5. Glossary

ACH:

An automated clearing house (ACH) is a computer-based electronic network for processing transactions. It may support both credit transfers and direct debits.

Domain Name:

Commonly referred to as a web address, a domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority or control within the Internet. 

E-commerce:

E-commerce is the activity of electronically buying or selling of products on online services or over the Internet.

Geotag:

an electronic tag that assigns a geographical location to a photograph or video, a posting on a social media website, etc.

Hashtag:

(on social media sites such as Twitter) a word or phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign (#) and used to identify messages on a specific topic.

Hosting Platform:

A business that provides the technologies and services needed for the website or webpage to be viewable on the Internet. Websites are hosted, or stored, on special computers called servers. 

Influencer:

a user on social media who has established credibility in a specific industry. A social media influencer has access to a large audience and can persuade others by virtue of their authenticity and reach.

Shopping Cart:

An electronic shopping cart is a software resource that functions as an interface for users that buy items from a business online. E-commerce websites use electronic shopping carts to facilitate purchasing by Web users.

Third Party Logistics (3PL):

A logistics company that provides services via contract to multiple manufacturers. Services may include warehousing as well as pick, pack and ship. In some cases, some 3PLs also offer consolidation of goods and packaging services.

User Experience (UX):

The sum of emotional and cognitive interactions that a consumer has with a product or service, and in this case its website.

User Interface (UI):

The way in which the user interacts with the website. This might include whether your consumers are likely to access your site on a desktop vs mobile device; or whether or not a shopping cart or search function is included front and center.

Wireframe:

 A page schematic is a visual guide that provides the skeletal framework of a website. Wireframes are created for the purpose of arranging elements of the webpage.

“WYSIWYG”:

What you see is what you get. A simplified approach built into website design tools that allow users to make changes to elements visually, rather than having to write code

Acknowledgment

This guide was made possible in part to financial support from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.