How to Calculate Ebay Sell Through Rate

by

eBay Sell-Through Rate Calculator

function calculateEbaySTR() { var sold = document.getElementById('soldItems').value; var total = document.getElementById('totalListings').value; var resultDiv = document.getElementById('strResult'); if (sold === "" || total === "") { resultDiv.style.display = "block"; resultDiv.style.color = "#d9534f"; resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter both numbers to calculate."; return; } var s = parseFloat(sold); var t = parseFloat(total); if (t <= 0) { resultDiv.style.display = "block"; resultDiv.style.color = "#d9534f"; resultDiv.innerHTML = "Total listings must be greater than zero."; return; } var rate = (s / t) * 100; var ratingText = ""; var color = "#333"; if (rate = 5 && rate = 20 && rate < 60) { ratingText = " (Good/Strong Demand)"; color = "#5cb85c"; } else { ratingText = " (Excellent/High Demand)"; color = "#0056b3"; } resultDiv.style.display = "block"; resultDiv.style.color = color; resultDiv.innerHTML = "Your Sell-Through Rate: " + rate.toFixed(2) + "%" + "" + ratingText + ""; }

Understanding eBay Sell-Through Rate (STR)

The eBay Sell-Through Rate is one of the most critical metrics for resellers and professional e-commerce merchants. It measures the speed at which your inventory is moving relative to the total number of items you have listed. Knowing this number helps you identify "dead" stock and determine which niches are the most profitable.

How to Calculate Sell-Through Rate

The math behind the sell-through rate is straightforward. You divide the number of items sold by the total number of items available for sale during a specific period (usually 30 days), then multiply by 100 to get a percentage.

Formula: (Total Sold Items / Total Listings) x 100 = Sell-Through Rate %

Example Calculation

Imagine you are selling vintage t-shirts. In the last 30 days:

  • You had 200 total active listings.
  • You sold 40 items.

Calculation: (40 ÷ 200) = 0.20. Multiplying by 100 gives you a 20% Sell-Through Rate. This means you are moving 20% of your store's inventory every month.

What is a "Good" Sell-Through Rate on eBay?

STR benchmarks vary wildly depending on the category and your business model:

  • 0% – 5%: Very slow. Common in highly saturated markets or for long-tail items like rare antiques or specific auto parts.
  • 5% – 15%: Average for many "bread and butter" clothing resellers.
  • 20% – 40%: Very healthy. Indicates high demand and competitive pricing.
  • 50%+: Exceptional. Often seen in high-demand electronics, trendy toys, or items priced significantly below market value.

Where to find this data on eBay

To use this calculator effectively, go to your eBay Seller Hub. Under the "Performance" tab, click on "Sales." Here, you can see your "Quantity Sold" for the last 30 days. To find your total listings, simply look at your "Active" listings count or the total number of items you had listed during that specific window.

Why Does STR Matter?

High sell-through rates are preferred because they indicate "velocity." Fast-moving inventory means your cash isn't tied up in stock for months. If your STR is low, it may be time to lower prices, improve your photography, or rethink the products you are sourcing.

Leave a Comment