67 terms, plain English
Marketplace seller glossary
The terms sellers meet on Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, noon and quick commerce in India and the UAE, each with a one-line answer, how it works and what to do about it.
Amazon
ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales)ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales) is the share of Amazon ad-attributed sales that went back out as ad spend, calculated as ad spend divided by ad sales.TACoS (Total Advertising Cost of Sales)TACoS (Total Advertising Cost of Sales) is Amazon ad spend divided by total sales, organic and ad-attributed together, expressed as a percentage.Sponsored ProductsSponsored Products are Amazon's cost-per-click ads that show an individual product listing in search results and on product detail pages.Sponsored BrandsSponsored Brands are Amazon ads for Brand Registry sellers that show a brand logo, custom headline and multiple products or a video, mainly at the top of search results.Sponsored DisplaySponsored Display is Amazon's self-service display ad product that reaches shoppers by product context or audience behaviour, on Amazon and on partner sites.Match types (broad, phrase, exact)Match types (broad, phrase and exact) set how closely a shopper's search must resemble a targeted keyword before a Sponsored Products or Sponsored Brands ad is eligible to show.Negative keywordsNegative keywords are words or phrases you add to an Amazon campaign so your ad does not show for shopper searches containing them, cutting spend on irrelevant clicks.Dynamic biddingDynamic bidding is a Sponsored Products setting that lets Amazon adjust your bid in real time, by up to 100%, according to how likely a click is to convert.Placement bid adjustment (adjust bids by placement)Placement bid adjustment is a Sponsored Products setting that raises your base bid by up to 900% for top of search, rest of search or product page placements.Search term reportThe search term report is an Amazon Ads download listing the actual shopper searches that produced clicks on your ads, with impressions, clicks, spend, orders and sales for each.Buy Box (Featured Offer)The Buy Box, now called the Featured Offer, is the Add to Cart panel on an Amazon product page; the seller whose offer wins it takes most of the sales.Amazon SPN (Service Provider Network)Amazon SPN (Service Provider Network) is Amazon's directory of vetted third-party service providers that sellers can hire for imaging, cataloguing, advertising, account management and other tasks.ODR (Order Defect Rate)ODR (Order Defect Rate) is the percentage of Amazon orders in a 60-day window with negative feedback, an A-to-z claim or a service chargeback; Amazon requires under 1%.ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number)An ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) is the unique 10-character code Amazon assigns to each product detail page, shared by every seller offering that product.FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon)FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon) is the programme where sellers send inventory to Amazon fulfilment centres and Amazon stores, packs, delivers and handles customer service and returns for those orders.Easy Ship (Amazon)Easy Ship is Amazon.in's fulfilment option where the seller stores and packs each order and an Amazon Logistics associate picks it up and delivers it to the customer with tracking.A+ Content (Amazon)A+ Content is the enhanced product description on an Amazon detail page, built from image, text and comparison modules, available to sellers enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry.Referral Fee (Amazon)The referral fee is the commission Amazon charges on every sale, a category-specific percentage of the item price, zero on most products under ₹1,000 in India as of 2026.Account Health Rating (AHR)Account Health Rating (AHR) is Amazon's 0 to 1,000 score weighing unresolved policy violations against 180-day sales volume; 200 or above is Healthy, below 100 risks deactivation.
All marketplaces
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) is ad-attributed sales divided by ad spend, so a ROAS of 4 means every ₹1 of ads returned ₹4 of sales.CPC (Cost Per Click)CPC (Cost Per Click) is the amount an advertiser pays each time a shopper clicks their ad; on Amazon it is set by auction and is usually below the bid.CTR (Click-Through Rate)CTR (Click-Through Rate) is clicks divided by impressions, expressed as a percentage; it measures how often shoppers who see an ad actually click it.GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is the unique product number behind a retail barcode, issued through GS1, that Amazon, Flipkart and quick commerce platforms use to identify each SKU.GST on marketplace feesGST on marketplace fees is the 18% GST charged on top of commission, fulfilment, shipping and advertising fees by Indian marketplaces, recoverable by the seller as input tax credit.RTO (Return to Origin)RTO (Return to Origin) is an order the courier could not deliver, usually because the buyer refused a cash-on-delivery parcel or was unreachable, and is shipped back to the seller.
Quick commerce
Dark storeA dark store is a small neighbourhood warehouse, closed to the public, from which Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart pick, pack and deliver orders within minutes.Fill rateFill rate is the percentage of units ordered by a quick commerce platform on a purchase order that the brand delivers and the platform accepts.Purchase order (PO)A purchase order (PO) is the platform's binding request to buy specific SKUs and quantities from a brand for delivery to a named warehouse by a set date.APOB (Additional Place of Business)APOB (Additional Place of Business) is an amendment to your GST registration that adds a marketplace warehouse or dark store as a place where your business holds stock.NPI (New Product Introduction)NPI (New Product Introduction) is the platform gate through which a new SKU is reviewed, trialled at a few dark stores, then scaled or dropped based on sell-through.SLA (Service Level Agreement)An SLA (Service Level Agreement) is a measurable commitment, such as ship-by time or fill rate, that a platform expects a seller to meet or face penalties.
Noon
VAT (UAE 5% / KSA 15%)VAT is the Gulf consumption tax on noon sales and seller fees: 5% in the UAE and 15% in Saudi Arabia (KSA), charged on the customer price and marketplace fees.FBN (Fulfilled by noon)FBN (Fulfilled by noon) is noon's fulfilment programme: the seller sends inventory to a noon warehouse and noon stores, picks, packs, delivers and handles returns for a fee.
Myntra
SOR (Sale or Return)SOR (Sale or Return) is a consignment-style model: the brand's stock sits in the platform's warehouse, the brand is paid for units sold, and unsold units are returned.EORS (End of Reason Sale)EORS (End of Reason Sale) is Myntra's flagship sale event, run twice a year, when participating brands offer their steepest discounts and Myntra concentrates traffic, marketing and logistics capacity.
Flipkart
PLA (Product Listing Ads) on FlipkartPLA (Product Listing Ads) are Flipkart's cost-per-click sponsored listings that promote an individual product in search results, category browse pages and product pages, billed only when a shopper clicks.PCA (Product Contextual Ads) on FlipkartPCA (Product Contextual Ads) are Flipkart's cost-per-click banner ads that group several products from one seller on search, category and product pages matched to the shopper's context.Smart ROI Campaign (Flipkart Ads)A Smart ROI campaign is a Flipkart Product Listing Ads mode where the seller sets a target return on investment and Flipkart's algorithm manages bids and placements to reach it.FSN (Flipkart Serial Number)An FSN (Flipkart Serial Number) is the unique identifier Flipkart assigns to each product in its catalogue, shared by every seller listing that product, much like an ASIN on Amazon.FBF (Fulfilment by Flipkart)FBF (Fulfilment by Flipkart) is the model where a seller sends inventory to Flipkart's warehouses and Flipkart stores it, packs and delivers orders and processes returns for those listings.SPF (Seller Protection Fund) on FlipkartSPF (Seller Protection Fund) is Flipkart's programme that compensates sellers when a return comes back damaged, wrong or empty, or never arrives, if claimed within 14 days of receipt.Flipkart Seller Tier (Bronze, Silver, Gold)Flipkart seller tier is the Bronze, Silver or Gold rating Flipkart assigns each quarter from the previous 90 days of sales volume, cancellation rate, dispatch breaches and ratings.Listing Quality Score (Flipkart)Listing Quality Score is Flipkart's rating of a listing's completeness and accuracy across images, title, description and attributes; higher-scoring listings get more visibility in search and browse.Big Billion Days (Flipkart)The Big Billion Days is Flipkart's biggest annual sale, held before Diwali, in which participating sellers offer discounts and Flipkart drives peak traffic; the 2026 edition opens 8 October.
Amazon.ae
UAE compliance
Emirates Quality Mark (EQM)The Emirates Quality Mark is a national conformity mark that the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) licenses to products that meet set standards and come from audited factories.MontajiMontaji is Dubai Municipality's online Consumer Product Registration Service, where regulated products such as cosmetics are registered before they can be imported, advertised or sold in Dubai.
UAE customs
Bill of EntryA bill of entry is the customs declaration you file to get imported goods cleared. In Dubai it is filed through the Dubai Customs declaration service and tied to your importer code.Importer codeAn importer code is the customs business code a Dubai-licensed company gets from Dubai Customs so it can file import declarations in its own name; the published fee is AED 100 for new registration.
UAE licensing
E-Trader licenseThe E-Trader license is a Dubai Economy and Tourism home-based trade license for individuals selling goods or services on social media and online platforms, issued only to sole proprietorships.Mainland LicenseA mainland license is a trade license issued by a local economic department, such as Dubai DET, that lets a company trade across the emirate and sell directly to the local market.
UAE logistics
UAE tax
Designated Zone (VAT)A designated zone is a free zone named in a Cabinet Decision that is treated as outside the UAE for VAT on certain supplies of goods. Not every free zone is a designated zone.EmaraTaxEmaraTax is the Federal Tax Authority's online portal where UAE businesses register for tax, file returns and manage their tax account, accessed through a UAE Pass login.TRN (Tax Registration Number)A TRN, or Tax Registration Number, is the number the UAE Federal Tax Authority issues to a business once it is registered for VAT. It identifies you on tax invoices and returns.
Amazon Australia
GTIN Exemption (Amazon Australia)A GTIN exemption is Amazon's permission to list a product without a GTIN (UPC, EAN, JAN or ISBN). Most products need a GTIN, obtained from GS1 Australia, unless you request an exemption in Seller Central.MCF (Multi-Channel Fulfilment)Multi-Channel Fulfilment (MCF) is Amazon's service for orders placed outside Amazon: you store stock in Amazon fulfilment centres and Amazon picks, packs and ships orders from your own website or other sales channels.
Australian compliance
Australian Consumer Law (ACL)The Australian Consumer Law is the national law that gives consumers automatic guarantees on goods and services, bans unfair practices and sets product safety rules. It applies to all businesses selling in Australia, including overseas ones.IP Australia Trade MarkAn IP Australia trade mark is a registered right in your brand name or logo, applied for through IP Australia. Applications cost A$250 per class with the picklist or A$400 without, and registration takes at least seven months.RCM (Regulatory Compliance Mark)The Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) is the single trade mark used to show electrical equipment complies with Australia's Electrical Equipment Safety System. Higher-risk equipment must be registered by an Australian or New Zealand based responsible supplier.
Australian customs
BICONBICON is the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's online system for checking the biosecurity conditions that apply to goods you want to import, including whether a permit is needed.Import Declaration (Australia)An import declaration is the customs document that tells the Australian Border Force what goods you are importing and their value. Consignments over A$1,000 need a full Import Declaration (N10); air and sea cargo of A$1,000 or less can use a self-assessed clearance.
Australian tax
ABN (Australian Business Number)An ABN is a unique 11-digit number that identifies your business to the government, other businesses and the public. It is free to register through the Australian Business Register and is separate from your tax file number.BAS (Business Activity Statement)A BAS is the activity statement a business completes to report taxes such as GST and PAYG withholding to the ATO and make any payment due. It is completed monthly or quarterly depending on your registrations.EOFY (End of Financial Year)EOFY means the end of the financial year, 30 June in Australia. For sellers it is the cut-off for the year's income and expenses, which feed the annual tax return, and a common sales period.GST (Australia)GST is a 10% tax on most goods and services sold or consumed in Australia. A business must register once its GST turnover reaches A$75,000, and can then claim back GST in its business purchases.LVIG (Low Value Imported Goods)Low value imported goods (LVIG) are goods with a customs value of A$1,000 or less. GST is not collected at the border; instead the overseas supplier, marketplace operator or redeliverer is treated as the supplier and accounts for the GST.
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