Retail Terminology – E
E
Eco-friendly Fashion
Eco-friendly fashion promotes sustainable practices throughout clothing manufacturing, prioritizing methods that reduce environmental impact. This includes using organic or recycled materials, minimizing waste, and conserving water and energy—brands advocating for eco-friendly fashion aim to create stylish and environmentally responsible garments.
Eco-friendly Materials
Eco-friendly materials have a lower environmental footprint, often derived from renewable resources. Examples include organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, and recycled fabrics. These materials are produced to minimize pollution and conserve resources, contributing to more sustainable fashion and retail industries.
E-commerce
E-commerce involves buying and selling goods or services online. It includes retail giants like Amazon and niche markets like Etsy. E-commerce provides consumers the convenience of shopping from anywhere, offering a vast range of products and efficient delivery services.
Editorials
Editorials in retail refer to curated content showcasing products in a storytelling context. Often found in magazines and online publications, editorials highlight trends, styling tips, and brand stories, helping to attract and inform consumers while boosting brand image.
E-fulfillment
E-fulfillment is the process of managing and delivering online orders. It involves inventory management, order processing, packaging, and shipping. Effective e-fulfillment ensures quick, accurate deliveries and enhances customer satisfaction, which is crucial for success in e-commerce.
Email Blast
An email blast is a marketing technique where a single promotional email is sent to an subscriber list of recipients simultaneously. It’s used to announce sales, new products, or special events. While effective, balancing frequency is crucial to avoid overwhelming customers or being marked as spam.
Embroidery
Embroidery involves decorating fabric with needle and thread or yarn to create designs. In retail, embroidered products add a touch of craftsmanship and personalization, often seen in high-end fashion, team uniforms, and customized apparel.
Employee Discount
An employee discount is a benefit where staff members can purchase store products at reduced prices. This perk helps build employee loyalty, increases product knowledge, and encourages staff to promote the brand outside of work.
Ending Inventory
Ending inventory is the value of goods available for sale at the end of an accounting period. It’s critical for calculating cost of goods sold (COGS) and assessing financial health. Properly managing ending inventory helps retailers maintain profitability and optimize stock levels.
Endcap
An endcap is a display in retail stores at the end of an aisle. These prime spots promote featured products, seasonal items, or special offers, catching shoppers’ attention and driving impulse purchases.
Ethical Fashion
Ethical fashion refers to clothing production prioritizes fair labor practices, good working conditions, and sustainable sourcing. It aims to support workers’ rights and minimize harmful environmental impacts, promoting social responsibility.
Ethical Sourcing
Ethical sourcing involves obtaining materials and products responsibly and ensuring that suppliers adhere to fair labor practices, environmental sustainability, and humane treatment standards. Retailers adopting ethical sourcing often promote transparency and social responsibility within their supply chains.
Everyday Low Price (EDLP)
Everyday Low Price is a pricing strategy in which products are consistently priced low, avoiding frequent sales or discounts. Retailers like Walmart use this model to provide value to customers, simplify purchasing decisions, and build trust.
Event Marketing
Event marketing involves creating and promoting events to engage customers and generate interest in products or brands. Examples include product launches, in-store demonstrations, or pop-up shops. Effective event marketing can enhance brand experience and drive sales.
Exclusive Collection
Exclusive collections are limited-edition lines of products available only through specific retailers or for a limited period. These collections create urgency and desirability among customers, often generating significant media buzz and higher sales volumes.
Excess Inventory
Excess inventory, also known as overstock, refers to unsold goods that exceed consumer demand. Holding excess inventory ties up capital and storage space, prompting retailers to offer discounts, clearance sales, or donate surplus items.
Experience Store
Experience stores focus on providing immersive and interactive shopping experiences beyond just selling products. Features may include hands-on demos, personalized services, and lifestyle elements to enhance customer engagement and brand loyalty.
External Theft
External theft is the theft of retail merchandise by customers or other individuals outside the company. This includes shoplifting, organized retail crime, and fraud. Implementing security measures like surveillance systems and security tags is essential to mitigate losses.
Electronic Shelf Label (ESL)
Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are digital price tags placed on retail shelves. They display real-time pricing and product information, which are updated wirelessly. ESLs improve pricing accuracy, enable dynamic pricing strategies, and save labor costs.
E-tailer
An e-tailer, or electronic retailer, sells products exclusively online. E-tailers offer a wide range of goods, often at competitive prices due to their lower overhead compared to brick-and-mortar stores. Examples include Amazon, Zappos, and Warby Parker.