The research peptide business glossary.
65 terms owners run into, from lab reports and batches to payments, texting and email rules, each in plain words with a link to the guide that goes deeper.
Testing and quality
Certificate of analysis (COA)
A lab's written report of what it found when it tested a specific batch: identity, purity and often quantity.
HPLC
The lab method most often used to measure the purity of a peptide sample.
Mass spectrometry
A lab method that measures the mass of molecules, used to confirm a peptide's identity.
LC-MS
A combined test that separates a sample by liquid chromatography and identifies each part by mass.
MALDI-TOF
A fast mass spectrometry method often used to confirm the identity of a peptide.
Purity percentage
The share of a sample that is the target compound, usually measured by HPLC.
Net peptide content
How much of the powder in a vial is actually the peptide, as opposed to water, salts and other material.
Endotoxin testing
A lab test for bacterial endotoxins, often requested by research buyers alongside purity and identity.
Heavy metals testing
A lab test that measures metals such as lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium in a sample.
Identity testing
Any test that confirms a sample is the compound on the label, usually by mass.
Third-party lab
A testing lab that is independent of both the manufacturer and the seller.
Accession number
The unique number a lab gives a sample or report, which lets anyone look the report up.
Batch number
The code that identifies every vial made in the same production run.
Retest date
The date by which a batch should be tested again to confirm it still meets its specification.
Lyophilized
Freeze-dried: the water has been removed under cold and vacuum, leaving a dry powder or cake.
Counterion
The charged molecule bound to a peptide in its salt form, such as trifluoroacetate or acetate.
Chromatogram
The graph from an HPLC run, with each peak showing a separated part of the sample.
Molecular weight
The mass of one molecule of the compound, which identity tests compare against.
Amino acid sequence
The order of amino acids in a peptide chain, which defines the compound.
Reference standard
A sample of known identity and purity that a lab compares test samples against.
Batch quarantine
Keeping a new batch out of sale until its lab report is in and approved.
Batch release
The step where a tested batch is approved and becomes available to sell.
Stock and operations
FIFO
Selling the oldest stock first, so no batch sits on the shelf until it needs retesting.
Landed cost
The full cost of stock once it is on your shelf: supplier price plus shipping, duties, testing and fees.
Cost of goods sold (COGS)
The cost of the stock you actually sold in a period, used to work out gross margin.
Gross margin
Revenue minus cost of goods sold, usually shown as a percentage of revenue.
Average order value (AOV)
Total revenue divided by the number of orders in a period.
SKU
A code for one sellable product variant, such as a compound in one vial size.
Reorder point
The stock level at which you place the next order with your supplier.
Safety stock
Extra stock kept to cover late deliveries or a busy week.
Backorder
An order taken for a product that is out of stock, to be shipped when stock returns.
Preorder
An order for a product that has not arrived yet, placed before a batch exists.
Dead stock
Stock that has not sold for a long time and is unlikely to sell at full price.
Cold chain
Keeping temperature-sensitive products cool from storage through delivery.
3PL
A company that stores your stock and packs and ships orders for you.
Dropshipping
Selling products that a supplier ships directly to your buyer, without you holding stock.
Private label
Products made by a supplier and sold under your brand, often to your own specification.
White label
A standard product a supplier sells to many brands, each adding its own label.
MOQ
The smallest order a supplier will accept, or that you will accept from a wholesale buyer.
Wholesale
Selling in volume to approved buyers, usually other sellers or labs, at quoted prices.
Distributor
A business that buys in volume from a supplier and resells to other sellers or labs.
Purchase order (PO)
The record of what you ordered from a supplier, at what price, and what has arrived.
Payments
Chargeback
A card payment reversed by the buyer's bank after the buyer disputes it.
Dispute rate
Disputes as a share of card transactions in a period, watched closely by banks.
Underwriting
A bank's review of your business before it agrees to process your card payments.
High-risk merchant account
A card account from a bank that accepts categories mainstream processors avoid.
Payment gateway
The service that takes card details at checkout and passes them to the bank.
Acquiring bank
The bank that holds your merchant account and receives card payments on your behalf.
Rolling reserve
A share of each card payment the bank holds back for a set period as protection.
MCC
The four-digit code a card network uses to classify what kind of business you are.
ACH transfer
A bank-to-bank payment in the US, cheaper than card but slower to arrive.
Zelle
A US bank-to-bank payment app widely used by research buyers.
Peer-to-peer payments
Payments sent directly between accounts through apps such as Zelle, Cash App and Venmo.
Payment code
A short code the buyer puts in a payment note so the payment matches its order.
Statement descriptor
The business name that appears on a buyer's card statement.
Rules and marketing
Research use only (RUO)
A statement that a product is sold for laboratory research, not for human or veterinary use.
Age gate
A check that a visitor or buyer is an adult, shown on arrival or at checkout.
CAN-SPAM Act
The US law that sets rules for commercial email, including unsubscribes and a postal address.
10DLC
The US carrier system for registering businesses that send texts from standard phone numbers.
TCPA
The US law governing marketing calls and texts, including consent requirements.
Double opt-in
A signup that is confirmed from the subscriber's own inbox before they are added.
Acceptable use policy
A platform's or processor's list of what you may and may not sell or do on it.
Warning letter
A formal FDA notice that the agency believes a company is breaking the law.
Terms of sale
The agreement behind every order: research use, eligibility, payment, shipping and refunds.
Wording check
A review of copy for phrases that read as claims or invite processor review.
Want the long version? Read the guides.
Run the back office these terms describe
Purity keeps batches, lab reports, payments and messages in one place, and checks the wording of your campaigns and automations before they send.