Glossary
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
Definition
The unique code for one physically distinct thing you hold — a specific product in a specific variant, such as a red t-shirt in size M.
A SKU is per variant, not per product and not per listing. The same SKU may be listed on five marketplaces under five different identifiers, and every one of those listings must map back to it.
SKU discipline is the single strongest predictor of whether a multi-channel setup works. Duplicate SKUs split your stock in half and quietly break every report built on top of them.
Related terms
- Inventory ledgerA record of every stock movement — sale, return, adjustment, transfer, receipt — from which the current quantity is derived rather than stored.
- Kitting and bundlesSelling several component SKUs together as one purchasable item, where the bundle's availability is derived from its components' stock.