The words behind the offers
Glossary of online purchases
62 terms explained in common language, with the useful control to do in a real order. Use the summary to go directly to the price, actors, delivery or post-purchase.
Read an offer
- Price delivered
- The sum actually paid to receive the product, with the necessary shipping costs and options. Compare this amount for the same reference and the same condition.
- Barred price
- Price presented as reference of a discount. Check what it corresponds to, the period of the offer and the final amount to the basket.
- Product reference
- Precise identifier of a model or variant. Take it up with capacity, size, color and accessories to compare really equivalent offers.
- Availability
- Information about the stock or the possibility to order. A "available" statement alone does not guarantee a delivery date: read the announced deadline.
- Pre-order
- Order placed before the product is made available. Find the announced date, the debit conditions and the procedure to follow if the date changes.
- Pre-checked option
- Service or accessory added by default on a purchase route. Reread the basket and remove what you do not need before validating.
- Unit price
- Price is reported to one kilogram, one litre or other common unit. It helps compare two formats with different contents.
- Total cost of possession
- Estimated expenditure on duration of use: purchase, delivery, consumables, maintenance and services required. Specify the period used to compare.
- Alternative product
- Item proposed instead of an unavailable product, including in a shopping basket. Check its price, quantity and composition before accepting it.
- Packaging
- Quantity sold in a lot, box or packaging. Compare it to the price per unit and your actual consumption.
- Service charges
- An amount added for a booking, platform or service. Find it in the summary and include it in the total cost. Compare the basket before and after the fee is added to check whether it is already included in your total. Record the calculation basis and the service covered; a fee with the same name may cover a different service with another seller.
- Price change
- Difference in amount depending on date, option, seller or time of booking. Note the hypothesis used when comparing two offers.
- Unknown cost
- An amount still to confirm. In the comparison tool, a blank field makes the total incomplete; zero means that the absence of charges is confirmed. A known subtotal cannot yet rank an offer against a complete total. See a documented example
Identify the actors
- Marketplace
- Platform that presents offers from several sellers and can also sell its own products. For each offer, identify the seller indicated near the price.
- Third-party seller
- Company or person selling on a platform distinct from its own site. Its conditions, its country and its role after ordering may differ from those of the platform.
- Sent by
- A reference to the actor who prepares or sends the package does not necessarily refer to the person who sells or invoices the product.
- Official website
- Domain published by the sign itself. Check the exact address and the identity of the seller, especially after following an advertisement or message.
- Payment provider
- The technical service that processes the transaction. The presence of its name at the payment does not replace the identification of the seller and the beneficiary.
- Avis verified
- Avis associated with a control process announced by the platform that publishes it. Read the collection method, date and content of the notices rather than the label alone.
- Sold By
- Mention which designates the seller of the chosen offer. Check it again in the basket, as several sellers can offer the same reference.
- Intermediate
- Actor who connects buyer and seller or facilitates a reservation. Identify who concludes the contract and who answers in case of difficulty.
- Similar domain
- Web address close to that of a known sign, but with a different letter, dash or extension. Compare it to the domain published by the sign.
- Advertiser
- A person or company that publishes an announcement of good or service. Check his role and the identity of the actor with whom you will contract.
- Host
- Person or structure that offers accommodation on a platform. Review the precise announcement, the rules of stay and the intended contact channel.
- Provider
- Actor who performs a service, sometimes separate from the site that collects the reservation. Have his identity and the scope of his intervention specified.
Follow delivery
- Estimated time
- Period announced for receipt. Please note the date and conditions displayed on the order so that you can then explain a possible delay.
- Monitoring number
- The identifier used to track a parcel with its carrier. Keep the order confirmation too: tracking does not always describe the purchase. For example, “label created” and “parcel accepted” are different tracking stages. If an expected update is missing, give the seller the order reference and the stage shown, without assuming delivery.
- Relay point
- Place where the package can be removed for a period specified by the carrier. Check the address, times and conditions of withdrawal before choosing this mode.
- Delivery in the room
- Different delivery of a delivery at the base of the building or at the threshold of the dwelling. For furniture, also check the access and dimensions of the package.
- Proof of deposit
- Document delivered when sending a return. Keep it with the tracking number until the application and refund are resolved.
- Delivery by appointment
- Discount provided in a slot agreed with the carrier. Check the accuracy of the slot, the conditions of access and the service included upon arrival.
- Split package
- Order sent in multiple shipments, sometimes by different sellers. Bring together each tracking number of the items actually received.
- In-store withdrawal
- Method of delivery at a point of sale after order. Check the confirmed availability, the time of custody and the proof requested.
- Threshold delivery
- For a heavy item, check if the lift, unpacking or installation is included.
- Substitution
- Replacement of one missing item with another, frequent in shopping. Check quantity, composition and price difference before accepting.
- Declared customs goods item
- A declared grouping based on customs classification, distinct from the number of physical objects. For small imported consignments covered by the 2026 flat duty, the calculation depends on declared lines; counting only parcels or objects can give an incorrect result. See a documented example
Understanding post-purchase
- Return
- Send the product to the seller or a designated centre. Remove the reason, address, announced time and fee before shipping.
- Return costs
- Cost of shipping or collecting a returned product. Check who supports it according to the reason for the return and the conditions applicable to your order.
- Withdrawal
- A process that allows for a return to the decision in certain situations of distance purchase. Conditions and exceptions depend on the product or service: check the public source and the contract.
- Non-compliant product
- A product that does not correspond to what was planned or presents a problem covered by the applicable rules. Describe precisely the deviation and keep photos and the invoice.
- Commercial guarantee
- Additional commitment announced by a seller or manufacturer. Read its own document: duration, scope, contact person and possible exclusions.
- After-sales service
- Canal After-order support. Identify who is responding, what supporting documents are requested and how to follow the file.
- Having
- Amount credited for a subsequent purchase according to advertised conditions. Check its duration, its scope of use and the possibility of a refund depending on your situation.
- Reparation
- Remediation of a product. Ask for the estimated time, any costs, availability of parts and the solution if it fails.
- Franchise
- Share of the cost which may remain at the expense of the insured under a contract. Read the amount or method of calculation specific to the guarantee concerned.
- Guarantee ceiling
- Amount or limit of coverage under a contract. Check if it applies per claim, per year or by type of property.
- Exclusion
- Situation that the contract does not cover. Search for it in the precise warranty documentation before comparing two insurances.
Decoding special offers
- Repackaged
- Product already in use, presented as controlled or refurbishing before a new sale. Ask what tests were performed, the condition of the battery and the accessories provided.
- Aesthetic grade
- Classification of the appearance of a used or reconditioned product. Its definition varies according to the seller and does not always describe the battery or components.
- Renewed
- Continue subscription according to the terms of the contract. Find the date, rate after promotion and terms of termination.
- Split payment
- Payment divided into multiple deadlines. Calculate the total amount, fees, dates of withdrawal and consequences of a delay before accepting.
- Environmental claims
- Affirmation on the impact or environmental characteristics of a product. Look for evidence, exact scope and the body that created a possible label.
- Cost of a subscription
- Sum of monthly payments, initial fees, options and possible price changes over the period you are interested in. The price of the first month is not enough.
- Compatibility
- Announced capacity of a product or service to operate with specific equipment, vehicle or housing. Check references and technical prerequisites.
- Reparability index
- Information presented for certain product categories to clarify the possibility of repair. See the detailed criteria, not only the overall rating.
- EPREL
- European database of products bearing an energy label. The label’s QR code opens the model record; check that its reference exactly matches the offer.
- Battery endurance in cycles
- Number of charge and discharge cycles until a remaining-capacity threshold. On the European smartphone label, this threshold is 80%. This number differs from runtime in hours per charge.
- Activation costs
- Initial amount charged to open a service or install access. Add it to monthly payments when calculating the cost over a given period of time.
- Data portability
- Possibility to retrieve information from a digital service to retain or transfer it. Check formats, deadlines and limits in the conditions of the service.
- Eligibility
- Condition to be filled in to access an offer or technology at a given address. Test it with the exact information of the place of use.
- Cost per use
- Prices for a similar use, session or period. It helps to distinguish a call price from a really suitable solution.
- Rated capacity (mAh)
- The declared electrical capacity of a battery, distinct from typical marketed capacity and device endurance. Comparing mAh values does not replace endurance tests performed under the same conditions. See a documented example
Proceed to action
A definition does not replace the specific offer
The words of online commerce are made up of a specific product sheet, basket and contract. Before paying, check who sells, what is included, how much you will pay in total and to whom to send a request after delivery.
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For consumer rights and their exceptions, see also the information on the DGCCRF on e-procurement.