A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

M

Margin
The difference between an items' total cost and its retail price. For example, an item that is $5.50 at cost and sells for $12 retail would have a margin of $6.50.

Markdown
The difference between the original retail price and a reduced price. If a store owner marks a $10 product at 20% off, the markdown would be $2.

Markup
The amount added to the wholesale price of an item to reach the retail price, usually expressed in percentage. For instance, an item that costs $10 at wholesale and sells for $20 retail would have a 100 percent markup.

Merchandising
The act of buying and displaying goods to sell.

Minimum Order
The lowest dollar amount or quantity of merchandise that a vendor will accept for a wholesale order; an opening minimum order is the minimum required on the first order with that company.

Mystery Shopper
A person who anonymously evaluates a store; storeowners will often hire mystery shoppers to review their customer service, displays, etc.