E-commerce Dictionary

Product content performance metrics are the KPIs, such as product page conversion rate, add-to-cart rate and return rate, that show whether product content drives sales.

Planning, producing, checking and updating translated product titles, descriptions and attributes for every language you sell in.

Product data lifecycle automation uses rules and scheduled workflows to move product data from import to enrichment, checks, publishing and retirement.

Product data management (PDM) controls engineering records such as CAD files, bills of materials and revisions. When a component changes, the PDM system records which version of the design uses it.

A product data transformation engine is software that converts product data from source formats into the structure, units and wording each sales channel requires.

A structured system of policies, processes, and tools used to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and consistency of product data.

Product data validation rules are automated checks that test product records for missing, wrong or badly formatted data before they are published to a channel.

A product data versioning system stores earlier versions of product records, so you can see what changed, when and by whom, and restore an older version.

A product hierarchy organizes a catalog into levels. For example, Footwear is a category, running shoes are a subcategory, a named shoe model is a product, and its blue size 42 is a sellable variant.

A PIM model, or product information model, defines families, attributes and relationships in a catalog. A footwear family might require a size system, while individual SKUs hold the size, color and barcode.

The measures and protocols implemented to protect sensitive product information from unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure.

A product information team is the group responsible for collecting, enriching, checking and publishing product data for every sales channel.

A product sheet, also called a product data sheet, gives buyers the specifications and ordering details for one item. For a pump, that might mean flow rate, connection size, dimensions and the part number to quote.

Productivity tools are software applications designed to streamline tasks, automate processes, and enhance overall operational efficiency for businesses, particularly in e-commerce.

Ecommerce promotions are time-limited offers, such as discounts, coupon codes, free shipping or bundles, that give online shoppers a reason to buy now.

A punchout catalog is a supplier's webshop that a B2B buyer opens from their procurement system; the cart returns to that system as a purchase request.

RPA for data entry is using software bots that copy, type and move data between systems by imitating clicks and keystrokes, instead of a person doing it by hand.

Real-time inventory visibility is an up-to-date view of sellable stock per product and location, shared with every sales channel as sales, returns and deliveries happen.

Real-time Product Data refers to product information that is updated and accessible immediately as changes occur, ensuring customers and systems always have the most current details. This is crucial for dynamic e-commerce operations.

Retail media network (RMN) integration connects a brand's product data and ad accounts to a retailer's ad platform, so sponsored listings show correct product details.

Retail media optimization is improving the return on ads you buy on retailer websites and apps, by tuning bids, budgets, targeting and the product pages those ads lead to.

Product page content beyond a title, price and one photo: extra images, video, 360-degree views, size guides and detailed specs that help shoppers decide.

Rich snippets for ecommerce are search results that show extra product details, such as price, availability and star rating, pulled from structured data on the product page.

SKU stands for stock keeping unit. It is the internal code a business uses to track a sellable item. A retailer can assign different SKUs to the small and medium versions of the same shirt and reorder them separately.

A sales channel is a route a customer uses to buy a product. A retailer selling the same shoes in its shop, on its website and through a marketplace uses three sales channels.

Semantic PIM leverages semantic web technologies to understand the meaning and relationships between product data, enabling richer search, recommendations, and automation.

Semantic search is a search method that matches the meaning and intent of a query, not only its exact words, so shoppers find relevant products even with different wording.

Sentiment analysis is the use of language technology to detect whether text such as a review or comment expresses a positive, negative or neutral opinion.

A single source of truth (SSOT) is the one agreed system where a type of data is maintained, so every team and channel uses the same version.

Social commerce integration connects your product catalog to social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest so shoppers can find and buy products there.

Stock availability is the quantity of a product you can promise to a buyer. If ten units are on hand, three are reserved and one is damaged, six are available to sell.

Structured content is content stored as separate, labeled fields instead of free text, so it can be reused, filtered and published to many channels.

Substitute products are products a customer can buy instead of another because they meet the same need, such as tea instead of coffee or another brand of the same item.

A super-SKU is a parent code that groups the variants of one product, such as sizes and colors, and holds the data they share. You sell the variants, not the super-SKU.

Supplier data integration is the process of bringing product data from suppliers into your own system and mapping it to one consistent product model.

Supplier information management (SIM) is the practice and software for collecting, checking and maintaining data about your suppliers, such as company details, certificates, contracts and performance.

Supplier data onboarding is the process of collecting product data from suppliers, mapping it to your own structure, checking it and making it ready to sell.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) oversees the entire flow of goods and services, from raw materials to final delivery to the consumer. It integrates all activities to optimize efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Sustainability attributes are product data fields that describe environmental and social properties, such as materials, recycled content, certifications, origin and repairability.

Synthetic product imagery is product visuals made with 3D rendering or generative AI instead of a camera, used for packshots, variants and lifestyle scenes.

Technical specifications are the measurable facts about a product, such as size, weight, material, power and performance, that buyers use to compare items.

Time to Market (TTM) measures the duration from a product's conception to its availability for purchase. Optimizing TTM is crucial for e-commerce businesses to stay competitive and capitalize on trends.

Transcreation is adapting a message to another language and culture so it keeps the same intent, tone and effect, instead of translating it word for word.