Resources · Glossary
Ecommerce Prep & Fulfillment Glossary
Understand the common terms used in prep centers, FBA prep, warehouse receiving, freight, labeling, international shipping, and ecommerce fulfillment.
A
- ASIN
- Amazon Standard Identification Number. A unique product identifier used in Amazon's catalog.
- Appointment Delivery
- A scheduled freight delivery where the carrier must book a time with the warehouse or prep center before arrival.
- Audit
- A review of inventory, labels, counts, or prep work to confirm accuracy before shipment moves forward.
B
- Barcode
- A scannable code used to identify a product, carton, pallet, or shipment.
- Barcode Verification
- The process of scanning or checking a barcode to confirm it matches the correct product or shipment.
- Bill of Lading / BOL
- A freight document used by carriers that lists shipment details such as origin, destination, carrier, pallet count, and delivery information.
- Box Content Information
- Details showing what SKUs and quantities are inside each carton. This is especially important for marketplace receiving and inventory accuracy.
- Bundling
- Combining multiple products into one sellable unit, such as a two-pack, variety pack, or product set.
C
- Carton
- A shipping box that contains one or more units.
- Carton Label
- A label applied to a shipping carton so it can be identified during receiving or fulfillment.
- Case Pack
- A carton that contains multiple units of the same SKU in the same quantity and arrangement.
- Commercial Invoice
- A document used in international trade that includes product description, value, seller, buyer, country of origin, and other customs details.
- Compliance Prep
- Packaging, labeling, or handling required to meet marketplace or fulfillment center rules.
- Customs Broker
- A person or company that helps importers clear goods through customs.
- Customs Clearance
- The process of getting imported goods approved by customs before they can be delivered to a warehouse or prep center.
D
- Damaged Unit
- A product that arrives broken, crushed, leaking, missing parts, or otherwise not suitable for sale.
- Delivery Appointment
- A scheduled time for a carrier to deliver freight to a warehouse or prep center.
- Dimensional Weight
- A shipping weight calculation based on package size instead of actual weight. It can affect shipping cost.
- Direct-to-FBA
- A workflow where inventory is shipped directly from a supplier or manufacturer to Amazon FBA without going through a prep center.
- Dunnage
- Packing material used inside cartons to protect products during shipping.
F
- FBA
- Fulfillment by Amazon. A program where sellers send inventory to Amazon fulfillment centers and Amazon handles storage, picking, packing, shipping, and customer service for eligible orders.
- FBA Prep
- The process of preparing products so they meet Amazon FBA requirements before being sent to Amazon fulfillment centers.
- FNSKU
- Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit. An Amazon-specific barcode used to identify seller inventory in FBA.
- Forwarding
- Sending inventory from a prep center to Amazon FBA, Walmart fulfillment, a 3PL, a warehouse, or another destination.
- Freight Forwarder
- A logistics provider that helps move goods from one location to another, often across countries or from overseas manufacturers to domestic warehouses.
- Fulfillment Center
- A warehouse where orders are stored, picked, packed, and shipped to customers.
H
- Hazmat
- Hazardous materials that may require special handling, labeling, storage, or marketplace approval.
- HTS Code
- Harmonized Tariff Schedule code. A classification code used for imported products to determine duties and trade requirements.
I
- Importer of Record / IOR
- The person or business legally responsible for ensuring imported goods comply with customs laws and paying duties and taxes.
- Inbound Shipment
- Inventory being sent into a prep center, warehouse, or fulfillment center.
- Inspection
- A check performed on products or cartons to identify quantity issues, damage, labeling errors, or packaging problems.
- Inventory Reconciliation
- Comparing expected inventory against received inventory to identify shortages, overages, or mismatches.
K
- Kitting
- Assembling multiple components into one finished kit or product package.
L
- Labeling
- Applying required labels to products, cartons, bundles, or pallets.
- Less Than Truckload / LTL
- A freight shipment that uses part of a truck instead of a full truckload. Usually used for pallet shipments.
- Lot Number
- A batch identifier used to track products from the same production run.
M
- Manufacturer-Direct Shipment
- Inventory shipped directly from the manufacturer to a prep center, warehouse, or fulfillment destination.
- Master Carton
- A larger carton that contains multiple smaller cartons or units.
- Minimum Monthly Fee
- A minimum amount a provider charges each month, even if the seller uses fewer services.
- Mixed-SKU Carton
- A carton that contains more than one SKU.
O
- Overages
- Extra units received beyond the expected quantity.
- Oversized Item
- A product that is larger or heavier than standard fulfillment dimensions and may require special handling or higher fees.
P
- Packing List
- A document that lists what is included in a shipment, often including SKU, quantity, carton count, and weight.
- Pallet
- A platform used to stack and move cartons or goods, usually handled by forklift or pallet jack.
- Palletizing
- Stacking cartons on a pallet and securing them for freight shipment.
- Poly Bagging
- Placing a product into a plastic bag for protection, containment, or marketplace compliance.
- Prep Center
- A third-party service provider that receives and prepares inventory before it is sent to FBA, a fulfillment center, or another destination.
- Product Insert
- A printed card or paper placed inside product packaging, often used for instructions, branding, warranty information, or customer communication.
Q
- Quality Control / QC
- A process for checking product condition, packaging, count accuracy, or other quality requirements before shipment.
R
- Receiving
- The process of accepting inventory at a prep center or warehouse and recording shipment arrival details.
- Repackaging
- Changing or improving product packaging before fulfillment.
- Replenishment
- Sending additional inventory to a fulfillment center to maintain stock levels.
- Return Processing
- Receiving, inspecting, sorting, or preparing returned products for resale, disposal, or storage.
S
- Seller Central
- Amazon's platform where sellers manage listings, inventory, orders, shipments, and FBA workflows.
- Shipment Plan
- A marketplace or fulfillment workflow that defines how and where inventory should be sent.
- SKU
- Stock Keeping Unit. A seller-created identifier used to track products.
- Small Parcel Delivery / SPD
- A shipment sent through parcel carriers such as UPS, FedEx, USPS, or similar carriers, usually in individual cartons.
- Storage Fee
- A fee charged by a prep center, warehouse, or fulfillment center for holding inventory.
- Suffocation Warning
- A required warning label often used on plastic bags above a certain size.
T
- Turnaround Time
- The time it takes for a prep center to complete work after receiving inventory and all required instructions.
- Tracking Number
- A carrier-provided number used to track a parcel or shipment.
U
- Unit
- One sellable item.
- Unplanned Prep
- Prep work required after inventory arrives because products were not packaged, labeled, or prepared correctly.
W
- Warehouse Management System / WMS
- Software used by warehouses to track inventory, receiving, storage, picking, packing, and shipping.
- Work Order
- A request or instruction set that tells a prep center what work needs to be performed on a shipment.
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