Amazon Seller Glossary
Definitions of key terms for Amazon sellers — from SP-API and review automation concepts to compliance rules and fulfillment models.
Request a Review
Amazon's official feature that lets sellers send a standardized, Amazon-written review request to a buyer after an order is delivered. The message is non-customizable and sent on Amazon's behalf. Sellers can trigger it manually in Seller Central or automatically via the SP-API. Only one request is allowed per order, within the 5–30 day post-delivery window.
SP-API (Selling Partner API)
Amazon's official API for authorized third-party applications to access seller data and perform actions on behalf of sellers. SP-API replaced the older MWS (Marketplace Web Service) API. Review request automation tools like StarQuester use SP-API to trigger review requests programmatically — the same action as manually clicking the button in Seller Central.
LWA (Login with Amazon)
Amazon's OAuth 2.0 authorization service used to grant third-party applications (like StarQuester) access to a seller's account. When you connect StarQuester, you go through an LWA flow — you log into Amazon and grant permission without sharing your password with the third-party app.
ODR (Order Defect Rate)
A seller performance metric that measures the percentage of orders that receive negative feedback, an A-to-Z claim, or a chargeback. Amazon requires sellers to maintain an ODR below 1%. High ODR can result in selling privileges being suspended. Monitoring your seller feedback closely — and resolving issues quickly — is critical for keeping ODR low.
Eligible Review Window
The period during which Amazon allows a review request to be sent for an order: between 5 and 30 days after the confirmed delivery date. Outside this window, the Request a Review button is grayed out in Seller Central and the API call returns an error. Automation tools must track delivery dates to ensure requests are sent within this window.
Seller Feedback
A rating (1–5 stars) that reflects a buyer's experience with the seller — shipping speed, packaging, and customer communication. Seller feedback appears on the seller's profile and affects the Order Defect Rate. Distinct from product reviews, which are about the product itself.
Product Review
A rating and written opinion about a specific product (ASIN) on Amazon. Product reviews appear on the product detail page and directly influence search rankings and conversion rates. Amazon's Request a Review feature asks customers to leave both a product review and seller feedback in one message.
ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number)
A unique 10-character identifier assigned by Amazon to every product in its catalog. Each ASIN corresponds to a specific product detail page. When managing review requests, you may track review counts and ratings per ASIN to understand which products benefit most from automation.
FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon)
A fulfillment model where Amazon stores, packs, and ships products on behalf of sellers. FBA products are eligible for Prime shipping. For review requests, FBA orders use Amazon's delivery confirmation to determine the eligible window — the same as FBM, but Amazon handles the logistics.
FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant)
A fulfillment model where the seller handles storage, packing, and shipping directly. FBM sellers are responsible for updating tracking and delivery status. StarQuester supports both FBA and FBM orders for review request automation.
Amazon Vine
An Amazon program (for brand-registered sellers) that invites trusted reviewers to evaluate new products in exchange for a free unit. Vine reviews are marked as such and are fully TOS-compliant. Most useful for new ASINs that have zero or very few reviews — Vine gets the initial review base established.
Review Velocity
The rate at which a product accumulates reviews over time. Higher review velocity signals to Amazon's algorithm that a product is popular and trustworthy, which can improve search rankings. Consistent review request automation is the primary lever sellers use to increase review velocity.
Review Gating
A prohibited practice where sellers selectively contact only customers they believe are satisfied before asking for a review — effectively filtering out negative reviewers. Amazon explicitly bans review gating. Compliant tools like StarQuester send review requests to all eligible orders without filtering by perceived satisfaction.
Incentivized Review
A review given in exchange for compensation — discounts, free products, refunds, gift cards, or other benefits. Amazon strictly prohibits incentivized reviews (except through the official Vine program). Offering any incentive in exchange for a review is grounds for account suspension.
Marketplace ID
A unique identifier for each Amazon marketplace (country/region). For example, ATVPDKIKX0DER is the US marketplace, A2EUQ1WTGCTBG2 is Canada. When connecting multiple marketplaces in StarQuester, each gets its own Marketplace ID, allowing the system to route requests and report analytics per marketplace.