Amazon Glossary

Q1 - First Quarter (January–March)

 Q1, or the First Quarter, refers to the first three months of the financial year - January, February, and March - used by Amazon and vendors for financial reporting, sales performance analysis, and operational planning.

Q2 - Second Quarter (April–June)

Q2, or the Second Quarter, refers to the three-month period from April through June in Amazon’s financial and operational calendar. It is a key quarter focused on growth acceleration, Prime Day preparation, and mid-year performance optimisation.

Q3 - Third Quarter (July–September)

Q3, or the Third Quarter, refers to the three-month period from July through September in Amazon’s financial and operational calendar. It is the quarter that captures the aftermath of Prime Day and focuses on inventory normalisation, back-to-school season, and early Q4 preparation.

Q4 - Fourth Quarter (October–December)

 Q4, or the Fourth Quarter, refers to the three-month period from October through December in Amazon’s financial and operational year. It is the most critical quarter for both Amazon and its vendors, marked by peak seasonal demand, holiday shopping events, and year-end financial closure.

Q5 - Fifth Quarter (colloquial)

The Fifth Quarter (Q5) is a colloquial term used within Amazon and the wider retail industry to describe the period immediately following the Christmas and holiday season - typically January to early February. It represents a hectic phase of returns processing, inventory resets, and post-holiday performance analysis.

QA - Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance (QA) is the systematic process of ensuring that Amazon’s operations, products, and services meet defined quality standards. It focuses on preventing defects, maintaining consistency, and improving customer satisfaction through proactive checks and continuous process improvement.

QBR - Quarterly Business Review

Quarterly Business Review (QBR) is a strategic performance meeting held every quarter between Amazon and a vendor (or key internal teams) to review results, identify growth opportunities, and align on future business plans.

QD - Quantity Discount

Quantity Discount (QD) is a tiered pricing mechanism available on Amazon Business that allows buyers to receive discounted prices when purchasing larger quantities of a product from a single seller or vendor.

QUID - Quantitative Ingredient Declaration

Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID) is a regulatory requirement for product labelling that specifies the percentage or proportion of certain ingredients contained in a food, beverage, or cosmetic product. It ensures transparency and consistency for consumers comparing similar products.