Reference

Reseller glossary

The vocabulary of marketplace selling, defined. 43 terms covering fees, sourcing, condition, and operations — useful whether you're learning the language or just need a quick refresher.

1

1099-K #: The IRS form payment processors send to sellers (and the IRS) reporting annual sale totals. Federal threshold has shifted in recent years; states set their own thresholds. Receiving a 1099-K doesn't necessarily mean tax is owed — costs and deductions still apply to determine profit.

A

ASP #: Average Selling Price. The mean price an item has sold for over a recent period — used by resellers when deciding what to pay for inventory and what to list at. Most platforms expose this for completed sales (eBay's Terapeak, StockX market data, Mercari's recent sold).
Authentication #: Third-party verification that an item is genuine. StockX and GOAT include authentication in their commission; eBay offers Authenticity Guarantee on sneakers, watches, handbags, and trading cards above certain thresholds. Authentication justifies higher buyer prices but adds friction and time to the sale flow.

B

BIN #: Buy It Now. A fixed-price listing format (versus auction). Most marketplaces are BIN-only; eBay supports both.
Bundle #: A multi-item sale at a discounted total. Poshmark and Mercari natively support bundles — the platform applies its fee structure to the discounted bundle price, not each item individually.

C

COGS #: Cost of Goods Sold. What you paid to acquire the item, including any prep or refurbishing costs. The single most important number for calculating real profit (net profit = net payout − COGS − shipping cost).
Commission #: The percentage the platform takes from the sale price. Sometimes called "selling fee." Ranges from 0% (Vinted, Depop post-2024) to 20% (Poshmark above $15).
Cross-listing #: Listing the same item on multiple platforms simultaneously to increase visibility. Requires careful inventory management (delisting on other platforms when one sells) to avoid overselling. Tools like List Perfectly and Vendoo automate this.

D

Deadstock #: Unworn, in-box, new-condition items — most commonly used for sneakers. "DS" or "deadstock" in a listing signals the highest condition tier and supports premium pricing on StockX/GOAT.
Drop #: A new product release, typically used in sneaker and streetwear culture. "Drop day" is when a limited release hits retail and reseller markets light up.

F

FBA #: Fulfillment by Amazon. A program where sellers ship inventory to Amazon's warehouses; Amazon handles storage, packing, shipping, and returns. FBA fees are calculated separately from referral fees.
FBM #: Fulfillment by Merchant. The opposite of FBA: the seller handles storage and shipping themselves. Lower platform fees but more operational work.
Flip #: A quick resale for profit, usually within days or weeks of purchase. "Flipping" implies short hold times and modest margins on each transaction, with profit coming from volume.
FVF #: Final Value Fee. eBay's term for its commission, applied to the total amount the buyer pays (item + shipping + handling + sales tax). Varies by category — 13.25% for most, 8% for Athletic Shoes & Sneakers $150+, 14.95% for books/movies/music, lower rates for heavy equipment.

G

GMV #: Gross Merchandise Value. Total sales revenue before fees, refunds, or costs. Marketplaces use GMV to report platform scale; sellers should focus on net payout and net profit instead.
Grading #: Formal condition assessment of collectibles by a third party. PSA, BGS, and SGC grade trading cards; CGC grades comics; WATA grades video games. Graded items command higher prices and reduce buyer hesitancy.

H

Hype #: High-demand status driven by scarcity, brand, or culture. Hyped releases (limited sneakers, trading card chase pulls, designer collabs) sell above retail and move fastest on platforms with engaged niche audiences (StockX, GOAT, Whatnot).

I

Inventory turn #: How quickly inventory sells. Calculated as total sales over a period divided by average inventory value. High turn means fast sales and tied-up capital frees quickly; low turn means inventory sits and eats holding cost.

L

Listing fee #: A flat fee to put an item up for sale, charged regardless of whether it sells. Etsy charges $0.20 per listing (renewed every 4 months). Most other platforms have no listing fees.
Lot #: Multiple items sold together as a single listing. Common for trading cards (bulk lots), books, and clothing. Lots usually sell at a per-item discount in exchange for one transaction.

M

Margin #: Profit as a percentage of revenue (net profit ÷ sale price). Distinct from markup (which uses cost as the denominator). A $30 sale netting $10 profit = 33% margin.
MSRP #: Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price. The price the maker recommends retailers charge. Resellers compare current market prices against MSRP to gauge demand.

N

Net payout #: What the platform deposits in your account: sale price + shipping charged − platform fees. Doesn't include your costs (item, your shipping). This is what 1099-K reports.
Net profit #: Your actual takeaway: net payout − item cost − shipping cost. This is the number that matters for sourcing decisions and real profitability.

O

OA #: Online Arbitrage. Buying inventory from online retailers (often on sale) to resell at higher prices on marketplaces. Distinct from RA (retail/in-store) sourcing.
Offer #: A buyer's proposed price below the listing price. Poshmark, Mercari, eBay, and Depop all support offers. Sellers can accept, counter, or decline.
Offsite Ads #: Etsy's program that promotes listings on Google, Facebook, Instagram, etc. Sellers over $10,000 in trailing-365-day sales are auto-enrolled at 12% (capped $100/order); under that threshold it's optional at 15%.

P

Payment processing #: The fee for handling the credit card transaction. Typically 2.9% + $0.30 or similar. Sometimes bundled into the platform commission (Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace); sometimes charged separately (Mercari, Etsy, StockX).
Payout #: Funds released from the platform to the seller's bank or balance. Timing varies: Mercari 1-3 days post-sale; eBay 2 days post-delivery; Poshmark 3 days post-receipt; StockX after authentication.
Per-order fee #: A flat fee per buyer transaction. eBay charges $0.30 per order regardless of item count or sale size. Flat fees dominate fee structure on low-price items — $0.30 is 6% of a $5 sale but 0.06% of a $500 sale.
POD #: Print On Demand. Items printed/created only after a buyer orders them. Common for custom t-shirts, mugs, and posters. Different fee dynamic from secondhand resale.
Promoted Listings #: Paid placement programs to boost listing visibility. eBay Promoted Listings Standard charges only on attributed sales (you set the ad rate). Similar paid-promotion features: Reverb Bump, Depop Boost, Vinted Wardrobe Spotlight.

R

RA #: Retail Arbitrage. Sourcing inventory by buying from physical retail stores (clearance racks, end caps, store closures) and reselling online. The classic reseller business model.
Reseller #: Someone who buys items with the intent to resell them at a higher price. The term spans full-time businesses and weekend side-hustlers. Marketplaces have different policies on commercial vs. personal sellers.
ROI #: Return On Investment. Profit as a percentage of cost (net profit ÷ item cost). A $10 item that nets $30 profit = 300% ROI. ROI is the most useful sourcing benchmark — "target 100% ROI minimum" is a common rule.

S

Sealed #: Items still in their original unopened packaging. "Sealed" carries premium value for video games, action figures, and trading card boxes — buyers can verify authenticity by the unbroken seal.
Seller level #: A performance tier that affects fees and visibility. StockX has 5 levels (commission drops 0.5% per level from 9% to 7%). GOAT has Verified vs. New (15% → 9.5%). Earned through completed verified trades.
SKU #: Stock Keeping Unit. A unique identifier for an inventory item. Resellers tracking inventory across platforms use SKUs (often self-assigned) to know what's where and what sold.
Sourcing #: The process of finding inventory to resell. Common channels: thrift stores, estate sales, online clearance (OA), retail clearance (RA), wholesale, auctions, and personal closets.
Store subscription #: A monthly fee paid to a marketplace in exchange for reduced per-listing fees, more free listings, and store-customization features. eBay has 5 store tiers ($7.95-$2,999.95/month). Etsy Plus is $10/month.

T

Throwback #: Retro or vintage style items, especially clothing and sneakers. Less specific than "vintage" (which often implies a 20+ year age threshold) — throwback can mean anything that evokes a past era.
Tracking #: A carrier-provided number that lets buyer and seller see shipment status. Required for most platforms' seller protection — without tracking, the seller has no proof of delivery in a dispute.

U

UPC #: Universal Product Code. The barcode on retail products. eBay and Mercari can auto-fill listing details from a UPC. Useful for OA/RA sellers cataloging large volumes.