http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/ Familiarize yourself with e-commerce terminology with the Practical Ecommerce glossary, or submit a term to help teach others what you have learned. en-us Copyright 2007 Confluence Publishing Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:05:25 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/rss/ Practical Ecommerce v2.0.1 Ecommerce kmurdock@practicalecommerce.com bgetting@practicalecommerce.com 60 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/76/Uniform-Resource-Locator-URL/ The standard way to give the address of any resource on the Internet that is part of the World Wide Web (WWW); www.practicalecommerce.com is an example URL. Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:05:25 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/76/Uniform-Resource-Locator-URL/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/87/Cost-of-Goods-Sold/ The price paid for the product plus any additional costs necessary to get the merchandise into inventory and ready for sale, including shipping and handling. Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:05:12 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/87/Cost-of-Goods-Sold/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/83/Active-Server-Pages-ASP/ Active Server Pages allow web developers to make their sites dynamic with database driven content. The code is mainly written in Visual Basic Script, and it is produced on the server of the website instead of the browser of your website visitors. The server reads the ASP code and then translates it to HTML. Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:04:56 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/83/Active-Server-Pages-ASP/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/107/Disambiguation/ Disambiguation in Wikipedia is the process of resolving conflicts in article titles that occur when a single term can be associated with more than one topic. In many cases, this same word or phrase is the natural title of more than one article. In other words, disambiguations are paths leading to different topic pages that share essentially the same term in their title. Mon, 12 Feb 2007 13:08:36 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/107/Disambiguation/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/106/Proxy-Server/ According to Proxyblind.org, a proxy server is a server that retrieves web pages for you, providing only its own identity to the sites it visits. Requesting data comes first to the proxy, and through the requested proxy, the data is transmitted to you. Usually, they are used to increase the effective network speed of your connection to the Internet because they save informations and files that are requested by many many users in a special database called "cache." Anonymous proxy server hide your IP address and hide information about you and your interests. Besides that, anonymous proxy servers can help in the cases when, for example, the owners of the Internet resource force some limitation on users from certain countries, cities, geographic regions or even restrictions on some IP address ranges. Examples of free proxy servers are Ninjaproxy.com, Proxyblind.org, and Proxify.com. Thu, 08 Feb 2007 13:49:23 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/106/Proxy-Server/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/105/Server-Path/ A programming term, the server path is the path to a file on the hosting server, as opposed to the on the internet. For example, the following PHP script may have this URL: http://www.example.com/php_script.php However, when programming in PHP and other server side languages, this path is not sufficient to call other files. In these cases, you want to use something called a server path, which for the same script above may look something like: /var/www/example.com/httpdocs/ This is the path that a server side script processor, such as PHP or ASP, would use to find your file. Contact your hosting company to find out the proper server path to use with your website. Tue, 02 Jan 2007 21:54:24 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/105/Server-Path/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/104/Trade-Show/ A gathering of companies with similar products or companies with different products serving the same markets to showcase their latest offerings, meet customers, learn new trends and identify new prospects. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:22:45 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/104/Trade-Show/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/103/Third-Party-Logistics-3PL/ Describes businesses that provide one or many of a variety of logistics-related services. Types of services would include public warehousing, contract warehousing, transportation management, distribution management and freight consolidation. A 3PL provider may take over all receiving, storage, value added, shipping and transportation responsibilities for a client and conduct them in the 3PL’s warehouse using the 3PL’s equipment and employees, or may manage one or all of these functions in the client’s facility using the client’s equipment or any combination of the above. Another term, 4PL is sometimes used to describe businesses that manage a variety of logistics related services for clients by using 3PLs. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:22:18 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/103/Third-Party-Logistics-3PL/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/102/SKU-Stock-Keeping-Unit/ Refers to a specific item in a specific unit of measure. For example, if you distributed 30- weight motor oil in both quarts and gallons you would maintain the inventory as two SKUs even though they are both 30-weight motor oil. Also refers to the identification number assigned to each SKU. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:21:12 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/102/SKU-Stock-Keeping-Unit/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/101/Shrinkage/ Retail shrinkage is a reduction or loss in inventory due to shoplifting, employee theft, paperwork errors and supplier fraud. Clearly an etailer that is drop shipping products does not have to be concerned with shrinkage. This is a issue for etailers and retailers who inventory products in light or heavy volume. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:20:35 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/101/Shrinkage/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/100/ROI-Return-on-Investment/ The percentage of profit or revenue generated from a specific activity. For example, one might measure the ROI of an advertising campaign by adding up the total amount spent on the campaign (e.g., $200) versus the amount generated from it in revenue (e.g., $1,000). In this example, the ROI would then be 500 percent. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:20:07 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/100/ROI-Return-on-Investment/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/99/Purchase-Order/ A document used to approve, track and process purchased items. A purchase order is used to communicate a purchase to a supplier. It is also used as an authorization to purchase. A purchase order will state quantities, costs and delivery dates. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:19:34 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/99/Purchase-Order/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/98/Product-Life-Cycle/ The stages that a new product is believed to go through from the beginning to the end: introduction, growth, maturity and decline. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:19:11 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/98/Product-Life-Cycle/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/97/Odd-Even-Pricing/ A form of psychological pricing suggesting buyers are more sensitive to certain ending digits. Odd pricing refers to a price ending in 1,3,5,7 or 9 just under a round number (e.g., $0.79, $2.97, $34.95). Even pricing refers to a price ending in a whole number or in tenths (e.g. $0.50, $6.10, $55.00). Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:18:54 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/97/Odd-Even-Pricing/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/96/Light-bulk/ A term coined by Worldwide Brands noting an order from a supplier that contains less than 500 SKUs. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:18:12 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/96/Light-bulk/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/95/Just-in-time-inventory/ An inventory control system that handles material flow for assembly and manufacturing by coordinating demand and supply so that desired materials arrive just in time for use. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:17:44 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/95/Just-in-time-inventory/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/94/Inventory-turn/ The number of times inventory is consumed or sold during a one-year period. Generally calculated by dividing the average inventory level (or current inventory level) into the annual inventory usage (annual cost of goods sold). Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:17:13 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/94/Inventory-turn/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/93/Inventory-Management/ The direction and control of activities with the purpose of getting the right inventory in the right place at the right time in the right quantity in the right form at the right cost. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:16:36 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/93/Inventory-Management/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/92/Inventory/ Any quantifiable item that you can handle, buy, sell, store, consume, produce or track can be considered inventory. This covers everything from office and maintenance supplies to raw material used for manufacturing, semifinished and finished goods and fuel used to power equipment used in the business. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:16:10 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/92/Inventory/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/91/Fulfillment/ The activity of processing customer shipments. Though most manufacturing and warehouse operations will process customer shipments, this term usually refers to operations that ship many small orders (usually parcels) to end users as opposed to operations that process larger shipments to other manufacturers, wholesalers or resellers. Examples of fulfillment operations would include companies that process shipments for mail-order catalogs, Internet stores or repair parts. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:15:35 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/91/Fulfillment/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/90/FOB-Free-On-Board/ Shipping term used to indicate who is responsible for paying transportation charges. “FOB Destination” would indicate the freight paid to the ultimate recipient. “FOB Shipper’s Dock” would indicate the freight is paid only to the point of the shipper’s dock, after which another party must pay. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:14:40 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/90/FOB-Free-On-Board/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/89/Distribution/ The process of storing, shipping and transporting goods. Also describes the facilities (distribution operations, distribution centers) that conduct these activities. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:14:01 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/89/Distribution/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/88/Drop-Shipper/ A drop shipper is a product supplier who is willing to ship individual orders out one product at a time. Usually, when products are purchased for resale, you have to buy them in bulk quantities, have them shipped to you, and then ship them out to your customer. Drop shippers are the exception, because they don’t have minimum-purchase requirements and will ship the item directly to your customer when you place an order. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:13:36 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/88/Drop-Shipper/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/86/Cash-Discount/ A percentage reduction in price for payment within a specified period of time. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:12:27 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/86/Cash-Discount/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/85/Carrying-Costs-Holding-Costs/ Carrying cost is the cost associated with having inventory on hand. It is primarily made up of the costs associated with inventory investment and storage. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:12:02 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/85/Carrying-Costs-Holding-Costs/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/84/Average-Inventory-Cost/ Average inventory cost is found by adding the beginning cost inventory for each month plus the ending cost inventory for the last month in the period. If calculating for a season, divide by seven. If calculating for a year, divide by 13. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:11:14 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/84/Average-Inventory-Cost/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/66/Multi-Homing/ When more than one domain name (i.e. practicalecommerce.com) points to the same website. Sometimes this is referred to as "domain parking" as well, which relies on the DNS system to point multiple domain names to the same website. In order to avoid link dilution, it's best to make sure that there is a permanent redirect from all domain names to just one, so that the search engines recognize that they are all the same website, not many different websites with the exact same content. Such re-directs can easily be implemented by using MOD_REWRITE rules in an .htaccess file. Sun, 17 Dec 2006 17:07:57 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/66/Multi-Homing/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/82/SSL-Certificate/ SSL certificates give a website the ability to communicate securely with its web customers. It is used to identify the merchant using it and to encrypt the credit card and other sensitive data. Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:38:37 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/82/SSL-Certificate/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/81/Virtual-Private-Network/ A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is used by corporations to provide access to their servers that are limited to only approved users. Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:16:09 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/81/Virtual-Private-Network/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/80/Video-Streaming/ The process of providing video data or content via a web page. Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:15:57 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/glossary/term/80/Video-Streaming/