Welcome, intrepid sellers and brave entrepreneurs, as I delve into the deep, dark forest of Amazon’s marketplace. Listing your products is only the first step in a much grander adventure. To seize the spotlight and captivate shoppers, you’ll need more than just presence—you’ll need precision, panache, and a plan. Join us as we unravel the secrets to making Amazon work for you, not the other way around.
To truly conquer this e-commerce giant, you need cunning, strategy, and the artful touch of a seasoned guide. Let’s embark on this journey together and transform your brand into an Amazon powerhouse.
I’ve pulled together a list of terms Amazon uses when listing and promoting your products. Some of these are the same general terms used in the retail or marketing worlds, others are Amazon terms for the same stuff elsewhere. A SKU in the rest of the world is called an ASIN on Amazon but don’t worry it actually reduces confusion along the line.
A+ Content:
Imagine your product description transformed into a vibrant tapestry of enhanced content and branding, complete with graphics and images that dance on the page.
ACoS
Advertising Cost of Sale
The cold, hard math of advertising — how much you’re spending to reel in those sweet sales.
How to figure it out:
Total spend divided by ad sales equals ACoS = the mystical number that dictates your ad fate.
AMS
Amazon Marketing Services
Once known as the enigmatic AMS, now simply Amazon Advertising.
Same powerhouse, different name.
ASIN
Amazon Standard Info Number
Each Amazon product is tagged with a unique 10-character alphanumeric identifier, like a digital fingerprint. This identifier has siblings—parent ASIN for the main product, child ASINs for variations in color, size, and more.
ASP
Average Selling Price
The essence of commerce boiled down to a formula: net sales divided by the number of products sold. A number that tells tales of profit.
AOV
Average Order Value
A key performance indicator for eCommerce, this metric measures the average value of all orders over a specific time frame. Bigger is better, naturally.
BB
*See Buy Box too
The coveted button on an Amazon detail page that whispers to customers, “Buy me.” Winning this box is like catching the golden snitch—complex algorithms decide your fate based on stock, ratings, and customer service rankings.
Brand Analytics
A suite of features, a treasure chest for brands enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry.
Brand Registry
Amazon’s program to let brands verify and control their image, their domain within the vast Amazon universe.
Brand Store
A bespoke boutique within Amazon, crafted with a free, self-service tool. Customize, curate, and charm your audience with a brand experience that sings your story.
BSR
Best Seller Rank
The ever-shifting sands of Amazon rankings. Updated hourly, it charts the order and ranking of a product in its category. No sales, no rank—it’s as simple as that.
Bundle
A merry band of complementary products, sold as one cohesive ASIN unit.
Buy Box
The mythical button of destiny that customers press to purchase a product. Winning it means victory in the endless battle of stock, ratings, and customer service.
CPC
Cost Per Click
The toll you pay to Amazon when a customer clicks on your ad. Total ad cost divided by clicks equals CPC, the currency of visibility.
CTR
Click Through Rate
A measure of allure, this metric tracks the number of clicks per impression of an ad. Number of clicks divided by impressions equals CTR, the siren’s song of advertising.
DOTD
Deal of the Day
A singular marvel or a small set of wonders, discounted for one day only on Amazon’s Gold Box or Deals page. Blink and you’ll miss it.
DP
Detail Page
The grand stage where an ASIN performs. Price, title, bullets, description, customer reviews—all laid out for the world to see.
DSP
Demand Side Platform
Amazon’s own display advertising playground.
EAN
European Article Number
A 13-digit number system that tags retail products across Europe, a barcode symphony.
EFN
European Fulfilment Network
A logistical waltz allowing sellers to store inventory in their local fulfillment center and fulfill orders across Europe from the same stockpile.
FBA
Fulfilment by Amazon
When Amazon takes your products under its wing, storing, picking, packing, shipping, and offering customer service. A hands-off approach that lets you breathe easy.
FBM
Fulfilment by Merchant
The rugged, independent route. You ship products directly to the end customer yourself, embracing the wild frontier of eCommerce.
FC
Fulfilment Center
The sprawling warehouses where Amazon’s magic happens.
GMV
Gross Merchandise Value
The raw volume of goods sold via customer-to-customer or e-commerce platforms, calculated before any fees or expenses drain away.
Hazmat
Hazardous Materials
Flammable, dangerous, corrosive, pressurized—these items require special care and regulations, lest chaos ensue.
Headline Search Ads
Ads perched atop the search results page, now rebranded as Sponsored Brands.
Impressions
A measure of visibility, counting the number of times a page is located and loaded.
LBB
Lost Buy Box
The forlorn state of losing that coveted Buy Box.
LD
Lightning Deal
A fleeting promotion on Amazon, a limited quantity offered for a short burst of time. One per customer until the clock runs out or the stock runs dry.
7-Day Deal
A time-bound offer on Amazon’s Best Deals page, stretching over a week of enticing discounts.
Marketplace
The realm or domain where you sell—be it the UK, DE, or another corner of the world.
NTB
New to Brand
A metric to determine whether an ad-attributed purchase was made by a fresh-faced customer or a returning buyer. Track new-to-brand purchases, sales, purchase rate, and cost per new-to-brand customer.
Prime
Amazon Prime, the golden key to free, fast delivery on millions of items, plus a treasure trove of streaming entertainment options.
RoAS
Return On Ad Spend
The measure of an ad campaign’s effectiveness. It reveals how much you gain for every euro spent on advertising.
Sales Rank
Amazon’s internal ranking of products in search and browse, an ever-evolving dance of numbers.
SB
Sponsored Brands
Keyword-targeted ads promoting a specific brand, operating on a cost-per-click basis.
SP
Sponsored Products
Keyword-targeted ads promoting individual products, also on a cost-per-click basis.
SEO
Search Engine Optimisation
The art of increasing traffic and visibility through organic, unpaid results in search engines.
SKU
Stock Keeping Unit
A unique code that identifies a product, a key to inventory mastery.
Storefront
An Amazon brand store, a mini shop within Amazon, curated for your brand.
Variation
The rainbow of options—size, color, flavor, pack sizes—that a product can offer. The parent ASIN is the main item, with child ASINs for each variant.
Vendor
Vendors sell products to Amazon’s retail side via Vendor Central, becoming the wholesalers in Amazon’s grand scheme.
Vine
An Amazon program that enrolls products to gather verified, legitimate reviews.
Voucher/Coupon
A promotional gem on Amazon, offering a percentage or amount off for a limited time.