Research Resources

'D' Supermarket Terms

The following term(s) meet your search criteria:

  • daily value (DV)

    A list of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, etc., printed on a product label.

  • dairy products

    Milk (including dry milk), cream, sour cream, yogurt, eggs, butter and substitutes such as margarine, cheese, and ice cream.

  • dairy/deli case extender

    An insulated container display attached to a refrigerated case that extends into an aisle to stimulate impulse buys.

  • damage center

    A place where damaged merchandise is sent.

  • damaged goods

    An unsalable product, such as sliced box tops and dented cans.

  • danger zone

    The temperature range, 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit at which foods spoil. Perishable foods should be held at temperatures above or below this temperature range.

  • dangler

    A small, eye-catching sign that hangs from a product or a shelf to draw attention to an item or display.

  • data mining

    A process of searching data bases for unique trends or occurring situations and displaying those trends to the user.

  • data model

    The complete set of data elements which must be taken into account whenever software systems are written. Industry efforts are underway to define a standard data model for retailers.

  • data warehousing

    A compilation of data from a variety of sources for storage and easy retrieval.

  • data/voice network

    A telecommunications system that handles both voice and data transmissions over the same line.

  • dataviews

    An easy-to-read table of data, which measures dollar sales, gross margin, and unit movement.

  • date code or coding

    A sell by date stamped on a product to ensure freshness. The date assists with quality control (first in, first out) and proper rotation. It may also apply to affixing a sell by or pull by date on merchandise which is on display (as in the Bakery Department).

  • dating

    A supplier's offer that provides discounts for payment of an invoice at some future date. The longer the time period the better the arrangement. See extended dating.

  • day letter

    A daily bulletin with current product and pricing information sent to retail stores See bulletin.

  • days-of-supply (D-O-S)

    The amount of product calculated to meet customer demand between replenishments.

  • DC

    Distribution center.

  • dead net

    The lowest cost for goods after all allowances are subtracted, also known as net-net.

  • dead-heading

    Returning an empty vehicle to a warehouse.

  • deal

    A buying arrangement or terms of sale that offer special purchasing incentives; a promotion or a trade deal.

  • deal pack

    A manufacturer's method of packaging products for special customer promotions at a store.

  • deal period

    A manufacturer's time frame for special allowances to retailers for a promotion.

  • deal sheet

    A vendor (DSD supplier) generated information sheet listing current or upcoming products on allowance. Includes product description, UPC codes, allowance, cost, start date and end date for each SKU listed.

  • decentralization of store operations

    A shift in responsibility and accountability for maintaining store conditions and profitability from a store's headquarters to a store manager.

  • deduct/deduction

    An amount that is subtracted from a paycheck or an invoice.

  • deep discount

    Lowering the price of merchandise to a minimal markup over the wholesale price.

  • deep-discount drug store

    A low-margin, GM/HBC store with 25,000 SKUs. These stores typically carry fewer sizes, but more GM/HBC brands than a supermarket.

  • delete

    To no longer stock an item in the warehouse or a retail store.

  • deli product ends

    Meat and cheese ends used for sandwiches, salads or samples.

  • deli-bake

    A combination in-store bakery and deli department where equipment, floor space, and labor are shared, usually under common supervision.

  • delicatessen

    An in-store department with cooked foods, salads, cold cuts and cheeses, etc.

  • delinquent account

    Past due customer accounts (accounts receivable).

  • delivery cycle

    The time between an order and its delivery.

  • delivery receipt

    A receipt acknowledging the product count, date and time of a delivery.

  • demand

    The amount of goods that consumers will buy at a specific price.

  • demand item, demand brand

    A product or brand whose consumer popularity makes it an essential item for a store to stock.

  • demographics, demographic characteristics, demographic profile

    A snapshot of customers, such as their age, ethnic group, gender, income, education or marital status.

  • demonstration or demo

    A product promotion in a store with samples to eat and cooking-tip handouts and/or coupons.

  • demurrage

    A daily rate charged by railroads for failure to unload a rail car within a specified time frame.

  • depalletize

    To remove product from the original shipping pallet and repalletize it for shipping or storage.

  • department

    An area in a retail store designated for a category of products, such as, grocery, meat, produce, bakery, among others.

  • department flow

    A continuous, logical flow from one commodity to another. For example, summertime fruit, to hard fruit, to exotic soft varieties in the display.

  • department i.d. label

    A department's label affixed to a package, so that the sale is credited to that department at the checkout.

  • department sales report

    A daily breakdown of each department's sales.

  • depreciation

    A reduction in a fixed asset's value over time.

  • descriptive label

    The label showing the name of the product, price per pound, total price and possibly the sell by date or pull by date.

  • detail person

    A manufacturer's or broker's representative responsible for category conditions, merchandising and writing credits. See retail representative.

  • detention

    A shipper's fee charged when a truck is not loaded within a certain time frame, which holds up the truck at the warehouse or processing plant.

  • DEX/UCS (direct exchange)

    A telecommunications system between a retailer and supplier that allows for the exchange of sales data, product movement, billings and replenishment needs.

  • dexter deli express

    A free-standing computer used by customers for deli orders.

  • dial-up communication

    A telecommunications link used to exchange data, such as ATM and bankcard authorizations.

  • diary panel

    A sampling technique used to spot consumer trends. Targeted households keep a record of supermarket purchases for a short period of time.

  • dietetic foods

    Low-calorie foods for special diets, such as salt-free, low-sugar, including dietetic soft drinks, organic and health foods.

  • digital scale

    A programmable scale that weighs, calculates cost and prints a label.

  • direct account

    A retailer who buys directly from a manufacturer and receives all manufacturer allowances.

  • direct buyer

    A buyer who places orders directly with a manufacturer and bypasses a wholesaler.

  • direct expense

    An expense that directly relates to a specific segment of the business operation.

  • direct mailing

    Promotional materials for products received by a customer at home.

  • direct product cost (DPC)

    A product's total distribution costs, transportation, handling and advertising.

  • direct product profit or profitability (DPP)

    A formula used to measure a product's profitability. The formula is: Gross Product Margin minus Direct Product Costs equals Profitability. Usually expressed per-item or case.

  • direct sales force

    A group of salespeople employed by a manufacturing company to work exclusively in promoting and selling its own products.

  • direct store delivery (DSD)

    Products delivered directly to a store by the vendor, such as soft drinks, beer, bread and fresh baked goods, dairy products, potato chips and other fragile items.

  • discontinued item

    Product no longer available to a store. See delete.

  • discount

    A predetermined amount, deducted from the face of an invoice, earned for prompt payment. A sales promotion feature that is a markdown from the regular price for a limited time. A percentage deducted for volume purchases.

  • disk operating system (DOS)

    A read-only-memory in a computer's hard drive programmed to perform operations, such as converting keystrokes to bits and bytes, formatting, etc.

  • dispatch/order processing

    A supply center department that coordinates product shipments.

  • display

    A merchandising method of highlighting a product by arranging it in a way that attracts the attention of the customer.

  • display advertising

    Point-of-purchase signage developed to promote product on display.

  • display allowance

    A manufacturer's allowance to a retailer who displays or promotes a product.

  • display case

    A refrigerated or free-standing case for holding products on a sales floor.

  • display module

    A preassembled kit for merchandise display in aisles or shipped on a pallet (generally two to four modules per pallet).

  • display pack

    A case of product packaged in such a way as to be ready immediately to display on the shelf as a unit.

  • display stock

    Products moved from backroom storage to a sales floor.

  • display unit load

    A prebuilt retail display on a pallet ready for in-store merchandising. Also known as Display Pallets.

  • disposable (personal) income

    The measure of what people have available to spend in the marketplace after taxes.

  • distressed merchandise

    Salable merchandise that needs re-working, crisping, re-trimming or to be conditioned or packaged to sell. Product which requires a forced sale because of damage or deterioration. Also known as a distressed item.

  • distributing area

    An analysis of a market area that includes the demographics of the population, number and kind of stores, which is used for price comparisons, market saturation, budgeting, and sales purposes. See trading area.

  • distribution

    A chain of delivery from a manufacturer to a store.

  • distribution allowance

    A manufacturer's allowance to a retailer for purchasing a new product in a category.

  • distribution center

    A warehouse used to receive, store and ship products to retailers.

  • distribution cost analysis

    The accounting method that factors in the cost of handling and storing individual products and product categories.

  • distributor

    A person or company that supplies products to a retailer through a distribution center.

  • distributors' brand

    A private-label, brand product packed for a wholesaler, cooperative or chain.

  • district manager

    See store supervisor.

  • diversified wholesale grocer

    A wholesaler who stocks and sells product in a variety of categories.

  • diverter

    A reseller that buys deal product from manufacturers to re-sell outside of a target market area.

  • dock

    An area to receive, load and unload shipments.

  • dock plate

    A built-in or free-standing metal plate that forms a bridge between a trailer and a loading dock.

  • dollar margin

    See gross margin.

  • dolly

    A small hand-cart with two wheels used to move heavy objects.

  • domestics

    Soft goods, such as kitchen items, linens and other household textiles.

  • DOS

    Disk operating system.

  • D-O-S

    Days-of-supply.

  • double-bagged

    A bagging practice used to reinforce bags of heavy items by putting one bag inside another

  • double-truck

    A newspaper advertisement of two facing pages.

  • DPC

    Direct product cost.

  • DPP

    Direct product profit.

  • drained weight

    The weight of a canned product without the liquid.

  • dressed fish

    A whole scaled, cleaned fish, sold with or without the head.

  • drop shipment

    A retailer's order shipped directly to a store by a manufacturer.

  • drop trailer

    A van filled with merchandise that a driver leaves at a store for unloading.

  • drop-in display

    A display unit that fits into or takes the place of grocery shelves.

  • drops

    The number of retail deliveries made in a day. A list of price reductions.

  • drug wholesalers

    A pharmaceutical wholesaler who sells primarily to chain or single-unit drug stores.

  • dry grocery

    Nonperishable grocery products.

  • dry grocery non-foods

    Products that are not food, such as paper products, detergents, or pet items.

  • dry mop

    A large dust mop.

  • DSD

    Direct store delivery.

  • dumb terminal

    A computer terminal, also called a video display terminal (VDT), that is linked to a remote processor.

  • dummy-up

    A false bottom for displays, which gives the appearance of mass quantities of merchandise.

  • dump display

    Massive amounts of product displayed in bulk, in baskets, or in shipping containers.

  • dump table

    A display table where products are haphazardly piled rather than neatly arranged.

  • dust collectors

    Slow-moving products.

  • duster

    A cleaning tool made of feathers.

  • DV

    Daily value.

Events

More Events

Facts & Figures

» Facts & Figures

Popular Links

Sign Up for the FMI dailyLead

Get a daily briefing on top stories in food retailing, FREE.

© 2013 Food Marketing Institute. All rights reserved.

2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 800, Arlington, VA 22202 | phone: 202-452-8444 | fax: 202-429-4519

Association Web Design and Development by Matrix Group International, Inc. ®