
In practice: A cashier follows the approved LISA procedure for a storage bin.
A training mnemonic; never a substitute for approved safety and customer-service procedures.
Sales & retail metrics · Reporting period · Retail analytics — The year before last, often used as an additional comparison baseline.
In practice: The planning report shows TY, LY, and LLY side by side.
Retail planning shorthand; some systems use two-years-ago labels instead.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — An approved or protected period away from work under a policy or law.
In practice: The manager coordinates coverage for an employee's LOA.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — Practices intended to reduce losses from theft, errors, fraud, and other causes.
In practice: The LP team investigates inventory discrepancies.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — Elapsed time between defined process events, often ordering and receiving usable stock.
In practice: A vendor quotes 14 days LT from accepted order to receipt.
State start and end events; transit time alone may exclude production and handling.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — Freight service for shipments sharing a truck's capacity with other shippers.
In practice: A small pallet shipment moves through an LTL carrier.
Sales & retail metrics · Reporting period · Retail analytics — The previous year or its corresponding reporting period.
In practice: The buyer compares this week's sales with LY.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — A supplier's policy concerning the lowest advertised price of covered products.
In practice: A promotion is reviewed against the vendor's MAP policy.
Advertising restrictions and actual selling prices are distinct; policy terms and law matter.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A code used by payment networks to categorize a merchant's business activity.
In practice: The payment provider assigns an MCC during account setup.
MCC and NAICS are different classification systems.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — Managing consistent core business records across systems.
In practice: MDM reconciles duplicate product and supplier records.
MDM also commonly means mobile device management in IT.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — Management of enrolled business mobile devices and their settings.
In practice: IT uses MDM to configure store handheld devices.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — A broad revenue-to-marketing-spend measure using explicitly chosen revenue and cost scopes.
In practice: $50,000 revenue divided by $10,000 included spend gives a 5× MER.
Some reports use a spend-to-revenue percentage or different cost scope. Read the formula first.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — Authentication using at least two different factor types.
In practice: An administrator signs in using a password and a security key.
Two passwords alone do not create two different factor types.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — Setting and reconciling sales, margin, inventory, and receipt plans.
In practice: The buyer checks the assortment against MFP targets.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — An identifier assigned to a merchant account by a payment provider or acquirer.
In practice: Support uses a MID to locate the correct merchant account.
A business may have multiple MIDs.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — Techniques that learn patterns from data to support predictions or other outputs.
In practice: A retailer evaluates an ML forecast against actual demand.
Margin & finance · Performance metric · Finance — Markup remaining after relevant reductions such as markdowns, under the retailer's accounting method.
In practice: The buyer compares planned IMU with achieved MMU after clearance.
The exact treatment of shrink, discounts, freight, and allowances must follow the report definition.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — The minimum monetary value required for an order.
In practice: A vendor applies a $500 MOA across the buyer's chosen items.
Supplier-specific shorthand; confirm currency and eligible items.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — The manager assigned responsibility for the store during a particular shift.
In practice: Cashiers contact the MOD for an exception approval.
Role labels vary by employer.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — A comparison with the previous month.
In practice: A manager reviews MOM revenue alongside seasonality.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — The smallest order quantity a supplier agrees to accept.
In practice: A supplier's MOQ is 120 units per color.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — A portable checkout setup used away from a fixed register.
In practice: An associate uses MPOS to sell an item on the floor.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — A Census Bureau survey producing measures of U.S. retail and food-services activity.
In practice: An analyst reads MRTS estimates to understand sector trends.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — A retail price recommended by a manufacturer.
In practice: The merchant compares the selling price with MSRP.
A suggested price is not a universal required selling price.
Sales & retail metrics · Reporting period · Retail analytics — The period from the start of a month through the reporting date.
In practice: The store compares MTD sales with the matching days last year.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — The association representing convenience and fuel retailing, branded as NACS.
In practice: A convenience operator follows NACS industry research.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — The statistical system classifying North American business establishments by economic activity.
In practice: A researcher identifies the appropriate retail NAICS category.
U.S. retail trade is generally sectors 44–45; classification depends on the establishment's activity.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — Short-range wireless technology used by compatible contactless payment devices.
In practice: A shopper taps an NFC-enabled phone at checkout.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — A replenishment objective or designation for core items intended to remain available.
In practice: The buyer sets extra monitoring for NOS basics.
A planning goal, not a guarantee that stockouts cannot occur.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — The process of bringing a new product into the assortment and sales channels.
In practice: NPI checks include item data, packaging, and launch stock.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — The percentage of promoters minus detractors using the standard 0–10 recommendation question grouping.
In practice: 60% promoters minus 20% detractors gives an NPS of 40.
Promoters score 9–10; detractors 0–6; passives 7–8. Score ranges from -100 to 100.
U.S. organizations & rules · Organization or rule · U.S. reference — A U.S. retail industry trade association.
In practice: A planning team consults NRF's 4-5-4 calendar resource.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — Stock physically or systemically recorded at a location at a given time.
In practice: A count finds 18 units OH in the stockroom.
Recorded stock may include reserved, damaged, or unavailable units.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — Software coordinating order capture, allocation, status, and fulfillment workflows.
In practice: The OMS chooses which location can fulfill an order.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — Inventory ordered from suppliers but not yet received under the system's rules.
In practice: A buyer checks 200 units OO before placing a repeat order.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — An item is unavailable in the location or channel being measured.
In practice: The shelf is OOS even though another store has inventory.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — Costs incurred in running business operations, under the entity's accounting policy.
In practice: Rent and routine services are reviewed in OPEX budgets.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — Organized theft or fraud targeting retail goods or operations for resale or other gain.
In practice: The retailer refers suspected ORC patterns to its trained team.
Shrink includes many causes; it should not all be labeled ORC.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — The extent to which expected items are available for purchase on the shelf.
In practice: A store checks OSA for its highest-demand items.
Backroom stock does not by itself establish shelf availability.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — The federal agency responsible for occupational safety and health standards and enforcement.
In practice: A safety lead checks OSHA resources for workplace hazards.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — Work or pay treated as overtime under applicable wage rules or employment arrangements.
In practice: The payroll reviewer checks OT hours and the applicable regular rate.
Daily, weekly, exemption, and premium rules depend on jurisdiction and circumstances.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — The remaining merchandise buying capacity for a defined period and valuation basis.
In practice: A buyer subtracts committed receipts before placing another order.
Distinguish the total receipt plan from the uncommitted amount. Keep cost and retail dollars separate.
Shipping & procurement · Performance metric · Supply chain — Delivery performance against an agreed date, window, and measurement method.
In practice: The transport team tracks OTD to store receiving appointments.
Shipping & procurement · Performance metric · Supply chain — A delivery performance measure requiring both timeliness and quantity criteria to be met.
In practice: A shipment meets OTIF only if it satisfies the customer's stated rules.
Appointment windows, order/line basis, tolerances, and exclusions vary.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — A report summarizing revenues, expenses, and profit or loss for a period.
In practice: The manager reviews the monthly P&L for labor and merchandise costs.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — Payments or exchanges directly between individuals, often using an intermediary platform.
In practice: A report separates P2P transfers from merchant checkout transactions.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — A payment security approach encrypting account data from interaction through secure decryption, under defined solution requirements.
In practice: A merchant evaluates a PCI-listed P2PE solution.
Do not assume every encrypted terminal is a validated P2PE solution.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — The payment account number identifying a cardholder account.
In practice: A payment system restricts access to PAN data.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — A security standard for protecting payment account data in covered environments.
In practice: A merchant determines its PCI DSS scope with its payment partners.
Using a compliant provider does not automatically settle every merchant responsibility.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — The organization that develops and maintains payment security standards and supporting programs.
In practice: A team obtains current guidance from PCI SSC.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — A page presenting the information and purchase options for a specific product.
In practice: A shopper selects a size on the PDP.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — Information that can distinguish or trace an individual's identity, alone or when combined with other data.
In practice: A data review identifies PII in customer records.
Exact legal definitions and duties depend on the governing framework.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — Managing product descriptions, attributes, and other information used across channels.
In practice: PIM supplies size and material details to product pages.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A secret numeric code used to authenticate a cardholder or account user.
In practice: A terminal prompts a customer for a PIN when required.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — Products sold under a retailer-owned or retailer-controlled brand.
In practice: A grocer launches a PL range of pantry staples.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — A page showing a collection or category of products.
In practice: Filters on the PLP help shoppers narrow by size and price.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A code used to identify certain produce items at checkout.
In practice: A cashier selects the PLU for loose bananas.
PLU conventions do not replace product labeling or verification rules.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — A buyer's formal order specifying goods, quantities, prices, and applicable terms.
In practice: Receiving checks quantities against the PO.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — Evidence that a shipment was delivered, often including time and recipient details.
In practice: A claims team requests the carrier's POD.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — A production model making printed products after orders are placed.
In practice: A retailer offers shirts through a POD fulfillment partner.
Different from proof of delivery in shipping records.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — A layout that specifies where products belong on a shelf or fixture.
In practice: An associate follows the POG when resetting a bay.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — The place or moment where a buying decision occurs, often used for displays.
In practice: A POP display highlights batteries beside electronics.
POP displays can be located away from the checkout.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — The checkout location or system that records a sale and its payment.
In practice: A cashier scans items into the POS before taking payment.
POS can also mean point of service in customer-care documents.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — A place or interaction where a retailer provides customer service.
In practice: The returns counter is a POS in a service-process map.
Less common than point of sale in retail. Confirm the author's intended meaning.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — Signs, displays, and promotional materials used around retail selling areas.
In practice: The team installs new POSM for a product launch.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — An advertising model in which charges are based on clicks.
In practice: A retailer runs a PPC search campaign.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — Equipment worn to reduce exposure to identified workplace hazards.
In practice: Receiving staff use the PPE specified for the task.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — Paid leave for qualifying health-related or other covered reasons under a policy or law.
In practice: HR checks the applicable PSL rules before configuring accruals.
State and local coverage, accrual, and permitted uses differ.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A company providing payment acceptance or related processing services.
In practice: A retailer uses a PSP to support online checkout.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — An employment or scheduling category for work below a defined full-time basis.
In practice: The store schedules PT staff for peak periods.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — An employer's paid leave benefit or bank, subject to its policy and applicable law.
In practice: An employee requests PTO through the scheduling system.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — A comparison with the immediately preceding quarter.
In practice: A seasonal retailer interprets QOQ sales with its trading calendar.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A two-dimensional barcode family that can encode text or a web address.
In practice: A QR code on packaging opens product information.
Not every QR code is a GS1 Digital Link or is ready for retail checkout.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — A PCI SSC-qualified assessor organization or its qualified personnel, as context requires.
In practice: A merchant engages a QSA company for a PCI assessment.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — Permission or an identifier issued for an approved return.
In practice: A warehouse checks the RA before processing a supplier return.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — Technology that identifies tagged objects using radio communication.
In practice: A store counts tagged garments with a handheld RFID reader.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — A method of segmenting customers by how recently, how often, and how much they buy.
In practice: An RFM segment identifies frequent recent purchasers.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — A request inviting suppliers to propose a solution to a defined business need.
In practice: A retailer issues an RFP for a new order management system.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — A request asking suppliers for prices and terms against specified requirements.
In practice: A buyer sends an RFQ for a defined packaging specification.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — An approval or tracking identifier for a merchandise return.
In practice: A customer includes the RMA number with the parcel.
Some organizations expand RMA as return material authorization.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — A retailer's advertising offering connecting brands with its audiences and measurement capabilities.
In practice: A brand buys placements through a retailer's RMN.
Marketing & customer experience · Performance metric · Marketing — Attributed advertising revenue divided by advertising spend.
In practice: $5,000 attributed revenue from $1,000 ad spend gives 5× ROAS.
Revenue-based ROAS does not subtract product or fulfillment costs.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — A formal report documenting a PCI DSS assessment using the applicable reporting framework.
In practice: An assessed organization retains its ROC and supporting evidence.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — A return measure comparing a defined benefit or gain with the investment required.
In practice: A pilot compares incremental net benefit with implementation cost.
State the formula and period; ROI methods vary.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — The inventory level or position that triggers replenishment under a defined policy.
In practice: A SKU reaches its ROP and generates a replenishment suggestion.
A simple model uses demand during lead time plus safety stock.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — A journey in which items are reserved online for collection, commonly with payment completed later.
In practice: A shopper reserves a jacket using ROPIS before visiting.
Reservation, payment timing, and expiry depend on the retailer's implementation.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A process for sending merchandise back to its supplier.
In practice: Damaged goods are held for an authorized RTV shipment.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — Clothing sold in standardized finished sizes rather than individually made to order.
In practice: The RTW assortment includes seasonal dresses and jackets.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — A recurring process aligning demand, supply, and business plans.
In practice: The S&OP review reconciles holiday demand with supplier capacity.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — Software delivered as a hosted service accessed under a service arrangement.
In practice: A retailer subscribes to a SaaS scheduling application.
SaaS describes delivery, not a guarantee of specific security or ownership terms.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — Payment authentication information subject to strict storage restrictions.
In practice: A security review checks whether any SAD is retained after authorization.
Includes specified verification codes, full track data or equivalent, and PIN data; consult the current standard.
Payment security · Security standard · Payments — A PCI validation tool for eligible entities assessing applicable security requirements.
In practice: A merchant confirms the appropriate SAQ with its acquirer.
Eligibility depends on the payment environment; SAQ types are not interchangeable.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A payment authentication requirement associated with applicable European payment regulation.
In practice: A U.S. retailer serving relevant European transactions checks whether SCA applies.
Included for cross-border context; it is not a universal U.S. retail checkout requirement.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — Checkout where shoppers scan or confirm purchases and complete payment themselves.
In practice: An attendant helps customers at the SCO stations.
Loss prevention & safety · Operating term · Store floor — A standardized document describing a chemical's hazards and safety information.
In practice: A team consults the SDS for a cleaning product.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — Marketing through search engines, often used specifically for paid search advertising.
In practice: The SEM team manages paid search campaigns.
Some broader definitions include organic search; clarify scope.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — Improving a website so search engines and users can understand and discover its content.
In practice: The retailer improves product information and internal links for SEO.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — The page showing results for a user's search query.
In practice: A product page appears on a relevant SERP.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — Fulfilling delivery orders using inventory and staff at a retail store.
In practice: A store packs an SFS order from its own stock.
Margin & finance · Financial term · Finance — Operating expenses for selling activities and general administration under the reporting policy.
In practice: The P&L groups store support and administrative costs in SG&A.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — An EPC identification scheme combining trade-item identity with an item serial number.
In practice: Two units share a GTIN but have distinct SGTIN serial identities.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A retailer's internal identifier for a specific stock item or variant.
In practice: A blue shirt in medium has a different SKU from the large version.
SKUs are organization-specific and are not automatically global identifiers.
Shipping & procurement · Logistics term · Supply chain — An agreement defining service expectations, measurement, and related responsibilities.
In practice: A fulfillment SLA specifies dispatch cutoffs and reporting.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — The person accountable for a store's operations and team performance.
In practice: The SM reviews staffing and weekly sales together.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — The federal nutrition assistance program supporting eligible food purchases.
In practice: An authorized store identifies items eligible for SNAP purchase.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — Opening procedures or the start of the store's daily trading period.
In practice: The SOD checklist includes register and staffing checks.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — A documented method for completing a recurring task consistently.
In practice: The returns SOP specifies who can approve exceptions.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — Sales divided by labor hours on a specified paid or worked-hours basis.
In practice: $12,000 in sales divided by 200 labor hours gives SPLH of $60.
Use a consistent sales and labor-hours definition; this is not a standalone staffing standard.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — Sales divided by the retail space area used in the calculation.
In practice: Annual sales of $1 million across 2,000 selling square feet give $500 SPSF.
Specify selling area versus total leased area, period, and sales channels included.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — Additional stock held to buffer uncertainty in demand or supply.
In practice: A store adds SS for a variable delivery lead time.
The right buffer depends on service targets and variability.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A GS1 identifier for a logistics unit such as a pallet or parcel.
In practice: Receiving scans an SSCC to connect a pallet with its ASN.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — An arrangement allowing access to multiple applications through a shared sign-in process.
In practice: Staff access approved business apps through SSO.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — Sales for a comparable set of stores meeting the retailer's inclusion rules.
In practice: SSS excludes newly opened locations under the company's policy.
Eligibility, ecommerce inclusion, closures, and calendar alignment vary by retailer.
Inventory & replenishment · Performance metric · Supply chain — The share of a defined available or received stock quantity sold during a period.
In practice: Selling 60 of 100 available units gives 60% sell-through on that basis.
Common denominators include receipts or opening stock plus receipts. Match the report's method.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — Shipping an item to a store for customer collection or another defined store process.
In practice: A shopper chooses STS for an item not currently stocked locally.
Confirm whether STS refers to customer pickup or store replenishment.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — A common shorthand for state unemployment tax law or employer unemployment contributions.
In practice: Payroll tracks the employer's state unemployment account.
State agencies use different terminology, wage bases, and rates.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — Recording and managing when employees work and relevant attendance information.
In practice: Supervisors review T&A exceptions before payroll.
Grocery & food safety · Food retail term · Grocery — A food-safety classification for foods needing time or temperature controls to limit pathogen growth or toxin formation.
In practice: The food team follows adopted TCS handling requirements.
The FDA Food Code is a model; the jurisdiction's adopted rules govern.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — An identifier for a payment terminal or terminal configuration.
In practice: Support checks the TID for a register experiencing errors.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — Software supporting transport planning, execution, and related visibility.
In practice: TMS consolidates deliveries onto appropriate carriers.
Merchandising & buying · Planning term · Merchandising — A price cut offered for a defined promotional period.
In practice: A TPR ends after the weekend promotion.
Sales & retail metrics · Reporting period · Retail analytics — The current calendar or fiscal reporting year.
In practice: The dashboard compares TY actuals with LY and plan.
Marketing & customer experience · Marketing term · Marketing — Content created by users or customers, such as reviews and photos.
In practice: A retailer obtains permission to feature customer product photos.
Usage rights and disclosure requirements still apply.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — The controls and visual elements people use to interact with a system.
In practice: A cashier learns the new register UI.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — A program providing unemployment benefits under applicable eligibility rules.
In practice: An employer reviews its UI contribution notice.
UI also means user interface in technology discussions.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — The unit used to count, order, price, or track an item.
In practice: A case and an each use different UOM values.
Barcodes & product data · Identifier or standard · Supply chain — A term commonly used for retail product coding and the UPC barcode family.
In practice: A cashier scans a UPC-A barcode at checkout.
A UPC-A barcode carries a GTIN-12. The identifier and its barcode symbol are different concepts.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — Average item quantity sold per completed transaction on a consistent returns basis.
In practice: Selling 240 units across 100 transactions gives UPT of 2.4.
Formula: units sold / transactions. Keep the period and return treatment consistent.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — The federal agency providing Form I-9 resources and administering immigration benefits.
In practice: HR obtains the current I-9 form from USCIS.
Grocery & food safety · Food retail term · Grocery — The federal department responsible for agricultural programs and specified food and nutrition functions.
In practice: A retailer consults USDA resources for SNAP authorization.
Retail technology · Technology term · Technology — How people experience and interact with a product or service.
In practice: The team reviews mobile checkout UX.
Store operations · Operating term · Store floor — Presentation of products and selling space to guide attention and support sales.
In practice: The VM team updates the seasonal display.
Inventory & replenishment · Inventory term · Supply chain — An arrangement in which the supplier manages agreed replenishment decisions using shared information.
In practice: A supplier replenishes selected items under a VMI agreement.
Workforce & payroll · Workforce term · People & payroll — Coordinating staffing, schedules, time, attendance, and related workforce processes.
In practice: A store aligns WFM schedules with expected customer traffic.
Payments & checkout · Payment term · Payments — A federal program providing nutrition assistance and related services to eligible participants.
In practice: A store checks its approved WIC products and authorization rules.
WIC-eligible products and program operations depend on state agency requirements.
Ecommerce & fulfillment · Channel or process · Ecommerce — Software directing and recording warehouse inventory and fulfillment activity.
In practice: WMS assigns picking work for ecommerce orders.
Merchandising & buying · Performance metric · Merchandising — An estimate of how many weeks inventory can cover under a stated demand basis.
In practice: With 150 units and 30 expected sales weekly, simple WOS is 5.
Some planning systems use forward weekly forecasts rather than a flat average.
Sales & retail metrics · Reporting period · Retail analytics — The period from the start of a reporting week through the current cutoff.
In practice: WTD performance is reviewed before scheduling the weekend.
Week start and cutoff vary by business.
Sales & retail metrics · Performance metric · Retail analytics — A comparison with the equivalent period one year earlier.
In practice: September sales rise from $100,000 to $110,000: 10% YOY growth.
Sales & retail metrics · Reporting period · Retail analytics — The period from the start of a specified year through the reporting date.
In practice: The dashboard reports fiscal YTD sales through week 18.
State whether the year is calendar or fiscal.
See how a retail KPI works with your own numbers. The formula and calculation basis stay visible.
Enable JavaScript to calculate.
Units sold ÷ completed transactions
Use the same period and returns policy for both inputs.
Read retail reports with confidence. Explore ten distinctions that help store teams, buyers, and analysts stay on the same page.
A SKU is an internal stock identifier. GTIN is a global trade-item identifier. A UPC-A barcode carries a GTIN-12. The number and the printed symbol perform different jobs.
UPT measures units per transaction, ATV measures sales per transaction, and AUR measures sales per unit. With matching sales, unit, and transaction bases, ATV = UPT × AUR.
Gross margin percentage uses sales as the denominator. Markup on cost uses cost. A $60 sale with $40 cost has a 33.33% gross margin and a 50% markup on cost. State the basis for IMU.
GMROI compares gross margin dollars with average stock cost. Inventory turns compare COGS with average stock cost. One measures gross-margin return; the other measures stock cycling. Match the period.
BOPIS starts with an online purchase and store collection. BORIS is an online purchase returned in store. ROPIS starts with a reservation; payment timing follows the retailer’s process.
On hand is the recorded stock. ATS is what the system allows to be sold. ATP is what can be promised for a date, potentially using expected receipts and existing commitments.
Finance uses accounts payable. Merchandising uses assortment planning. Store security uses asset protection. The team, report title, and surrounding sentence identify the likely meaning.
An earnings report may use gross margin, an organization chart general manager, and a grocery assortment general merchandise. Spell out GM when sharing information across departments.
ROAS compares attributed ad revenue with ad spend. ROI compares a defined gain with an investment. MER commonly compares total revenue with included marketing spend. None is interchangeable without checking the formula.
An 855 communicates the business response to a purchase order. A 997 acknowledges functional receipt and syntax processing. A successfully received message does not by itself mean an order was accepted.
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Disclaimer: The TimeTrex USA Retail Acronym Database is provided for general information and educational use only and does not constitute legal, tax, accounting, payment security, or business advice. Acronyms, metrics, and search or decoding results may vary across retailers, sales channels, payment providers, and software platforms. TimeTrex does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the information. Definitions and examples do not establish profitability, tax treatment, consumer-law compliance, or payment security compliance. Confirm terminology and calculation methods using current retailer policies, contracts, platform documentation, applicable standards, and official requirements, and consult qualified professionals before making decisions. References and external links do not imply endorsement.
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