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overview

Glossary

This glossary provides definitions for common terms used in retail media.

Retail Media

TermDefinition
CatalogThe catalog contains the items that will be promoted by the advertisers. For example, for a retailer, the products are the items sold by its 1P and 3P sellers.
CampaignThe campaigns are the tools used by advertisers to promote products, enabling advertisers to promote their catalog in the retailer’s platform.
AuctionEvery promoted item inside a campaign is eligible for participating in auctions. An auction is sent requesting the best options to fill a placement. The resolution of the auction considers different optimization parameters to meet the advertiser’s performance objective and the retailer’s financial goals.
EventTo generate the campaign metrics, ROAS, CTR and CVR, the retailer sends the interactions of the shopper with the ads, including impressions, clicks and purchases, among others.
AttibutionThe purchases made by shoppers who interacted with an ad are attributed to the corresponding campaigns. Different parameters can be considered to define how attribution works, such as attribution window and attribution model (last click, multi-touch, etc).

Terms

TermDefinition
Ad TypeThe format or style of an advertisement. Common types include: All, Sponsored Listings, Banner Ads, Video Ads, etc.
Attribution WindowThe period of time in which conversions or sales are attributed to an ad. Common attribution windows: 7, 14, 30 days.
Device TypeThe type of device where the ad is viewed or interacted with: Mweb (Mobile Web), Desktop, or App.
Placement / Ad SlotThe specific location or area where the ad is displayed within a retail platform or website (e.g., homepage, search results, product pages).
Keyword / Search TermThe words or phrases used by customers in search queries that trigger the ad placement (e.g., ""running shoes,"" ""laptop accessories"").

Metrics

TermDefinition
ImpressionsThe total number of times an ad is shown to users.
Clicks (Charged/Billable)The number of times users clicked on an ad for which an advertiser will be billed.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)The percentage of impressions that result in clicks. Formula: CTR = (Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100.
Average CPCThe average cost per click. Formula: Average CPC = Total Ad Spend ÷ Total Clicks.
Total Ad SpendThe total cost of the campaign, including all ad clicks and associated charges.
Sales ($)The total revenue generated from purchases as a result of the ad campaign.
Orders (Transactions)The total number of completed orders resulting from clicks on the ad.
Units SoldThe total number of individual items sold as a result of the ad campaign.
Conversion RateThe percentage of users who completed a purchase after clicking on the ad. Formula: Conversion Rate = (Sales ÷ Clicks) × 100.

Advanced Metrics

TermDefinition
Total ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)The total revenue generated per dollar spent on ads. Formula: ROAS = Sales ÷ Total Ad Spend.
Same SKU Click ROASThe ROAS for the same product (SKU) clicked. This tracks the revenue generated per dollar spent specifically on the clicked SKU.
Same BRAND Click ROAS (Halo)The ROAS for products from the same brand that were clicked. This is often used to track brand lift.

Campaign Assets

TermDefinition
Average Ad Spend (Per Campaign)The average total spend across all campaigns or ads. Formula: Average Ad Spend = Total Ad Spend ÷ Number of Campaigns.
SKU # / Product Identifier #The unique product identifier (e.g., SKU, UPC, or ASIN) associated with the product(s) being advertised.
Creative SizeThe dimensions and format of the ad creative (e.g., 970x90, 300x250 pixels for banner ads, 16:9 for video ads).

Cost & Performance

TermDefinition
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)The cost to acquire a customer through an ad campaign. Formula: CPA = Total Ad Spend ÷ Conversions (Sales).
Average Order Value (AOV)The average value of an order generated from an ad click. Formula: AOV = Sales ÷ Orders.
Average Ad RankThe average position of an ad relative to other ads in a given placement. Higher rank means better visibility.
Share of Voice (SOV)The percentage of total ad impressions captured by a brand versus competitors. Formula: SOV equals your ad spend or impressions divided by the total ad spend or total impressions for all brands, multiplied by 100 to express the result as a percentage.

Attribution & Impact

TermDefinition
Last Click AttributionAttribution model where the final ad click before a purchase is credited with the sale.
Multi-Touch AttributionAttribution model where credit is given to multiple touchpoints throughout the customer journey.
View-Through Attribution (VTA)Attribution model where credit is given to ads shown but not clicked, influencing a purchase after the fact.

Optimization

TermDefinition
Bid AdjustmentsChanges made to bids to optimize ad placement, typically based on factors like time of day, device type, location, or keyword performance.
Budget AllocationThe distribution of ad spend across different campaigns, keywords, or placements to maximize ROI.

Retailer-Specific

TermDefinition
Sponsored ListingsAds that appear within product search results or category pages, typically appearing as ""sponsored"" or ""promoted"" products.
Banner Ads (Display / Audience Ads)Ads displayed in fixed sections of a webpage, such as at the top, side, or bottom of the page.
Dynamic RetargetingAds targeted at users who have previously interacted with the brand or product but have not yet converted.

Creative & Design Ad Types

TermDefinition
Native AdsAds designed to blend seamlessly with the content of the website or platform, making them look like part of the organic content (e.g., sponsored articles).
Carousel AdsA type of ad that allows multiple products to be displayed in a sliding format. Often used for showcasing different product variations or collections.