ChannelEngine: glossary
This glossary lists the most commonly used terms on ChannelEngine, along with their definitions. It also provides links and tips to help you get started quickly.
Introduction
Understanding the terms we use is essential for working with ChannelEngine. Whether you are new to ChannelEngine or have been using it for years, there are always new terms to learn.
This glossary aims to clarify some of the terms and acronyms we use on ChannelEngine and in the Help Center.
Glossary
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J- K - M - O - P - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Z
A
Affiliate channel
Affiliate, or click-and-add channels, are promotional and comparison tools that provide buyers with options from multiple online stores. When buyers click on your offers, they are redirected to your store, to complete the purchase. You pay the affiliate channel for the traffic brought to your website. See Google Shopping: affiliate channel guide and Meta Business Manager: affiliate channel guide.
Average order value (AOV)
The average amount spent by a buyer per order. AOV is calculated by dividing the total revenue by the total number of orders. You can check your current AOV using the insights feature.
Amazon standard identification number (ASIN)
A unique identifier assigned by Amazon to products listed on its platform. ASIN is used to track and differentiate items in the catalog. Every time you create a new product, Amazon assigns an ASIN to it.
Application programming interface (API)
A set of rules and tools that allows different software systems to communicate and exchange data. API allows you to build integration between another platform (e.g.: ERP, OMS, or webstore) and ChannelEngine. ChannelEngine provides three APIs: Merchant API, Channel API, Channel Management API.
API call
A request sent by one system to another, usually over the Internet, to access specific data or functionality. E.g.: if you have integrated your ecommerce platform with ChannelEngine, you can send API calls to exchange product content and offers.
Attribute
A single characteristic or field that defines a particular product or product group. E.g.: size, color, name. ChannelEngine exports default attributes and custom attributes to marketplaces as part of product content and offers.
B
Bundle
Two or more related products sold together as one offer on a marketplace. E.g.: an inkjet printer with additional ink cartridges. For bundle requirements, see ChannelEngine: product bundles.
Buy box
The section on a product detail page where buyers can add items to their shopping carts. The default seller for a product is the one who meets the marketplace criteria, e.g., price, customer feedback, shipping time, and ranks highest according to the marketplace algorithm.
C
Category
A group of similar products based on their characteristics and use, e.g.: apparel. Product categories help you organize, promote, and price products, as well as increase their visibility for buyers.
Categorization
The process of assigning your products to the specific categories in a marketplace's hierarchy. Accurate categorization ensures your products appear in relevant searches.
Carrier
A shipping service provider responsible for delivering orders to buyers. E.g.: DHL, UPS, and FedEx.
Carrier mapping
The process of aligning the carriers used in your internal systems with those recognized by the marketplace. Carrier mapping ensures tracking information (e.g.: tracking code) is communicated to the marketplace and buyers.
Channel
An online marketplace or an affiliate channel.
Coordinated universal time (UTC)
The primary standard for synchronizing time across regions worldwide. It serves as the basis for local time zones and does not observe daylight saving time.
Cost per click (CPC)
A metric that measures how much you pay for each click on the products you advertise on an affiliate channel.
Cascading style sheets (CSS)
A stylesheet language used in web development. Using CSS, developers control the presentation and layout of web pages, and style content (formatted as HTML).
Comma-separated values (CSV)
A file format that stores tabular data in plain text. In CSV, each line represents a data record and each field is separated by a comma. CSV is widely used for data exchange between different applications, such as importing and exporting product content between a merchant's system and ChannelEngine.
D
Domain
A unique identifier for a tenant on ChannelEngine, typically linked to the merchant’s website or business name. E.g.: in the URL https://my-store.channelengine.net/, 'my-store' is the domain name. Developers use the domain to authenticate API requests and identify the corresponding merchant account.
E
European article number (EAN)
A globally recognized barcode format used to uniquely identify a product. EANs are widely used in retail and online marketplaces for product identification. The most common EAN standard is the EAN-13, which consists of 13 digits.
Ecommerce platform
A system that has ecommerce as its primary focus and provides the services needed for this. It usually provides tools for listing products, processing orders, handling payments, and managing inventory. E.g.: Shopify, Adobe Commerce, Shopware, BigCommerce.
Electronic data interchange (EDI)
An electronic exchange of business documents, such as purchase orders and invoices, between organizations. In the context of ChannelEngine, EDI allows seamless communication between merchants, ChannelEngine, and external partners, such as marketplaces.
Endpoint
An endpoint is the URL where an API can access resources or interact with another system. E.g.: when ChannelEngine sends your product data to a certain marketplace, it may use an endpoint, such as POST /retailer/content/products
.
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system
A platform that helps you run your entire business. ERP systems provide broad operational processes, such as finance, human resources, distribution, manufacturing, supply chain, and services. E.g.: JTL-Wawi software, SAP, Odoo.
F
File transfer protocol (FTP(S))
A standard communication protocol used for the transfer of computer files from a server to a client on a computer network. Some marketplaces still use FTP(S) servers to transfer data. E.g.: Galaxus, Wehkamp, V&D.
Front-end and back-end
In software development, the terms front-end and back-end describe two main parts of a system:
- The front-end is what users see and interact with, such as a website or application.
- The back-end is the behind-the-scenes processes that handle data, servers, and how the system works.
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
A service where Amazon takes care of storing, packing, and shipping your products for you.
Fulfillment by Bol (FBB) or Logistiek via bol (LVB)
A service provided by bol where they manage your logistics and inventory, and handle your offers, orders, and stock replenishment.
Fulfillment center (FC)
A warehouse or logistics facility where products are stored, packed, and shipped to buyers on behalf of a merchant.
G
Gross merchandise volume (GMV)
The total value of all sales made through your webstore and/or marketplace over a specific period. GMV includes the price of the products sold but does not include shipping costs, discounts, or returns. You can check your current GMV using the insights feature.
Global trade item number (GTIN)
A unique numeric identifier for products, developed by GS1. GTIN is a digital barcode that helps you list products on the marketplace, and make sure the products are correctly identified and matched with the right buyers.
H
Hypertext markup language (HTML)
The building blocks for website content. You can add HTML formatting to product titles, descriptions, and highlights to make text look more appealing and to subdivide it into paragraphs, bullet points, etc.
I
Identifier (ID)
In data storage, it is a unique code used to locate, retrieve, update, or delete specific data without ambiguity. On ChannelEngine, each of your products, orders, shipments, and returns has a unique ID.
Internet protocol (IP) address
A numeric label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet protocol for communication. ChannelEngine uses certain IP addresses, which must be allowlisted so the communication between the merchant's system and ChannelEngine succeeds.
International standard book number (ISBN)
A unique numeric book identifier. Publishers purchase ISBNs from an affiliate of the International ISBN Agency. An ISBN is assigned to each separate edition and variation of a publication.
J
JavaScript object notation (JSON)
A data format that stores data as key-value pairs. JSON is is widely used for data exchange between different applications, such as between a merchant's system and ChannelEngine. E.g.:
{
"Name": "Nitro Smartphone",
"Description": "This is an awesome smartphone.",
"Brand": "Nitro",
"Color": "Black",
"Ean": "1234567891234",
"Price": 499.99,
}
K
Key performance indicator (KPI)
A set of metrics that track performance over time. KPIs are used to determine a company’s progress in achieving its strategic and operational goals, and also to compare a company’s finances and performance against other businesses. You can use the marketplace KPIs feature to monitor your performance.
M
Mapping
The process of aligning data fields, such as attributes, categories, and carriers, between ChannelEngine and an external system, such as a marketplace, to ensure accurate data synchronization.
Marketplace
An (online) marketplace is a type of ecommerce website where products or services are provided by merchants. One product can be offered by different merchants at the same time. Marketplaces are also known as channels on ChannelEngine.
Merchant
A business or individual selling products through marketplaces or click-and-add channels on ChannelEngine.
Merchant plugin
A software component used to build connections between an ecommerce platform and ChannelEngine. This can be a ready-made connection built by ChannelEngine or a custom connection that requires development work to build.
Merchant product number
A unique identifier on ChannelEngine, similar to the SKU (stock keeping unit), which is used to identify a product in your internal system.
Manufacturer part number (MPN)
A unique identifier assigned by the manufacturer to a specific product or component, used to distinguish it among similar products.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP)
A recommended retail price or suggested retail price is the price at which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sells the product.
O
Order management system (OMS)
A system that allows you to automate the process of receiving, processing, and fulfilling orders.
P
Product detail page (PDP)
A webpage on a marketplace that provides comprehensive information about a specific product, including its description, images, specifications, and pricing.
Product information management (PIM) system
A system that centralizes and manages all product data to ensure consistency and accuracy across various channels and platforms. E.g.: Akeneo.
Point of sale (POS)
The time and place where a retail transaction occurs. At the POS, the merchant calculates the total amount due, provides the buyer with an invoice, and offers payment options.
Product content (a.k.a. product data)
Text, images, and other information used to describe and market products to potential buyers. Although requirements differ per marketplace, the most common content attributes are the product's name, description, highlights, images, and identifier. Product content is static, meaning it does not change frequently.
Product offers
Price and stock information attached to products, so they can be purchased by buyers. Although requirements differ per marketplace, the most common offer attributes are the product’s price, stock, and discounted price. Unlike product content, product offers are dynamic, meaning they change frequently.
R
Rate limit
The maximum number of API calls an application or user can make within a given time period. If this limit is exceeded, the user or application are throttled, meaning subsequent API calls fail.
Repricing
Automated adjustment of product's prices based on predefined rules, market conditions, and competitors' pricing. ChannelEngine offers two versions of the repricing feature: repricer v1 and repricer v2.
S
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Techniques used to increase the number of visitors to a website by improving its ranking in search engine results. E.g.: adding relevant keywords to a product's title and description can enhance SEO.
Shipping label
A document that displays key information about a package’s destination, including the recipient’s address, tracking number, handling instructions, and package contents.
Stock keeping unit (SKU)
A unique identifier assigned to a product at the inventory level. In retail systems, an SKU can represent attributes such as style, size, and color. E.g.: Shoes-123-S-black.
T
Task
Every action performed by ChannelEngine to and from external systems, such as marketplaces and your webstore. Tasks can be related to many processes, from importing a product feed to exporting shipments to a marketplace. ChannelEngine uses a specific schedule for each task. E.g.: the 'Import product data from merchant' task usually runs every 15 minutes.
Tenant
A separate instance of the ChannelEngine platform assigned to a specific group of users. Each tenant represents a unique account, typically for a merchant or brand. Each tenant manages their own settings, products, and marketplace connections.
Tracking code
A unique code provided by shipping carriers to track the status and location of a shipped order.
U
User interface (UI)
The space where interactions between humans and computers occur. Screen, sounds, overall style, and responsiveness are all elements of UI. When you interact with the ChannelEngine platform, you perform certain actions, such as viewing your orders, in the UI.
Universal product code (UPC)
A globally recognized barcode format used to uniquely identify a product. UPCs are widely used in retail and online marketplaces for product identification. UPC consists of 12 digits. Along with the EAN, it is the primary barcode format used for scanning trade items at the point of sale, according to GS1 standards.
Uniform resource locator (URL)
A reference to a web resource that specifies its location on a computer network and a mechanism for retrieving it. E.g.: https://my-store.channelengine.net/.
Unique selling proposition (USP)
A factor that differentiates a product from its competitors, such as the lowest cost, the highest quality, or the first-ever of its kind. E.g.: the world's first modular phone built for repairability in mind.
V
Variation
A specific version or model of a product that differs slightly from other versions offered by the same manufacturer. Variations can differ in size, color, memory, and other attributes. On ChannelEngine, variations are usually configured according to a family structure, which follows a (grandparent)-parent-child relationship.
There are two main types of variations on marketplaces: manual and automatic. Manual variations are set up using a specific attribute, such as the Variant group code. In contrast, automatic variations are configured based on the family structure on ChannelEngine.
Value-added tax (VAT)
A tax added to most products and services sold by VAT-registered businesses. VAT is charged on the price of a product or service at each stage of production, distribution, or sale to the end consumer. Marketplaces expect prices to include VAT. You can configure automatic VAT calculations for orders using ChannelEngine's VAT settings.
Vendor product number (VPN)
A unique identifier assigned to a product by its manufacturer, which is used to identify the product in the manufacturer's catalog.
W
Warehouse management system (WMS)
A system used for managing inventory, as well as automating the process of receiving, storing, and shipping products. E.g.: Picqer.
X
Extensible markup language (XML) file
A document that stores data in plain text format. XML uses tags, such as <product></product>, to define the data. XML is widely used for data exchange between different applications, such as importing and exporting product content between a merchant's system and ChannelEngine. E.g.:
<xml>
<products>
<product>
<id>123</id>
<name>Nitro Smartphone</name>
<stock>50</stock>
<price>499.99</price>
</product>
<product>
<id>234</id>
<name>Blue T-shirt</name>
<stock>100</stock>
<price>49.99</price>
</product>
</products>
</xml>
Z
Zalando fulfillment solutions (ZFS)
A service where Zalando gives access to their logistics network, and handles logistics and warehousing for you.
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