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Key terms

Terms used across the Retailer Integration guides. For metric definitions and formulas, see Platform definitions.

Account​

Your organization in the Surfside platform. Sources, audiences, and campaigns live under your account.

Attribution​

Crediting a result, such as a visit or order, to a campaign because it happened within a set window after a shopper saw or clicked an ad.

Attribution window​

The period after an ad exposure in which a result can be credited to it. Surfside’s standard view-through window is 14 days.

Audience​

A group of shoppers built from your connected data, such as recent buyers, cart abandoners, or loyalty members, that a campaign can reach.

A tool on your website or app that records shoppers’ privacy choices. The digital SDK can read these choices so tracking only runs where it’s allowed.

Digital SDK​

Surfside’s integration for your website and apps. On websites it’s also called the Surfside analytics tag. It captures shopping activity and ecommerce events for audiences and measurement.

Ecommerce events​

Shopping actions sent by the digital SDK, such as product detail views, add to cart, checkout, and purchase.

In-store ads​

Ads shown on digital screens in your stores, such as kiosks and in-store displays. Part of Surfside Ads.

Location​

A physical store. Each location has an identifier so online activity, purchases, and visits are tied to the right store.

Offsite​

Advertising shown beyond your own website or app, across the open internet, using your retail data to reach relevant shoppers.

Offsite Commerce Media​

Surfside’s offsite output. Uses your connected retail data to run campaigns across the open internet and measure online and in-store results.

Onsite​

Advertising or personalization shown on your own website or app, such as sponsored products, banners, or recommendations. Delivered by Surfside Ads.

Personalization​

Product recommendations on your site, tailored to each shopper using Surfside’s machine learning. Part of Surfside Ads. Recommended as part of onboarding, optional to launch.

Placement​

A spot on your website, app, or in-store screen where Surfside Ads shows ads or recommendations.

Point of sale (POS)​

The system that records purchases in your stores. Surfside connects to it through its API to measure in-store sales and build audiences.

Product catalog​

The up-to-date list of your products, with prices, images, and availability per store. Needed for sponsored products and recommendations.

Source​

A connected data system in the Surfside platform, such as your website, an app, a POS, or a CRM. Each source has its own import settings and schedule.

Ads for specific products placed within your own site’s product listings, search results, and carousels, labeled as sponsored. Part of Surfside Ads.

Surfside Ads​

Surfside’s onsite and in-store output: sponsored products, onsite ads, in-store ads, and personalization on your own channels. Recommended, optional.

Surfside Inspector​

A Chrome extension that shows the events your website sends to Surfside, used to confirm tracking during setup.

Surfside representative​

Your point of contact at Surfside throughout onboarding and beyond.

Visit​

A shopper who saw an ad and then went to a participating store within the attribution window. Reported as visits and unique visitors.