How to use this glossary
Resale listings, forums and marketplaces use a lot of shorthand. This glossary explains the terms you are most likely to meet when you source, price, list and ship items. Definitions are general: each marketplace has its own rules, fees and wording, so check the platform you use.
A
Active listing
An item currently for sale that has not sold yet. Active listings show asking prices, which are not the same as what buyers paid; see sold or active listings.
Authentication
Checking that an item is genuine, by the seller, the buyer, a marketplace program or an independent expert. It is common for sneakers, bags, watches and cards; see how to tell if a watch is real.
B
Backstamp
A maker's mark printed or stamped on the underside of china, pottery or porcelain. It helps identify the maker, pattern and era; see how to identify porcelain marks.
Best offer
A listing option that lets buyers propose a lower price, which the seller can accept, decline or counter. Setting an automatic decline threshold saves time on low offers.
BIN (Buy It Now)
A fixed-price listing that a buyer can purchase immediately, as opposed to an auction.
BNIB (brand new in box)
An unused item still in its original box. Often used for shoes, electronics and toys.
Bundle
Several items sold together as one listing or one order, often to save on shipping or move low-priced items; see how to bundle items to sell.
C
Calculated shipping
A shipping option where the buyer's cost is worked out from the package weight, size and their location, rather than a single flat price.
Chargeback
A payment reversal that a buyer requests through their card issuer or bank. Keeping tracking, photos and messages helps sellers respond; see avoid scams when selling online.
CIB (complete in box)
A video game or toy that includes its box, manual and original contents. Collectors often value CIB copies above loose ones; see are old video games worth anything?
COGS (cost of goods sold)
What you paid for the items you sold, including sourcing costs you can tie to them. Resellers use it to work out profit and for their records.
Colorway
The specific combination of colors a product, usually a sneaker or garment, was released in. Buyers often search by model and colorway together.
Comps
Short for comparables: recent sales of the same or very similar item, used to judge what yours might sell for; see how to research sold prices.
Consignment
Leaving an item with a shop or service that sells it for you and keeps a share of the sale. Convenient, but slower to pay and usually a lower net amount.
Cross-listing
Listing the same item on more than one marketplace at once to reach more buyers. When it sells on one, remove it everywhere else quickly to avoid selling it twice.
D
Dead inventory
Stock that has sat unsold for a long time and is unlikely to sell at its current price. Common fixes are a price cut, new photos, a bundle or donating it.
Deadstock
Old stock that was never sold or used, often still with tags or in its box. Common in sneakers and vintage clothing; see how to sell sneakers.
E
Estate sale
A sale of most of the contents of a home, often run by a company after a move or a death. A popular place to source furniture, kitchenware and collectibles.
EUC (excellent used condition)
A used item with very little visible wear. Still show close-up photos, because every seller's idea of excellent differs.
F
Fees
What a marketplace or payment processor charges when you sell, such as listing, final value, payment and promotion fees; see what you keep after selling.
Final value fee
A fee a marketplace charges when an item sells, usually a percentage of the total the buyer pays, sometimes with a fixed per-order amount. Rates vary by platform and category.
First edition (1st edition)
The first printing or release of a book, card set or other item. Collectors often look for it specifically, and the markings that identify one differ by publisher; see are old books worth anything?
First pressing
The earliest production run of a vinyl record, identified by labels, matrix numbers and sleeve details; see how to tell a first pressing record.
Flat-rate shipping
One fixed shipping price regardless of where the buyer lives. Simple for buyers, but check it covers your cost to distant addresses.
Flipping
Buying an item and reselling it for more than you paid, often after cleaning, repairing or listing it better; see best things to flip for profit.
G
Garage sale
A sale of household items held at a home, also called a yard sale. A common place both to source and to clear items quickly; see price items for a garage sale.
Grading
Judging an item's condition on a defined scale. Cards, coins and comics are commonly graded, and graded items state the grade on a label.
Grading services
Independent companies that inspect, grade and seal collectibles such as trading cards, coins and comics. Grading costs money and time, so it suits items where the grade matters; see how to sell trading cards.
GUC (good used condition)
A used item with normal signs of wear but no major faults. Describe and photograph the wear so buyers know what to expect.
H
Hallmark
A stamped mark on precious metal showing its purity, and sometimes the maker, the assay office and the year; see how to identify sterling silver marks.
Handling time
How long a seller promises to take to ship after payment. Keep it realistic and meet it.
HTF (hard to find)
A label sellers use for items that rarely come up for sale. It is a claim, not proof, so check how often the item actually sells.
I
Item specifics
Structured details in a listing, such as brand, model, size, color and material. Filling them in helps buyers find the item through filters and search.
L
Lot
A group of items sold together as one listing, often of the same type, such as a lot of games or a lot of jewelry.
M
Margin
Profit as a percentage of the sale price. A sale that leaves more after costs has a higher margin; see the resale profit calculator.
MIB (mint in box)
An item in like-new condition with its original box. Often used for toys and collectibles; ask for photos to confirm.
MSRP
Manufacturer's suggested retail price: the price the maker recommends for a new item. Used items do not necessarily sell near it, in either direction.
N
Net payout
What you receive after fees, before your own costs such as shipping and what you paid for the item.
NIB (new in box)
A new, unused item in its original box. The box may have been opened, unlike a sealed item.
NWOT (new without tags)
A new, unworn item whose original tags have been removed. Common for clothing.
NWT (new with tags)
A new, unworn item with its original store tags still attached. Common for clothing and bags.
O
OBO (or best offer)
A note that the seller will consider offers below the listed price.
Offers to watchers
A discount offer a seller sends to people who have saved or are watching a listing. Many marketplaces support this in some form.
Online arbitrage
Buying items from online stores, often on sale or clearance, to resell elsewhere for more. Fees, shipping and returns can cut the margin quickly.
P
Pallet (liquidation)
A large batch of returned, overstock or shelf-pull goods sold as one unit, usually unsorted. Contents and condition vary widely.
Patina
The surface change that comes with age and use, such as toning on silver, darkening on brass or wear on wood. Collectors often prefer it left alone; see clean items before selling.
Payments
How a marketplace or payment service collects money from the buyer and pays it to the seller. Processing fees and payout timing vary.
Promoted listing
A paid option that shows a listing more prominently in search or elsewhere on a marketplace, usually for an extra fee or a percentage of the sale.
R
Raw card
A trading card that has not been graded or sealed by a grading service.
Relisting
Putting an unsold item back up for sale, often with a new price, title or photos.
Reproduction
A later copy of an older design, sometimes sold honestly as a copy and sometimes passed off as original; see how to spot reproduction antiques.
Retail arbitrage
Buying items in physical stores, often on clearance, to resell online for more.
Retro
A modern re-release of an older design, especially sneakers, clothing and games. A retro is not the original, so list it clearly.
Return window
The number of days after delivery during which a buyer can request a return. Marketplaces often have their own rules for items not as described.
ROI (return on investment)
Profit as a percentage of what you spent on the item. It answers how hard your money worked; see the resale profit calculator.
S
Sealed (factory sealed)
Still in the maker's original wrap or seal. Resealing exists, so check the seal style against known examples.
Sell-through rate
Sold listings divided by sold plus active listings for an item over a period, shown as a percentage. A higher rate suggests items sell more readily.
Shipping label
The prepaid postage label with the buyer's address and tracking. Buying it through the marketplace or online is often cheaper than at a counter; see how to ship items cheaply.
SKU
Stock keeping unit: a code a seller or store uses to track an item in inventory. Many resellers create their own SKUs to label storage bins.
Slab
A sealed, tamper-evident plastic case from a grading service holding a graded card, coin or comic, with a label showing the grade; see how to spot fake Pokémon cards.
Sold comps
Comparables that actually sold, rather than asking prices. They are the stronger evidence for pricing; see see sold listings on eBay.
Sourcing
Finding items to resell, for example at thrift stores, estate sales, garage sales or online; see how to start reselling.
Stale listing
A listing that has been up a long time without selling or much activity. A fresh title, photos or price can help.
T
Thrift (thrifting)
Shopping at secondhand charity or thrift stores, a common way to source items for resale; see how to spot valuable items at thrift stores.
U
UPC
Universal Product Code: the barcode number on retail packaging that identifies a product. Useful for matching an exact item.
V
Variant
A version of an item that differs in a small detail, such as color, label, print run or packaging. Variants can be valued very differently, so match the exact one.
VGUC (very good used condition)
A used item with light wear and no significant faults, between excellent and good. Photos matter more than the abbreviation.
Vintage
Generally an item made a few decades ago or more. Definitions vary by category and marketplace, so check each platform's rules.
W
Watchers
People who have saved a listing to follow it. Many watchers but no sale can suggest the price is a little high.
Frequently asked questions
What does NWT mean in reselling?
NWT means new with tags: an unworn item with its original store tags still attached. NWOT means new without tags, and EUC means excellent used condition.
What are comps when reselling?
Comps, short for comparables, are recent sales of the same or a very similar item. Sold comps show what buyers actually paid, which is better pricing evidence than asking prices.
What is a good sell-through rate?
There is no single number for every item. A higher sell-through rate means a larger share of listings sold over the period, which suggests the item sells more readily at current prices.