Glossary
Every POD and Dropshipping Term, Simply Explained
New to print on demand or dropshipping? This glossary covers every term you will come across — explained in plain language, no jargon.
42
Terms and growing
Beginner
Starter-friendly terms
Advanced
In-depth terms
Showing 42 of 42 terms
A
ABeginner
All-Over Print
A printing technique where the design covers the entire surface of a garment, including seams and edges.
Read full definition →
AAdvanced
API Integration
A technical connection between two platforms that allows them to exchange data and trigger actions automatically.
Read full definition →
AAdvanced
Average Order Value
The average amount a customer spends per transaction in your store, calculated by dividing total revenue by number of orders.
Read full definition →
B
BBeginner
Base Cost
The price a supplier charges you for a product before you add your profit margin.
Read full definition →
BBeginner
Blind Shipping
Shipping an order without including the supplier's branding or details, so the customer only sees your store's name.
Read full definition →
BBeginner
Brand Kit
A collection of your logo, colours, fonts and guidelines that ensures every customer touchpoint looks consistent.
Read full definition →
C
CBeginner
Cash on Delivery
A payment method where the customer pays for the order at the time of delivery rather than at checkout.
Read full definition →
CAdvanced
Chargeback
A forced reversal of a payment initiated by the customer's bank, usually due to a dispute or fraud claim.
Read full definition →
CAdvanced
Conversion Rate
The percentage of store visitors who complete a purchase, used to measure how effectively your store turns traffic into sales.
Read full definition →
CBeginner
Custom Packaging
Branded packaging such as boxes, poly bags or inserts that carry your logo and messaging instead of the supplier's.
Read full definition →
D
DBeginner
Direct-to-Film Printing
A printing method that transfers designs onto fabric using a special film and heat press, suitable for complex multi-colour artwork.
Read full definition →
DBeginner
Direct-to-Garment Printing
A technique that prints designs directly onto fabric using specialised inkjet technology, ideal for detailed and photographic designs.
Read full definition →
DBeginner
Dropshipping
A business model where you sell products online without holding any inventory — the supplier ships directly to your customer.
Read full definition →
DAdvanced
Dynamic Pricing
A strategy where product prices are adjusted automatically based on demand, competition or other real-time factors.
Read full definition →
E
EBeginner
eCommerce
Buying and selling products or services over the internet through an online store or marketplace.
Read full definition →
EAdvanced
Embroidery Digitising
The process of converting artwork into a stitch file that an embroidery machine can read and reproduce on fabric.
Read full definition →
F
FBeginner
Fulfillment Centre
A warehouse facility that receives, stores, packs and ships orders on behalf of sellers.
Read full definition →
FAdvanced
Fulfillment SLA
A service-level agreement that defines the time a supplier commits to processing and dispatching an order after it is placed.
Read full definition →
G
H
I
M
N
O
OBeginner
Order Fulfillment
The end-to-end process of receiving a customer order, producing or picking the item, and delivering it to the buyer.
Read full definition →
OAdvanced
Order Management System
Software that centralises and tracks orders across multiple sales channels, automating routing to suppliers and updating customers.
Read full definition →
P
PBeginner
POD Supplier
A company that prints and ships custom products on demand as orders come in, eliminating the need for upfront stock.
Read full definition →
PBeginner
Product Mockup
A digital preview showing how a custom design looks on a product before it goes to print.
Read full definition →
PAdvanced
Profit Margin
The percentage of revenue that remains after all costs — including production, shipping and fees — have been deducted.
Read full definition →
PBeginner
Print File
The high-resolution artwork file submitted to a printer, typically in PNG or PDF format at 300 DPI or higher.
Read full definition →
R
RAdvanced
Return on Ad Spend
A metric that measures the revenue earned for every rupee or dollar spent on advertising, used to evaluate campaign profitability.
Read full definition →
RBeginner
Returns Policy
The set of rules that define when and how customers can return or exchange a product they have purchased.
Read full definition →
S
SBeginner
Screen Printing
A traditional printing method where ink is pushed through a mesh stencil onto fabric, best suited for bold designs with few colours.
Read full definition →
SBeginner
Shopify
A cloud-based eCommerce platform that lets you build, manage and scale an online store without technical expertise.
Read full definition →
SAdvanced
SKU
Stock Keeping Unit — a unique code assigned to each product variant to track inventory and orders accurately.
Read full definition →
SBeginner
Sublimation Printing
A heat-based process that converts dye into gas and bonds it permanently into polyester fabric, producing vibrant full-colour prints.
Read full definition →
T
TBeginner
Turnaround Time
The number of business days a supplier takes to produce and dispatch an order after it is confirmed.
Read full definition →
TAdvanced
Tracking Integration
An automated connection that pushes shipment tracking numbers from the supplier to your store and notifies customers in real time.
Read full definition →
U
W
WAdvanced
Warehouse Management System
Software that controls and optimises warehouse operations including receiving, storage, picking, packing and dispatch.
Read full definition →
WBeginner
White Label
A product manufactured by one company and sold by another under their own brand name without any original supplier branding.
Read full definition →
WAdvanced
Wholesaler
A business that buys products in large quantities from manufacturers and resells them to retailers at a lower unit price.
Read full definition →
Ready to Start Your POD Business?
Now that you know the terms, take the first step. Free to start, no inventory needed.