Terms and terminology of eCommerce

Terms and terminology of eCommerce:

Before we start learning or understanding of any ecommerce platform it’s better to understand the terms and terminologies used in ecommerce. Let’s discusses about the terms and terminologies used in ecommerce platform.


1. Profile: Profile is the word describes the characteristics of user arrived on eCommerce web site

2. Cart: It’s the container or basket where the user adds items

3. Item: Item is a sellable individual unit which user search and adds to cart

4. Order: Order is a place holder where all the added items are stored. It is basically a group of items with details how, when and where the items are delivered along with payment information.

                Preorder: Ordering item in advance not manufactured or added to stock.

                Backorder: User has order some item which is out of stock or not available to delivery.

                Re-Order: User has order some items and wish to again order same items.

                Scheduled order: It’s a type of order which will be placed at specific scheduled date and time.

               Template order: In some business existing fulfilled order is used to place order again.

                Abandoned order: User has added items to cart and doesn’t complete it and left the portal.

5. Stock: The terms used to represent whether the item is available to buy or not.

                In Stock: It represent the item is available to buy.

               Out Of. Stock: It means the item is not available to buy.

6. Inventory: It’s used to represent the whole statistics of manufactured products.

7. Shipping: Shipping represents bunch of details which states where to delivery(Address) the item and whether its standard delivery (without extra charges) or expedite delivery (faster delivery with some extra charges).

8. Billing: It’s all about the payment method (Cash on delivery or credit card)

9. Price: Price is payable amount for the selected product or item

               Price List: It’s a list of Prices for set of products which is different for different locations or                 customer or contract.

               Promotion: Promotion is a reward or concession given for the purchase price.

               Basically, it’s something to encourage user to buy products or buy more products from the                  seller. For example: Buy 3 items and get 1 item for free.

              Discount: It’s a kind of promotion but applicable at item level or order level. It is usually a                   percentage of amount or fixed amount depending on the criteria set by seller.

                             For example: 10% off on kitchen items.

             Coupon: It’s a kind of discount applied when user enter some Code like some text or number.           

                          For example: Use code 1122 and get 100 OFF on ABC travels bus booking.

10. Checkout: It’s a process of adding items to cart setting shipping information and making payment and confirming the order.

11. Fulfillment: Once the order is confirmed or submitted by user. The remaining all backend process, pack the items and delivery it to the customer address is called Fulfillment.