Research Resources

'W' Supermarket Terms

The following term(s) meet your search criteria:

  • wagon jobber

    A wholesaler that sells a limited variety and quantity of products from a truck.

  • wall shelving

    Shelves attached to perimeter walls in a retail store.

  • WAN

    Wide Area Network.

  • wand

    A hand-held bar code reader used for ordering, price checking, etc.

  • wand scan ordering

    The use of an electronic device (wand) to read shelf tickets, record quantities needed and thus prepare an order electronically.

  • want book

    A preprinted order book at a retail store.

  • warehouse

    A distribution center that orders, stores and ships products to retailers.

  • warehouse buying account

    A direct account that buys full-case quantities of products directly from manufacturers to sell and ship to retail stores.

  • warehouse club store

    See club store.

  • warehouse receipt

    A list of products received and stored in a distribution center.

  • warehouse slot

    Space allocated in a warehouse rack for a specific product. Also called a slot or bin.

  • warehouse stock

    The amount of an item in a distribution center. See floor stock; floor stock protection.

  • warehouse store

    A low-margin grocery store combining reduced variety, lower service levels, minimal decor and a streamlined merchandising presentation along with aggressive pricing. Generally has no specialty departments. This format attracts price-sensitive shoppers. Many warehouse stores mainly offer dry groceries.

  • warehouse withdrawal

    The shipping of products to a retailer from a distribution center.

  • waste circulation

    Readers of publications who are not prospects for an advertised product. Also, circulation in an area where the advertiser's product is not available.

  • waterfall display

    A mass display that seems to flow from a case. Usually dummied and put up just prior to peak traffic periods to encourage sales.

  • waxing

    Applying an edible wax to some fruits and vegetables to help maintain a fresh, bright appearance and to preserve product quality.

  • way-bill

    A transportation company's shipping document showing origin and destination of a shipment, contents, weight and dollar value.

  • Web site

    A document written in hypertext markup language (html) stored and retrieved on the Internet.

  • weekend specials

    Products offered for sale at special prices during peak shopping periods, Thursday to Sunday.

  • weekly sales chart

    A graphic representation of all weekly sales for the year and a description of the factors that affected them.

  • weekly sales forecast (weekly sales estimates; sales plans)

    A projection of expected sales for a given week. Based on past sales performance. Estimates are made from past weekly sales charts, weekly sales index charts, and weekly sales logs.

  • weekly sales log

    A record of sales, by department, along with a description of the factors affecting those sales.

  • weeks-of-supply (WOS)

    The number of weeks that a wholesaler will stock an item based on the product turns.

  • weigh-out

    The act of reaching the limit on the amount of product that can be shipped in a truck because of weight. See cube-out.

  • Western Union

    A telegram wire used to transfer funds between locations or parties.

  • wet produce

    Vegetables requiring ice during shipment and display, e.g., lettuce, celery.

  • what if analysis

    Game-theory scenarios used by software to produce recommendations.

  • wheel cheese

    Round, uncut cheese.

  • white space

    Blank space in a print ad that is not occupied by copy or an illustration.

  • wholesale broker

    A broker that stores, delivers and sells food products to a retailer or other wholesaler.

  • wholesale club/membership warehouse

    A membership retail/wholesale hybrid store with a varied selection and limited variety of products presented in a warehouse-style atmosphere. These 90,000 plus square-foot stores have 60 to 70 percent GM/HBC and a grocery line dedicated to large sizes and bulk sales. Memberships include both business accounts and consumer groups. There are different membership policies for various member segments within clubs, as well as from one club to the next. These policies range from free membership to a surcharge.

  • wholesale distributor

    A company that stores, delivers, and sells specialty products to a retailer, e.g., candy, tobacco. Also known as a Candy and Tobacco Jobber.

  • wholesale membership club store

    See wholesale club.

  • wholesaler

    A company that buys directly from a manufacturer and sells to retailers and is either affiliated (co-op or voluntary) or independent.

  • WIC

    Women, Infants and Children.

  • wide area network (WAN)

    A network that connects computers over distances, not within a building.

  • window banner

    A point-of-sale sign hung in the window of a retail store.

  • Windows

    A computer operating system by Microsoft.

  • wing display

    A display located at the end of a gondola that features extensions to merchandise products. See power wing.

  • WINS

    Warehouse information network standard.

  • Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

    A federal benefits program for families whose annual incomes are below poverty level.

  • work-back calculation

    The price point at which a product is sold by a manufacturer to a wholesaler or retailer. The cost does not include retail/warehousing markups. Calculated when a new product is offered or when there is a substantial price increase on an established product.

  • World Wide Web

    An information server on the Internet composed of interconnected files and sites, accessible from a computer using a browser.

  • WOS

    Weeks-of-supply.

  • wrapper

    A machine used to wrap products.

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