User-Friendly Guide to Glossary of Terms & Acronyms

📦 3PL - Understanding key logistics and supply chain acronyms:

• 3PL – Third-Party Logistics
• ASN – Advance Shipping Notification - This is used by all warehouses - Amazon or otherwise, and is essential documentation from the consigner that notifies the consignee of the details of an incoming shipment, including but not limited to contents, ETD, tracking info, delivery type and any other key pieces of info You can read more about ASINs by clicking here
• FI – Final Invoice
• B2B – Business to Business
• B2C – Business to Consumer
  
• BOL - Bill of Lading - It is a legal document issued by a carrier (or their agent) to acknowledge receipt of cargo for shipment. The BOL
• CI – Commercial Invoice
• CMR – Consignment Note
• D2C – Direct to Consumer
• DG – Dangerous Goods
• FBA – Fulfilment By Amazon
• FBM – Fulfilled By Merchant
• FNSKU – Fulfilment Network SKU
• HS Code – Harmonized System Code
• IMEI – International Mobile Equipment Identifier
• MSDS – Materials Safety Data Sheet
• OMS – Order Management System
  
• OTIF – On Time In Full
• PO – Purchase Order
• PUT – Product Upload Template
• PL – Packing List
• SKU – Stock Keeping Unit
• SN – Serial Number
• UPC – Universal Product Code
• WMS – Warehouse Management System
  

🌍 Country Codes - A quick reference for country abbreviations used in logistics:

• BE – Belgium
• CZ – Czech Republic
• DE – Germany
• ES – Spain
• FR – France
• IE – Ireland
• IT – Italy
• NL – Netherlands
• PL – Poland
• SE – Sweden
• UK – United Kingdom

🚛 Logistics & Shipping Acronyms related to customs and transport:

• CDS – Customs Declaration Service
• DDP – Delivered Duty Paid
• DDU – Delivered Duty Unpaid
• FCL – Full Container Load
• FTL – Full Truck Load
• IEN – Import Entry Number
• IOR – Importer Of Record
• LCL – Less than Container Load
• LTL – Less Than Truckload
• MRN – Movement Reference Number

🛒 E-Commerce & Retail - For those working with online marketplaces and retail platforms:

• AMZ – Amazon
• ASIN – Amazon Standard Identification Number
• EAN – European Article Number
• FBA – Fulfilment By Amazon - Amazon stores, packs, and ships products for sellers.
  
• FBM – Fulfilment by Merchant - The seller manages their own logistics.
  
• GS1 – Barcode Manufacturer (GS1 UK) - the only authorised provider of GTINs
• GTIN – Global Trade Item Number -  the number you see under the barcode (also known as an EAN or UPC) that’s unique to that product
• ISBN – International Standard Book Number
  
• KYC - Know your Customer - this is a mandatory process of identifying and verifying the client's identity when opening an account and periodically over time. This is used by Amazon. 
  
• MCF – Multi-Channel Fulfilment - allows customers to fulfil orders across multiple different online marketplaces or websites.
• MFN – Merchant Fulfilled Network - an operations model where sellers list products in Amazon stores but manage all storage, packaging, shipping, and customer service independently. Another way of describing FBM fulfilment
• MPN – Manufacturer Part Number
• SFP – Seller Fulfilled Prime - Sellers ship directly to Prime customers.
  
• SSSC – Serial Shipping Container Code - Identifies logistic units (e.g., pallets or parcels). For more information, click here 
  

💰 Finance & Tax - Key terms used in financial and tax-related contexts:

• EIN – Employer Identification Number
• EORI – Economic Operator Registration Identification
• HMRC – His Majesties Revenue & Customs (UK)
• IRS – Internal Revenue Service (US)
• MRR – Monthly Recurring Revenue
• NIF – Tax Identification Number (EU)
• OSS – One Stop Shop - A simplified EU VAT scheme that allows businesses selling goods and services across multiple EU countries to report and pay VAT through a single return, rather than registering in each country individually.
• ROI – Return on Investment
• UTR – Unique Taxpayer Reference
• VAT – Value Added Tax
• VTR – VAT Transaction Report

💼 Business & Marketing - Common terms in business development, compliance, and marketing:

• CRM – Customer Relationship Management
• EPR – Extended Producer Responsibility
• ICP – Ideal Client Profile
• ISO – International Organisation for Standardisation
• NPS – Net Promoter Score - A metric that measures customer loyalty by asking how likely they are to recommend a company.
  
• PIF – Product Information File
• SME – Small/Medium Enterprise
• RP – Responsible Person
• SEO – Search Engine Optimisation
• SOPs – Standard Operating Procedures
• USP – Unique Selling Point
• WEEE – Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment - for more information, please click here

💻 Technology & Software - Essential tech and integration terminology:

• API – Application Program Interface - A set of rules that allows different software systems to communicate.
• CSV – Comma Separated Values - A file format used to store tabular data in plain text.
• CTA – Call to Action
• EDI – Electronic Data Interface
• FTP – File Transfer Protocol
• SFTP – Secure File Transfer Protocol
• MFA – Multi Factor Authentication
• OTP – One Time Passcode
• QR Code – Quick Response Code
• SaaS – Software as a Service - Software that is accessed online via a subscription rather than installed on individual computers.
• SSO – Single Sign On
• UCF – Urgent Customer Fix
• VPN – Virtual Private Network

📈 Data & Analytics - Used for tracking, measuring, and planning:

• KPI – Key Performance Indicator - Measures how well objectives are being met.
  
• OKR – Objectives with Key Results - A goal-setting system for measurable outcomes.