eBay Community Glossary
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Please see below an eBay Community Glossary that was kindly created by a community member.
@ Tag / @ Mention = Tagging another member using the discussion board’s @ feature which sends a notification to the tagged member
3P = Third Party service. Services offered by third parties can vary from photo hosting to listing tools to shipping and more.
AAMOF = As a matter of fact
Active Content = Active content is a broad term which covers any type of non-standard text that can be included in item descriptions to provide additional functionality. Such applications can negatively affect the user experience by inhibiting purchasing on mobile devices, increasing page load times, and raising security vulnerabilities.
AFAIC = As far as I'm concerned
AFAIK = As far as I know
AKA = Also known as
APV = USPS Automatic Postage Verification System. A system that automatically checks packages in the mailstream for weight, dimensions, mail class, packaging, origin zip code, destination zip code, postage paid. If it determines that an incorrect amount of postage was paid the USPS will automatically charge or refund the difference through your online point of purchase (eBay, PayPal, Stamps.com, etc). Formerly known as RAP (Revenue Assurance Program)
ASP = Average Selling Price
ASQ = Ask Seller a Question, referring to the contact link on an eBay listing page
ATM = At the moment
B&M = Brick & Mortar, refers to a physical retail store
B2B / B2C = Business to Business / Business to Consumer
BB = Big Box, referring to large retailers
BBL = Blocked Bidder/Buyer List
BEAR = eBay’s Bulk Edit and Replace tool for sellers
BIN = Buy It Now
Blues = Term commonly used for the Community Team and other eBay employees who assist on the boards, named because their posts used to be outlined in blue. Sometimes referred to as Pinks, which dates to an older version of the boards.
BO / OBO = Best Offer / or best offer
Boardie = Regular poster on the discussion boards
Bot = a software application that runs automated tasks (scripts) including reading websites in order to create entries for a search engine index, sometimes referred to as a spider, web crawler, or web robot. Typically, bots perform tasks that are both simple and structurally repetitive, at a much higher rate than would be possible for a human alone.
BP = Buying Privileges
BST = Buy, Sell, Trade
BTDT = Been there, done that
BTW = By the way
CC = Credit Card
Chat = See “Weekly Chat” below
COA = Certificate of Authenticity. Depending on context can also refer to Change of Address, a form filed with USPS for mail forwarding.
COGS = Cost of goods sold
ComBase / ComPlus = Refers to USPS pricing rates, Commercial Base Pricing and Commercial Plus Pricing
Community =
eBay Community including the discussion boards
Consumer Seller Listing Tool = Refers to all forms of eBay’s listing tool for sellers.
CRM = Customer Relationship Management
CRO = Conversion Rate Optimization
CS = Customer Service
CSA = Clothing, Shoes & Accessories eBay Category
CSV = Comma Separated Value
CT = Community Team, see also: Blues. Meet the team
CUB = eBay's 'Advanced Listing Tool'
Dash = eBay Seller Dashboard, used to keep track of seller metrics
DC = Delivery Confirmation
DIM = Dimensional Weight (Volumetric Weight) calculation by shipping carriers
DMM = USPS Domestic Mail Manual
DSR = Detailed Seller Rating, the star rating system included with Feedback
eBay Open = Annual eBay Seller convention that began in 2016. Former versions of the event were eBay Live!, eBay Radio Party & Conference, Kansas Jubilee: eBay to eCommerce, and eBay: On Location.
eDELCON = USPS delivery confirmation service for International First Class shipments
EDD / ETD / EDT = Estimated Delivery Date / Estimated Time of Delivery / Estimated Delivery Timeframe
EOD = End of day
EPC = eBay Product Catalog
EPID = eBay Product Identification Number
ETA = Depending on context: Edit to Add, when a comment is added to a post using the edit feature. Can also refer to Estimated Time of Arrival if used in the context of shipping.
ETF = Early Termination Fee, applies to yearly eBay store subscriptions
EUC = Excellent Used Condition
FB = Depending on the context: Feedback or Facebook
FCM / FCMI = USPS First Class Mail / USPS First Class Mail International
FDM = FedEx Delivery Manager
FFE = Fulfillment for eBay. eBay's end to end fulfillment pilot program.
FE = eBay File Exchange, an end-to-end selling tool that enables high-volume sellers to list multiple items on eBay in a single file
FGS = For Goodness Sake
FNF = Fast 'n Free, a shipping designation on eBay
FOMO = In the context of shipping, freely overcoming mug obstacles, a method of securely and safely shipping a mug in a padded envelope to save on shipping costs. Referring to and/or used by the millennial generation, fear of missing out.
FP = Fixed Price listing format
FRB = USPS Priority Flat Rate Box
FRE = USPS Priority Flat Rate Envelope
FTFY = Fixed that for you, refers to one poster correcting an above poster’s post in a friendly manner
FTR = For the record
FVF = Final Value Fee, seller fee charged by eBay after a sale
FWIW = For what it's worth
FYI = For your information
GC = Gift Card
GD = Guaranteed Delivery
GIGO = Garbage In, Garbage Out. Refers to the quality of the output being determined by the quality of the input. For example, if a user enters incorrect data into the eBay shipping calculator, the shipping rate shown is unlikely to be correct. Similar "user error" terms include PEBKAC (Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair) and PICNIC (Problem in Chair, Not in Computer)
GMV = Gross Merchandise Volume
GSP = Global Shipping Program
GST = Goods & Services Tax
GPS = Global Positioning System. The term is most often used on these discussion boards when referring to a USPS delivery and determining with the local Post Office if the package received a GPS scan upon delivery. This can help a buyer or seller find out the address where a package was delivered. More specifically, to find out if it was delivered to the recipient's neighbor in error
GTC = Good ‘til Canceled listing format
GTIN = Global Trade Item Number
GUC = Good Used Condition
HFR = Hassle Free Returns
HTH = Hope that helps
HTML = HyperText Markup Language, code that turns plain text into web layout
HTS = Harmonized Tariff System, provides duty rates for importing through US Custom
IC3 = Internet Crime Complaint Center ( http://www.ic3.gov/ )
IDK = I Don’t Know
IIRC = If I recall correctly
IME = In my experience
IMO / IMHO / JMO = In my opinion / In my humble opinion / Just my opinion
INAD = See “NAD” below.
INR = Item Not Received
IOW = In other words
IPR = Immediate Payment Required
IS = Item Specifics (aka attributes or Item Details)
ISBN = International Standard Book Number
ITA = I totally agree
JMTC / JM2C = Just my two cents
Khoros = Company that runs the Community discussion board platform, formerly Lithium
Kudo = Giving a virtual “thumbs up” to a post, aka marking a post as Helpful.
KWIM = Know What I Mean, sometimes prefaced with IY for If You
KWS = Key Word Spamming
LFRB = USPS Priority Large Flat Rate Box
Lithium = See Khoros
LPO / LPU = Local Pickup Only / Local Pick Up
LSS = Long Story Short
M2M = Member to Member references the style of the eBay discussion forums. Can also be used in reference to the member-to-member Knowledge Base board.
MAP = Minimum Advertised Price, a minimum amount that resellers agree not to advertise below. For example, if a company sets a MAP of $50 for its best selling item then all resellers are obligated to advertise the product at $50 or higher. This is why you will sometimes see the phrase "see low price in cart" if a retailer has discounted below the MAP.
MBG = Money Back Guarantee
Mentor = Refers to members of the Community's Mentor program.
MFRB = USPS Priority Medium Flat Rate Box
MM = USPS Media Mail
MM / MDM = Markdown Manager, selling tool for eBay Store owners
Mod = Moderator, Lithium employee that moderates the discussion boards
MOR = Merchant of Record
MOS = Multi Order Shipping
MP = Managed Payments, referring to eBay's new intermediated payments process
MPN = Manufacturer Part Number
MQ = Multi Quantity Listing
MUAA = Multi-User Account Access, a system that allows sellers to give their employees task specific access for selling activities (such as creating or publishing listings)
MV = Multi Variation Listing
NAD / INAD / SNAD = Not as described / Item not as described / Significantly not as described
NARU = Not a Registered User
Neg = Negative Feedback comment, sometimes referred to as a "red doughnut"
Neut= Neutral Feedback comment
NOS = New Old Stock
NWOT = New Without Tags
NPB = Non-paying buyer
NWT = New With Tags
OALT = Old Advanced Listing Tool, aka SYI Form for sellers
OOAK = One Of A Kind
OOS = Out Of Stock, commonly used when referencing defects on a seller’s account
OP = Used interchangeably between Original Poster & Original Post, referring to the poster or the post that started a discussion thread
OQLT = Old Quick Listing Tool for sellers
OSFA = One size fits all
OT = On Topic or Off Topic, depending on context
OTC = Over the Counter, refers to postage rates paid at retail (vs rates paid with online commercial discounts)
OTOH = On the other hand
OTS = On Time Shipping, refers to one of the metrics eBay uses to rate sellers
PB = Pitney Bowes, a shipping partner that handles the international leg of shipments using eBay's Global Shipping Program
P&A = Parts & Accessories, one of the eBay Motors categories
P&G = Pottery & Glass categories
PG&P = Pottery, Glass & Porcelain eBay category
P&P = Package & Postage, term commonly used in the UK for S&H
PDQ = Pretty darn quick
PFRE = USPS Priority Padded Flat Rate Envelope
PI = Product Identifier (see also: UPC, ISBN, GTIN)
PL = Promoted Listing, also seen as a Sponsored Listing
PM = In the context of communication, Private Message sent using the discussion board’s member-to-member messaging system. In the context of selling, Promotions Manager, a selling tool for eBay Store owners. In the context of shipping, Priority Mail service from USPS.
PMG = eBay’s Price Match Guarantee
PMI = USPS Priority Mail International
PO = Private Offer or Post Office, depending on context. Private Offer refers to using the 'Send Offer' feature in eBay Messages
Pos = Positive feedback comment, sometimes referred to as a “green doughnut”
PP = PayPal, sometimes referred to as “the Pal”. Depending on context, PP can also refer to the “previous poster” in a discussion.
PPF = Payments processing fee
PS = PowerSeller
PWE = Plain White Envelope (non-tracked shipment)
Q&A = eBay "Questions and Answers" featured on product pages
Qty = Quantity
Rich Text = Rich Text refers to text edit boxes on the eBay discussion boards or within an eBay listing form where text can be displayed in bold, colors, large, small, etc. The rich text is displayed while the HTML formatted code is hidden from view.
RMA = Return Merchandise Authorization. A return merchandise authorization (RMA), return authorization (RA) or return goods authorization (RGA) can be part of the process of returning a product to receive a refund, replacement, or repair during the product's warranty period. Large-volume sellers sometimes require an RMA to process a return; the seller will provide the RMA when a return request is opened and the buyer should include the number with the package they are returning
ROI = Return on Investment
RRA / RRB = USPS Regional Rate A or B box
RSS = RSS (aka Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication) is a type of web feed which allows users to access updates to online content in a standardized, computer-readable format. These feeds can allow a user to keep track of many different websites in a single aggregator. Websites usually use RSS feeds to publish frequently updated information such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, video, or your eBay listings and followed searches.
S&H = Shipping & Handling
SC = Signature Confirmation
SFRB = USPS Priority Small Flat Rate Box
SH = Seller Hub
Sig = Signature line added to the bottom of posts
SIO = Seller-initiated offer, a feature that allows sellers to send offers to watchers
SM / SMP = Selling Manager or Selling Manager Pro
SmartPost = Shipping method offered by FedEx. FedEx handles the first leg of the shipment then USPS handles the final leg and delivery.
SMH = Shaking My Head
SMM = Social Media Marketing
SNAD = See “NAD” above
SOP = Standard Operating Procedure
SSOATA = So Sick Of All The Acronyms
STR = Sell Through Rate, a calculation comparing the amount of inventory a seller lists against the amount of inventory sold
SU = Seller Update, typically released every Spring and Fall, sometimes known as SSU & FSU
SurePost = Shipping method offered by UPS. UPS handles the first leg of the shipment then USPS handles the final leg and delivery.
SYI = Sell Your Item form, refers to a retired eBay listing tool
T&S = Trust & Safety Department within eBay Customer Service
TANSTAAFL = There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
TBH = To be honest
TCB = Taking Care of Business
TGTBT = Too good to be true
TIA = Thanks in advance
TL = TurboLister listing tool
TLDR = Too long; didn't read
TOS = Depending on context: Terms of Sale in a seller’s listing, or Terms of Service for using eBay (aka User Agreement)
TPTB = The powers that be (referring to upper management, executives, or designated "decision makers")
TRS = Top Rated Seller
TRS+ / TRSP = Listing status that meets the requirements for a Top Rated Seller Plus discount
TY = Thank You
UA = Unauthorized Use Claim, ties into a credit card chargeback. Can also refer to the User Agreement terms of service, depending on context.
UPC = Universal Product Code
UPI / UPID / UID = Unpaid Item / Unpaid Item Dispute
USPS = United States Postal Service
VAT = Value Added Tax
VeRO = Verified Rights & Ownership program, often referred to when a listing is removed based on a company's report of intellectual property infringement ( http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/listing/create-effective-listings/vero-program.html )
Vertical = eBay main listing & search categories that all sub-categories are nested under (ex: Electronics, Fashion, Home & Garden, Collectibles & Art, etc.)
VPD = Volume Price Discount, an eBay promotional tool that discounts based on number of items purchased
VPP = Vehicle Purchase Protection, applies to some eBay Motors categories
WYSIWYG = What You See is What You Get, refers to editing boxes where the HTML formatting code is hidden from view and the formatted text and photos are displayed. See also “Rich Text”.
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary
YoY = Year-over-Year, refers to changes in sales levels from the previous year
Thank you!
