Refers to products that are factory-packaged and available for sale to either a company or to the general public. In the tech industry, off-the-shelf programs would be the opposite of custom software.
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Ready-made, available from merchandise or in stock, as opposed to a special order. For example, Sometimes you can get a better discount by buying an appliance off the shelf. [First half of 1900s] Also see
off the rack; on the shelf.