Managed e-commerce describes work delegated to an operating team. Wholesale and private label describe how products are sourced or branded. FBA, merchant fulfillment and dropshipping describe fulfillment arrangements. Those terms answer different questions and can overlap within one business.
What do managed e-commerce operating terms mean?
Managed e-commerce
A service arrangement in which a team performs agreed store operations for a business owner. The scope may include setup, sourcing, listings, inventory coordination, fulfillment, support and reporting. Ownership, funding, approvals and responsibilities depend on the written agreement.
Done-for-you e-commerce
A marketing description for work performed on the buyer’s behalf. It does not identify one standardized business model: an offer may involve a new wholesale store, private-label development, an acquisition or a limited service. Compare deliverables before comparing prices.
E-commerce automation
The use of software, procedures and people to coordinate repeatable commerce tasks. The term does not establish that a business runs without owner decisions, is controlled entirely by AI or produces a predictable return.
Wholesale sourcing
Buying goods from a manufacturer, distributor or other wholesale supplier for resale. Supplier permissions, product documentation and marketplace eligibility need to match the proposed operation. Wholesale describes sourcing, rather than the fulfillment method.
Private label
Products sold under the seller’s own brand, typically sourced from a manufacturer. Brand development, product specifications and inventory commitments distinguish this model from reselling existing branded goods. The precise work depends on the engagement.
Dropshipping
A fulfillment arrangement in which a supplier ships an order to the customer on the seller’s behalf. The seller still needs to meet the marketplace’s applicable seller, documentation and delivery requirements. Dropshipping and outsourced store management describe different things.
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
An Amazon fulfillment service in which sellers send inventory to Amazon and Amazon handles storage, picking, packing, shipping and associated customer service and returns within the program’s terms. FBA describes fulfillment, not who owns or manages the business.
Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)
An Amazon fulfillment option in which the seller handles storage, shipment and customer service, directly or through its own arrangements, subject to Amazon’s requirements. It can be used alongside FBA for different products.
What do sales, cost and return terms mean?
Gross merchandise value (GMV)
A sales-activity measure for merchandise sold during a stated period. Check the source’s treatment of refunds, discounts, taxes and shipping. A GMV total does not show the costs required to generate those sales or establish profit.
Cost of goods sold (COGS)
The product cost assigned to the goods sold during the reporting period. Check which acquisition or related costs the source includes. COGS is different from the cash spent buying all inventory, including goods that remain unsold.
Landed cost
The cost of getting goods to the point used in a calculation, often combining product cost with specified shipping, preparation or fulfillment costs. The definition varies by report. Our mature-store report specifies goods plus prep and fulfillment as its ROI basis.
Reported net profit
The remainder after the expenses included in a particular report. Always identify those expenses and any exclusions. A source labeled net profit may not separately show every management charge, tax or owner expense, and does not by itself establish cash available to distribute.
Return on inventory cost
A stated profit divided by the inventory cost used in the calculation, expressed as a percentage. Confirm whether the denominator is COGS or a broader landed cost, and keep the period consistent. It is not automatically the return on all capital committed.
Working capital and operating cash
Working capital commonly describes current assets less current liabilities. For a managed-store funding discussion, also examine the cash needed between supplier payments and marketplace receipts, including reserves, returns and ongoing obligations. A profitable report can coexist with a need for additional cash.
Which definition applies to a particular report?
These definitions help you ask consistent questions. They do not override an agreement, marketplace program rule or the calculation stated in a source report. For published Wealth Automators figures, what the numbers mean identifies the reporting periods, sample limits and cost bases.