Amazon Seller Glossary: 40+ Terms Every Seller Must Know
Whether you are just getting started selling on Amazon or already running a multi-marketplace business, the jargon can be overwhelming. From ASIN to Wholesale, from Buy Box to Pan-EU - this glossary breaks down the essential terms. Simple explanations, real examples, zero fluff.
Bookmark this page. You will come back to it more often than you think.
A
ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number)
Unique ten-character code for every Amazon product. Example: B09V3KXJPB - one product, whether 1 seller or 30.
Arbitrage (Retail / Online / Pan-EU)
- Retail Arbitrage: Buy discounted products in physical stores, resell on Amazon
- Online Arbitrage: Same concept, source from online shops
- Pan-EU Arbitrage: Exploit price differences between EU marketplaces
Full guide: Arbitrage Guide for Europe
A-to-Z Guarantee
Protects buyers when orders do not arrive or do not match descriptions. Too many claims raise your ODR and risk account suspension.
B
Backoff (Repricing)
Repricer gradually raises your price when no competitor undercuts you. Maximises margin while maintaining Buy Box.
BSR (Best Seller Rank)
How well a product sells vs. its category. Lower number = better. Updates hourly. Track with Keepa.
Buy Box
The "Add to Cart" button. ~82% of all Amazon sales flow through it. Key factors: price, fulfilment method (FBA preferred), seller metrics, delivery speed. Deep dive: Buy Box Explained
Buy Box Suppression
Amazon removes the Buy Box when all prices exceed "fair market price." No "Add to Cart" button appears.
E
EAN (European Article Number)
13-digit global barcode. Required for most Amazon listings. Purchase from GS1.
Purchase Price (Cost of Goods)
Total amount paid for a product including all ancillary costs. Foundation of every margin calculation.
F
FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon)
Amazon stores, packs, ships, handles returns. Prime-eligible, Buy Box advantage. You pay storage and fulfilment fees. Cost breakdown: FBA Fees Europe 2026
FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant)
You ship yourself. Full control but no Prime badge and Buy Box disadvantage.
Floor Price
Absolute minimum repricer price. Cost + all fees + minimum margin. Your most critical parameter.
G
Gating / Ungating
Some categories and brands are restricted (gated). You need Amazon approval through invoices or brand authorisation. Start with ungated categories like Office Products or Sports.
K
Keepa
The most important analytics tool for Amazon sellers. Price history, BSR trends, competitor data. Indispensable for arbitrage.
M
MAP (Minimum Advertised Price)
Manufacturer-set minimum price. Common in US, legally grey in EU. Your floor price should account for it.
Margin
Profit after all costs. Healthy arbitrage margin: 15-30%. Without automated repricing, you almost always leave margin on the table.
VAT (Value Added Tax)
DE 19%, FR 20%, PL 23%. Pan-EU sellers need multi-country VAT registration or OSS.
O
ODR (Order Defect Rate)
Percentage of orders with problems. Must stay below 1%. Prerequisite for Buy Box eligibility.
OSS (One-Stop-Shop)
Simplified EU VAT reporting. Report all EU sales through one portal in your home country.
P
Pan-EU (Pan-European FBA)
EU-wide fulfilment from local Amazon warehouses. Faster delivery, higher Buy Box win rates. Requires multi-country VAT.
PPC (Pay Per Click)
Amazon Advertising. Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display. Essential for Private Label, useful for arbitrage acceleration.
Private Label
Selling under your own brand. Higher margins but higher investment and risk than arbitrage.
R
Referral Fee
Amazon commission per sale. Usually 15%, varies by category (7-45%). One of the largest cost factors.
Repricing / Repricer
Automated price adjustment based on competitor prices and your rules. 24/7, reacts in seconds. Comparison: Best EU Repricer 2026
ROI (Return on Investment)
(Profit / Cost) x 100. An ROI of 50% means EUR 1.50 back for every EUR 1 invested. Arbitrage target: minimum 30%.
S
Seller Central
Central Amazon seller dashboard for listings, orders, inventory, advertising, and reports.
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
Your internal product identifier. You define it freely, e.g., ARB-LEGO-42151-01.
Step (Repricing Increment)
How much your price adjusts per repricing cycle. Details: Configuration Guide
SQS (Amazon Simple Queue Service)
Technical infrastructure for real-time price notifications to repricers. SQS-connected repricers react in seconds vs. minutes.
T
Target (Repricing Target)
Reference price your repricer aims for. Common targets: Buy Box price, lowest FBA price. Details: Targets Explained
Timeshare (Buy Box Share)
Your percentage of Buy Box time. A good repricer maximises this without sacrificing margin.
U
Undercut
Pricing below a competitor by a set amount. Without backoff, pure undercutting leads to a race to the bottom.
W
Wholesale
Buying in bulk from manufacturers or distributors. More stable supply chains than arbitrage but requires more capital.
FAQ
Difference between ASIN, EAN, and SKU?
EAN = global barcode on packaging. ASIN = Amazon catalogue number. SKU = your personal identifier in Seller Central.
Do I need a repricer if I only sell on one marketplace?
Yes. As soon as you compete with other sellers (most listings), you lose Buy Box to those who reprice automatically. Even 20 products justify a repricer like arbytrage.io.
Automate your pricing: arbytrage.io - Pan-EU support, intelligent repricing, fair pricing from EUR 40/month.