Ecommerce terms

A 3D model is a 360º product image that allows you to view a product online from every angle.

An abandoned cart email is sent to prospective customers after they fail to purchase items at your online checkout.

Above the fold refers to the content that sits in the first section of a web page that’s visible without the need to scroll. Anything lower is considered ‘below the fold’.

Average order value (AOV) is a key ecommerce metric. It represents the average monetary value of each transaction or order made on your website within a specific period.

Black Friday is a huge shopping event that was traditionally held the day after Thanksgiving in the US. It’s now celebrated worldwide and is a fantastic opportunity for ecommerce brands to reel in new customers with irresistible offers and discounts.

A challenger brand aims to disrupt and shake up its industry. They’re often small businesses that go toe-to-toe with industry leaders by providing alternative solutions, backed by ethical mission statements.

Consignment is a popular trading method, particularly in the retail industry. Instead of buying loads of stock upfront, you could get your goods on consignment, meaning you only pay for what you sell.

Dropshipping is a business model often used by ecommerce brands. When a customer orders a product from an online store, the retailer then orders from a third-party supplier who’ll ship the product directly to the customer.

A European Article Number (EAN), also known as International Article Number, is a type of barcode unique to your products.

Ecommerce - also spelled e-commerce or eCommerce - is short for 'electronic commerce' and is the process of selling products online.

GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is a unique code used to identify a specific product or product variant in the supply chain.

Headless commerce lets ecommerce brands split out their front-end (like their online store) from their back-end systems (like inventory and order processing).

Lifestyle photography aims to tell a story about your brand and capture the emotions of your target audience.

Logistics describe the process of how a company manages, stores and delivers their goods.

A niche is a specific segment of the consumer market. Think ‘vegan pet toys’ or ‘eco-friendly watering cans’. It caters to a very specific set of customers and, when done right, can be incredibly lucrative for your business.

A private label is a product manufactured by a third-party supplier and sold exclusively under a retailer’s brand.

Product bundling is when you collect together a selection of related products and sell them at a discounted price.

Product positioning is a strategic exercise. It gives clarity on how a product matches your target audience’s needs and what sets it apart from the competition.

A returning customer rate is measured by how many times a customer purchases something from your ecommerce store.

Shopping cart abandonment rate is the percentage of online shoppers who add items to their cart but leave your website without completing their purchase.

Third-party logistics (or 3PL), is when an ecommerce business hires an outside company to handle their logistics and supply chain activities.

Universal product codes (UPCs) are unique 12-digital barcodes that are required for product identification.

White label products are ready-made by third-party manufacturers, which you can brand and sell yourself.