Research Resources

'I' Supermarket Terms

The following term(s) meet your search criteria:

  • I/T

    Information technology.

  • IARW

    International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses.

  • ice burn

    A contact burn of raw fish iced too long.

  • IDDBA

    International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association.

  • identification label

    The label showing name, age (or pasteurization) and the identity of cheese.

  • IFMA

    International Foodservice Manufacturers Association.

  • IMPACT

    Inventory management program and control technique.

  • impact

    A measurement of customer reaction to advertising and merchandising.

  • impulse buy

    An unplanned purchase promoted by visual or other sensory stimulation.

  • in-ad coupon

    A manufacturer's cents-off coupon appearing in a retailer's ad.

  • in-and-out promotion

    A retail promotion for a limited selling period that features product types or quantities not regularly stocked (e.g., lawn mowers, Christmas ornaments).

  • inbound

    The path customers follow as they enter a store and begin shopping. The term can also refer to the flow of products into a warehouse prior to order selection.

  • incentive plan or incentive program

    Monetary compensation to employees for meeting and/or exceeding sales, and other profit performance goals.

  • income statement

    See operating statement.

  • incremental

    An increase in product sales volume attributed to a special promotion or merchandising plan.

  • independent store

    A retailer with 1-10 stores with similar operational policies and programs.

  • index

    An alphabetical list of products and prices handled by a wholesaler.

  • indirect account or indirect buying group

    A retailer purchasing products directly from a wholesaler, rather than manufacturers. See direct account.

  • indirect chain

    A group of retail stores that purchases products from a wholesaler instead of operating its own warehouse.

  • indirect expense

    An expense that does not directly relate to a specific segment of the business operation.

  • indirect selling

    A sale of goods by a manufacturer to a service merchandiser or other wholesaler, who in turn sells the products to chain store companies or independent stores.

  • individually quick frozen (IQF)

    A food processing technique that freezes products in the final stage of processing. It is then wrapped and packaged for shipment.

  • industry trade association

    A nonprofit organization that represents members and provides services, e.g., referrals, direct purchases, lobbying, education services.

  • informal display

    A haphazard product display, purposely jumbled in bins or on tables to project a buy-me, well-shopped image. See dump display; jumble display; mass display.

  • information technology (I/T)

    Integrated computer systems that provide information for business decisions.

  • in-line product

    Products that are permanently ordered and stocked for a store.

  • inner pack

    A sub-package within a master package.

  • in-pack promotion

    A coupon packaged with a product.

  • inset

    A drop-in fixture used to modify standard grocery shelving. Used to break up the monotony of gondola shelving.

  • inside sales rep

    See telephone sales rep.

  • inspection report

    A lost/damage claim describing the condition of the product.

  • instant redeemable coupon (IRC)

    A coupon located with or attached to a product for the customer to use immediately or save for future use.

  • institutional advertising

    Advertising conveying a company's general image or philosophy as opposed to specific product information. Also known as image advertising.

  • institutional and industrial buyers

    Hospitals, restaurants, schools and other institutions that buy food and supplies from a wholesale grocer for consumption, not for resale

  • institutional sizes

    Large cans and packages of food products used in food service preparations, e.g., commissaries, restaurants.

  • institutional wholesale grocer

    A wholesaler selling to related businesses in the food industry; e.g., commissaries, hotels, restaurants, etc.

  • in-stock

    Products regularly carried, currently stocked on the shelves and available for purchase. See out-of-stock.

  • in-store advertising

    Signage used by a retailer to merchandise products within a store.

  • In-store bakery

    A bakery department producing baked goods in the store using one of two baking methods: scratch using ready-made mixes and frozen dough. making products according to a formula or bake-off -using ready-made mixes and frozen dough.

  • in-store banking

    A franchise department in a retail store that provides full or partial banking services to customers.

  • in-store coupon

    A coupon only offered to customers who shop in the store.

  • in-store demonstrators

    An employee or temporary person conducting tastings, samplings, and product preparations to encourage impulse buys from customers.

  • in-store processor (ISP)

    An in-store computer system that operates the various systems., e.g., point-of-sale register system, ATM cards, inventory.

  • in-store signs/promotions

    Signage used by a retailer to merchandise products and displays within the store.

  • insulated containers

    Containers used to hold hot or cold products to ensure that they will be in good condition when they get to the customer's home.

  • integrated approach

    Creating opportunities for solution selling of products throughout all departments in a store.

  • integrated EDI (electronic data interchange)

    A term applied to the direct entry of information received electronically into the recipient's computer system (e.g., the entry of a transmitted invoice directly into the accounts payable ledger). Integrated EDI eliminates manual checking, saving time and costs. It requires the sender to adhere strictly to standard formats. Some programs that depend on integrated EDI are computer assisted ordering, continuous replenishment and direct store delivery.

  • integration

    General merchandise and health and beauty aids shelved in aisles with food, not in a separate store area.

  • intercom

    An in-store communication system used by employees to speak with one another.

  • interest expense

    The cost of borrowed money including all interest charges on short- or long-term debt and capital lease obligations.

  • intermodal

    Transporting products by a variety of transportation vehicles.

  • intermodal container

    See container.

  • internal audit

    A staff department that is responsible for performing operational audits of the stores. The areas audited include pricing, receiving, bookkeeping and security areas.

  • internal borrowing rate

    The rate at which money can be borrowed within the company.

  • International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Assoc. (IDDBA)

    P.O. Box 5528 313 Price Place, Suite 202 Madison, WI 53705-0528 (608) 238-7908

  • Internet

    A global computer network. The system allows you to send and receive communications; conduct research; access public or private databases and advertise products and services.

  • internet coupons

    Electronically redeemed coupons using the Internet.

  • interstore transfer

    An invoice showing a transfer of merchandise or wages between separate stores.

  • intranet

    An internal computer network to facilitate corporate communications with access limited to a company.

  • introductory allowance

    One-time manufacturer's discount for an initial purchase of a new or existing product.

  • introductory offer

    A manufacturer's incentive on a new or improved product. See handling charge.

  • inventory

    Stock-on-hand. An analysis of inventory in the store which provides the company with valuable information regarding shrink, inventory level and management performance.

  • inventory carrying cost

    The total dollar value of all products carried by a retailer.

  • inventory control

    The management of product-flow through the retail/ wholesale system.

  • inventory loss

    A condition that occurs when there is less product on hand than should be; resulting in lower sales and shrink.

  • inventory management program and control technique (IMPACT)

    A purchasing software program that facilitates inventory control, including ordering, shipping and distributing products.

  • inventory turnover

    The rate at which products must be restocked because of customer sales.

  • invoice

    An itemized statement of products received showing items shipped, price and total amount billed.

  • invoice adjustment

    Plus or minus on an invoice due to damaged goods, shortage, etc.

  • IPH

    Items per hour.

  • IQF

    Individually quick frozen.

  • IRC

    Instant redeemable coupon.

  • irradiation

    A food preservation process that utilizes radiation to control bacteria growth and increase shelf-life.

  • island display

    A free-standing retail display built in the center of wide aisles to divert traffic. Products may be case-stacked on the floor or placed on portable tables or fixtures.

  • ISP

    In-store processor.

  • item

    Products carried in-stock by a retailer or wholesaler.

  • item maintenance

    An EDI transaction, UCS 888, used by sellers to electronically provide customers with physical product parameters for consumer item, unit of sale, unit, and unit load. Parameters include identification codes, size, weight, cube and descriptions.

  • item pricing

    Attaching the retail price to each product.

  • item re-order point

    A designated inventory level at which additional product should be ordered. Re-order points are generally related to shelf capacity and item case pack.

  • items per hour

    An average amount of items checked/scanned in an hour by a cashier.

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. ®