Sell-through rate by SalesChefWhat is the sell-through rate formula?
Units sold ÷ units received × 100. Sell 78 of 120 units and the rate is 65%.
Sell-through rate by SalesChef
Sell-through rate: the formula, and how to raise it.
Sell-through rate is the share of the units you received that you have sold: units sold divided by units received, times 100. A rate of 80% or more in the launch window is the usual benchmark, but evergreen products run lower. It rises when the right products are bought, shoppers can tell why each one is for them, and slow sellers are caught early. SalesChef shows the slow ones every Monday and makes the work to move them.
Sell-through examples by SalesChef
- 80%+
is the sell-through benchmark Shopify gives, for seasonal or short-life products within the launch window.
Shopify (opens in a new tab) - 40-60%
a month or quarter can be acceptable for evergreen products, if inventory turns and margin are on plan.
Shopify (opens in a new tab)
What is sell-through rate, and how do you work it out?
Units sold ÷ units received × 100. Example: you receive 120 units of a product and sell 78 by the end of the period. 78 ÷ 120 = 0.65, so the sell-through rate is 65%. Work it out per product, per period, then compare like with like.
Per product
One product’s units sold against units received. This is where the slow sellers show.
Per period
Weekly for launches and seasons, monthly or quarterly for evergreen products.
Per category
Roll the products up to see which part of the range is moving.
Sell-in and sell-out
Sell-in is stock moved to the retailer. Sell-out is stock sold to shoppers. Brands and retailers read the two differently.
How to raise sell-through rate
Read it by product
A healthy total can hide a few products stuck at 20%. Look at each one, each week.
Check the page first
A slow seller often has a thin page or a wrong fact. Fix what the shopper sees before changing anything else.
Match the moment
Show the product for the season, the occasion and the job it does now. Shoppers buy for a moment.
Carry the same facts everywhere
Page, listing, shelf and screen should agree. Shoppers drop out when details differ across sites.
Equip the floor
A one-line answer on the shelf and a talk track for staff turn a browse into a sale.
Buy to what you can sell
Use past seasons and current rate to set the next order, so the rate is not rescued after the stock lands.
How SalesChef raises sell-through
Knows why each product sells
The moments and the shoppers behind each product, so a slow seller has a clear reason to move.
Fixes the page and the shelf
Every fact checked, every field filled, and the right material made for the page, the listing, the shelf and the screen.
Shows the slow ones every Monday
The weekly report names the products falling behind and the next best move for each. It is built for your weekly trading meeting.
Ready for the next season
The work for the next range or season is ready before the stock lands, for your yes.
Works with the numbers you already keep
SalesChef reads your sales exports to name the slow sellers, and makes the work for the places your products are sold.
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Questions about sell-through rate
What is a good sell-through rate?
About 80% or more for seasonal products in their launch window, and 40-60% a month or quarter for evergreen ones if turns and margin are on plan. It depends on category and time period, so compare like with like.
Can sell-through be too high?
Yes. A very high rate can mean you ran out and missed sales. Read it with stock cover and the weeks it took.
What is the difference between sell-through and inventory turnover?
Sell-through is the share of a batch sold in a period. Turnover is how many times stock sells through in a year. One looks at a batch, the other at the year.
How often should I check sell-through?
Weekly for launches and seasons, so you can act while stock is still on hand. Monthly or quarterly is enough for evergreen lines.
How does SalesChef help raise sell-through?
SalesChef makes the pages, listings, shelf and sales-team material that move slow products, and every Monday names which products to work on and the next best move.
A wall of products already finished. Each one turns from what the supplier sent into a finished product, ready for online, in store, sales and campaigns.
Your whole catalog.
In minutes, not months.
In minutes, not months.