The sell-through rate formula
Sell-through rate is the share of the inventory you brought in that actually sold during a period (a week, a month, a season). It is one of the clearest signals of whether you bought the right amount.
Sell-Through Rate (%) = (Units Sold ÷ Units Received) × 100
A worked example
You received 200 units of a style and sold 150 during the period:
- 150 ÷ 200 = 0.75
- 0.75 × 100 = 75% sell-through
- 50 units remain on hand
A 75% rate over a season is generally healthy. If you had sold all 200 almost immediately (100%), you likely under-bought and left sales on the table. If you had only sold 40 (20%), you over-bought and are heading for markdowns.
What is a good sell-through rate?
It depends on category, price point, and how long the period is, so treat benchmarks as a guide, not a rule:
- Roughly 60-80% over a season is a common healthy target for fashion and seasonal goods.
- Very high (90%+) early can mean you under-bought, raise reorders or initial buys.
- Low (under ~40%) points to overbuying, plan markdowns or transfers to move the stock.
Sell-through is most useful tracked continuously by style, vendor, and location, not calculated once. That is where a report beats a spreadsheet.
Track sell-through automatically
Vendee Pro computes sell-through for you across styles, vendors, categories, and locations, updated from your live Shopify sales. See it in the reports and analytics module, alongside dead stock, vendor performance, and margin, with saved views and scheduled email delivery.
Frequently asked questions
What is sell-through rate?
Sell-through rate is the percentage of received inventory that sold during a period. It tells you how quickly a product is moving relative to how much you brought in.
What is the sell-through rate formula?
Sell-through rate (%) = (Units Sold ÷ Units Received) × 100, measured over a defined period such as a week, month, or season.
What is a good sell-through rate?
It varies by category and price point, but many retailers target roughly 60 to 80 percent over a season as healthy. Consistently very high rates can signal you under-bought; very low rates point to overbuying and likely markdowns.
Should I measure by units or by dollars?
Units are the most common basis and what this calculator uses. You can also calculate sell-through on retail dollars; just be consistent in what you enter.
See sell-through across your whole range.
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