Cosmetics fulfillment glossary
26 terms every cosmetics brand should know.
- Advance ship notice (ASN / EDI 856)
- An electronic message sent to a retailer before a shipment arrives, describing its contents, cartons and labels. Errors in ASNs commonly trigger chargebacks.
- Chargeback
- A financial penalty a retailer deducts from a vendor's invoice for compliance failures, such as late shipments, wrong labels or ASN errors.
- Check-weighing
- Weighing a finished order or kit against its expected weight to catch missing or extra items before shipping.
- FEFO (First Expired, First Out)
- An inventory rotation method that picks the lot with the earliest expiration date first. It is the standard approach for cosmetics with dated shelf life.
- Flammable liquid (Class 3)
- A hazard class covering liquids with a low flash point. Many perfumes, nail polishes and alcohol-based products fall into this class for transport.
- Gift with purchase (GWP)
- A free product or sample added to qualifying orders, often triggered by spend, product or promotion code rules.
- GS1-128 label
- A standardized carton label containing a serial shipping container code and shipment data, required by many retailers for inbound cartons and pallets.
- INCI name
- The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients name, a standardized ingredient naming system used on cosmetic ingredient labels.
- Kitting
- Assembling multiple products into a single finished unit, such as a gift set, regimen or PR box, often with its own SKU and barcode.
- Limited quantity
- A DOT hazmat provision that allows small inner containers of certain hazardous materials, such as perfume or nail polish, to ship with reduced requirements, typically by ground, when packed and marked correctly.
- Lot number (batch code)
- A code assigned by the manufacturer to a production batch. It links each unit to its batch records and is essential for tracing complaints and recalls.
- Minimum remaining shelf life
- A rule setting how much shelf life a lot must have left to ship to a given channel. Retailers and marketplaces often set their own thresholds.
- MoCRA
- The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022, a U.S. law that expanded FDA authority over cosmetics, including facility registration, product listing, adverse event reporting, safety substantiation and mandatory recall authority.
- ORM-D
- A former U.S. hazmat classification for consumer commodities that has been phased out and replaced by limited quantity marking.
- OTC drug cosmetic
- A product regulated in the U.S. as both a cosmetic and an over-the-counter drug, such as sunscreen, antiperspirant or anti-dandruff shampoo. These products follow drug labeling and manufacturing rules.
- PAO (Period After Opening)
- A symbol showing an open jar with a number of months, indicating how long a product remains usable after opening. It is required in some markets, such as the EU, for products with longer shelf life.
- Planogram reset
- A scheduled change to a retailer's shelf layout, often requiring new products, testers and displays to arrive by a specific date.
- Prop 65
- California's Proposition 65, which requires warnings on products sold in California that can expose consumers to listed chemicals above set levels. It applies to some cosmetic ingredients and packaging.
- Quarantine (QC hold)
- A warehouse status that blocks inventory from being picked, used for short-dated lots, suspected quality issues, recalls or returns awaiting inspection.
- Responsible person
- Under MoCRA, the manufacturer, packer or distributor whose name appears on a cosmetic's label. This party is responsible for obligations such as product listing and adverse event reporting.
- Routing guide
- A retailer's rulebook for how vendors must label, pack, document and ship orders to its distribution centers or stores.
- Safety data sheet (SDS)
- A document describing a product's hazards, handling, storage and transport information. Carriers, marketplaces and warehouses use it to classify beauty products.
- Serious adverse event
- Under MoCRA, a serious health outcome associated with cosmetic use, such as hospitalization or significant disfigurement. The responsible person must report these to FDA within a set timeframe.
- Shelf life
- The period during which a cosmetic product is expected to remain stable, safe and effective when stored as intended, before it is opened.
- Tamper-evident seal
- Packaging, such as shrink bands, induction seals or sticker seals, that shows visible evidence if a product has been opened. It helps grade returns and protects consumers.
- Tester unit
- A product unit intended for in-store trial, usually marked not for sale. Retailers often order testers alongside launch and reset inventory.