Glossary

The Path to Purchase Institute’s Shopper Marketing Glossary is an evolving work-in-progress. We invite your critiques, additions and suggestions.

This Glossary has been underwritten by Southern Imperial, Inc.

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A-board

A sign in which two sides are joined at the top by a cross brace to form an "A" shape. Often used at curbsides or outside store entrances.

A-frame

A style of corrugated shipper in which the structure of the display forms the shape of an "A."

Above-the-line advertising

Any form of advertising for which a commission or fee is paid to a recognized advertising agency operating on behalf of a client. The term most commonly refers to mass media advertising through television, radio and print; it also is used to compare brand-building advertising strategies with sales-driving promotional tactics, or below-the-line advertising.

Accelerated purchase

A specific goal set by a brand to have shoppers and retailers buy a product faster than expected or planned for.

Accent lighting

A touch of lighting that is used to emphasize part of a shopper marketing display.

Acceptable price range

Product prices that buyers and shoppers are willing to pay.

Acceptance

The retailer's agreement to support a manufacturer's marketing program.

Account opener

A premium or incentive offered to a prospective buyer to secure purchase. The term is used most commonly in the financial services industry.

Account-specific promotion

Marketing activity that's customized by a product manufacturer for a specific retail partner. Typically used in reference to campaigns in which the retailer is not involved in development but simply accepts the product manufacturer's program.

Accrual

Promotional allowances accumulated by manufacturers or suppliers for their retail or wholesale customers. Typically calculated as a percentage of the product invoice price.

Accrual fund

Promotional payments that build up over time based on purchase volume and can be "redeemed" in a future period.

Acrylics

Very popular display material because it has half the weight of glass but can withstand four times the impact. It resists most cleaning agents, and while it can be scratched, polishing can remove marks. Common uses in P-O-P: jewelry cases, lenses, edge-lit accents and faux glass shelves.

Action aisle

A store aisle in which promotional items are displayed. Also referred to as a "power aisle."

Action Alley

A store's main thoroughfare, often the first sales area that customers see upon entering, and considered to be prime real estate for promotional merchandising. Originally used to denote Wal-Mart's power aisles, the term is now often used generally. The alleys, in general, can be found up front, near checkout, or in the back of the store.

Activation

1. The implementation or execution of a marketing plan
2. A purchase action taken by a shopper that's triggered by an in-store marketing activity (display, discount, sign, promotion, impulse, etc.)
3. The translation of shopper insights into actionable marketing activity.

Actual weekly reach

The number of people, confirmed by audit, reached through marketing activity.

ACV (All commodity volume)

The total annual dollar volume in a given geography expressed as a percentage (or share) of the total market for that commodity.

Ad impressions

Historically used in TV and other mass media to express the number of viewers exposed to an advertising vehicle (one impression equals one view). "Unique impressions" factors out multiple views by the same people.

Ad reprint holder

A frame or other device used to encase reprints of circular pages or other advertisements. These are typically displayed on tabletops or stanchions.

Ad slick

Product or promotion graphics provided by marketers to retailers or publishers for reproduction in ads.

Adaptive selling

A practice that encourages salespeople to alter their interaction with the customer based on the nature of the selling situation.

Add-on

Additional, secondary merchandise that can be included in a sale.

ADI

An acronym for "area of dominant influence," which defines designated market areas based on media coverage.

Adjacencies

Product categories on-shelf or product departments located next to each other within a retail store.

Advanced premium

An up-front reward or takeaway presented to a new customer as a means of generating goodwill and enticing future purchases.

Advertised brand

A nationally advertised brand.

Advertising allowance

A payment made by the product manufacturer to the retailer in exchange for delivering advertising opportunities to a specific product or brand.

Advertising specialty

Inexpensive branded toys or gifts such as key rings, pens, T-shirts, etc. used as premiums. Less commonly referred to as "advertising novelty."

Advertising substantiation

A Federal Trade Commission regulation that requires advertisers to document claims made in ads.

Advertising weight

The amount of media advertising supporting a brand over a particular time period, usually measured in gross rating points. See GRP.

Advertising/marketing effectiveness

An assessment of the impact made by a marketing program, measured by sales lift, brand awareness levels and various other parameters.

Advocacy advertising

Ads supporting or opposing a social or political issue.

Affidavit

Legitimate proof of posting by the vendor that the advertiser's message ran as scheduled.

Affiliated chain

A group of non-competing stores operating under an alliance to benefit from volume purchasing or to gain exclusive territorial rights to market certain products.

Affiliated retailer

A retailer participating in an affiliated chain; or a retailer participating with other retailers in cooperative wholesale purchasing.

Affiliated wholesaler

A wholesaler that hosts a group of affiliated retailers; or a wholesaler who is a member of an affiliated wholesaler group.

Affinity marketing

The practice of marketing to the interests of specific demographic or shopper groups.

Aftermarket

Secondary sales related to repairs, replacement parts or additions to a primary piece of equipment. Most commonly used to refer to the automotive aftermarket, which covers all products and services that an automobile owner might buy.

Agency of record (AOR)

An agency that has been designated as a marketer's primary partner and often hired on retainer.

Aggregation

Broadly defining and grouping a shopper segment under a universal concept or theme.

Aided recall

In measuring advertising recall, a technique in which the interviewer prompts the respondent's memory with cues. ("Do you remember seeing any ads for Coke?").

Air right display

A display hanging above shoppers and product.

Aisle

A store corridor, flanked by fixtures carrying shelves of product.

Aisle blocker

A movable merchandiser used to block a closed checkout lane.

Aisle directory

Navigational signage that identifies the aisle's product assortment. Usually suspended from the ceiling or attached to an end-aisle display. It sometimes also carries brand-specific ad messages.

Aisle jumper

A wire extending above an open aisle that sometimes carries branded flags and pennants.

Aisle signage

(See aisle directory.) Navigational signage that designates the aisle's product assortment. Typically deployed as ceiling hangers or at aisle ends.

Aisle violator

A sign hanging perpendicular to the shelf on which it is attached, thereby sticking out into ("violating") the aisle. Most commonly used to identify rectangular signs that span more than one shelf width.

Alignment

The practice of visually grouping store elements in a harmonious way.

All commodity volume

See ACV.

Allocation (or allotment)

1. Term for the designated quantity of merchandise made available or sold to a specific market area or retailer; often reflects a limited quantity, usually less than a full order.
2. The shelf or secondary display space designated for a specific product.

Allowance

A payment or invoice discount given by a product manufacturer to a retailer as an incentive for a variety of actions, including prompt invoice payment, volume purchase, and promotional activity such as temporary price reductions or circular ads. Sometimes delivered in the form of free product, but more frequently a monetary transaction.

Alpha/beta testing

Two-pronged method of testing a new product's likelihood of success through internal (alpha) and marketplace (beta) tests.

Alternative media

Term used to describe non-traditional channels of advertising. Its scope varies by the viewpoint of the practitioner, but universally is understood to exclude mass media advertising. In-store marketing is still considered "alternative" in some marketing circles, although that opinion is gradually diminishing.

Altruistic display

A product display that contains products from outside parties that did not pay for its manufacture or placement. Also used to describe the inclusion of a non-participating product within a store-wide seasonal program or other campaign.

Ambient lighting

The use of lighting to help create a particular atmosphere or mood within a store.

ANA

Association of National Advertisers.

Ancillary businesses

Secondary businesses that a retailer operates within the primary retail operation (e.g., photo processing, optical, food court, travel, gas stations, etc.).

ANCOVA

Stands for "Analysis of Covariance." These are terms added at the end of a research study that look for any variability between the test group and control group over time.

ANSI

The American National Standards Institute.

Antitrust laws

A series of Federal laws created to establish fair trade practices and outlaw anti-competitive activity. The most important are:

1. Clayton Act, which makes it unlawful for a manufacturer to require that a retailer not sell a competing product as a condition of any distribution deal, in cases where such actions lessen competition or create a monopoly. The act also places restrictions on other exclusive deals.
   
2. Sherman Antitrust Act, which prohibits a wide range of actions that would result in restraint of trade of commerce.
   
3. Robinson-Patman Act, also known as the Anti-Price Discrimination Act, which prohibits manufacturers from giving price discounts or other preferential treatment to certain retailers when the result could be restraint of competition.

AOR

Agency of Record. A designation given by a client to signify a marketing agency's role as the primary source of a particular service or services.

Apron

An area outside a gas station or other retail outlet in which merchandise displays are placed.

Arch

Signage running above an aisle from one gondola to another.

Area of dominant influence

See ADI.

ASM

A common abbreviation for "Assistant Store Manager."

Assembly

1. The program through which certain items are ordered to be shipped by a vendor to a warehouse and then to a store.
2. Building a display from component parts.
3. The area of a P-O-P production facility devoted to assembling and kitting display components.

Assortment display

A product display designed to give customers a choice -- color, size or other variable.

Attach-to-merchandise display

A display that attaches directly to the merchandise. The display usually provides some necessary informational messaging.

Attend and assist (A/A)

Shorthand for the assignment of attending a store remodel/set up and assisting as required.

Audio shelf talker

A static sign attached to a shelf enhanced by the addition of customized audio capabilities, usually activated by push button or motion detection.

Audio-video display

A product display enhanced by electronic components that present audio and/or video messages to shoppers.

Audit

1. A survey of store conditions, usually conducted by third-party merchandising firms. Among the more common tasks performed are analysis of primary shelf position and conditions, price checks, audit of competitor product sets, and checks for the presence of specific secondary P-O-P displays and promotional materials.
2. The process of verifying retail compliance of shopper marketing activity through physical checks, typically in a representative sample of stores. Any observable condition can be measured, including location, copy, display activity, out-of-stocks, etc.
3. Customer profile and usage studies conducted via interviews with shoppers in or outside the store.

Authorized list

Chain-approved vendors and products.

Authorized stock item

A product or SKU that has been approved for merchandising by a store's corporate or wholesale buying headquarters.

Automatic distribution

A process through which the retailer's headquarters (or authorized wholesale grocer) approves and delivers new products, deals or special promotional stock to key stores without specific order from store managers.

Available market

The number of consumers identified as having an interest in a product or service, access to its purchase and the financial means to purchase it.

Average ticket (receipt)

The average dollar amount spent by a shopper.

Awareness

The ability of consumers to remember information about a brand, ad or promotion to which they were exposed. "Unaided awareness" refers to the ability to recall without assistance; "aided awareness" refers to cases in which the consumer's recall was prompted. See aided recall and unaided awareness.