- STR = sold listings ÷ total listings × 100 — measures demand vs supply for a specific product
- 70%+ = strong demand — high confidence to buy at the right price
- 40–70% = healthy market — worth investigating further with a profit calculation
- 20–40% = average — competitive, price carefully
- Under 20% = usually oversaturated — pass unless you have a clear price advantage
- Always pair STR with a profit calculation — a 90% STR on a £1 margin isn't a win
You're in a charity shop. You've found a Sony WH-1000XM4 headset — barely used, in the original box. They want £28 for it. It looks like an obvious buy. But you've had "obvious" buys before that sat in a box for three months.
What you're asking — even if you wouldn't phrase it this way — is: what's the sell-through rate on this product? How fast is it actually moving relative to how many people are trying to sell it?
That's exactly what STR tells you. And once you have the number, the decision becomes straightforward.
What is sell-through rate on eBay?
Sell-through rate measures what percentage of available inventory actually sells in a given period. On eBay, you calculate it using completed listings data from the last 90 days.
Example: you search the Sony WH-1000XM4 on eBay. You find 45 completed sales in 90 days, and there are currently 30 active listings. Total listings: 75. STR: 45 ÷ 75 × 100 = 60%.
High STR means buyers are outpacing sellers — demand is strong relative to supply. Low STR means the market is flooded and items are sitting unsold. That single number tells you more about a product's prospects than any gut feeling.
What is a good sell-through rate on eBay?
Here are the benchmarks I use. These aren't universal rules — seasonal products, niche items, and market conditions all affect STR — but they're a solid working framework for most categories.
Some sellers treat STR as the only signal they need. That's a mistake. A 90% STR on a £2 net profit per item isn't a winning product — it's a lot of work for nothing. STR tells you about demand. You still need to calculate the margin.
How to calculate sell-through rate on eBay (step by step)
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1
Search the product on eBay
Use a specific search term — brand + model where possible. Vague searches pollute your data with unrelated listings.
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2
Filter to Sold Items
In the left-hand filters, tick "Sold Items" under Show Only. Note the number of results — this is your sold listings count (90-day window).
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3
Count active listings
Remove the Sold filter and count the current active listings. Be consistent with your search term.
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4
Apply the formula
Sold ÷ (sold + active) × 100 = STR. Compare to the benchmarks above. Then check your margin with our profit calculator.
Worked example: Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones
Sony WH-1000XM4 — charity shop, £28
67% STR. Healthy demand, manageable competition. At a £28 buy price and £85 average sale, that's roughly £42 net after eBay fees and postage. A strong buy.
Check sell-through rate in 60 seconds.
Privy calculates STR automatically on every eBay listing — no manual counting, no spreadsheet.
What sell-through rate doesn't tell you
STR is your primary demand signal. It's not the whole picture.
- It doesn't tell you the margin. A 70% STR on a £1 net profit is worse than a 40% STR on a £20 net profit. Always run the fee calculation after checking STR.
- It doesn't account for seasonality. A winter jacket will have a very different STR in October vs April. Check the trend in sold listings, not just the 90-day number.
- It doesn't reflect price sensitivity. The market might be selling at £30, but all the buyers are at £28. One pound lower and your sell rate doubles. STR can't tell you that — you need to look at the sold price distribution.
- It can be manipulated by listing style. Sellers who list the same item multiple times inflate the active listing count. Look at unique sellers, not just listing count.
Use STR to filter out the bad products quickly. Use profit calculations, competition analysis, and price trends to validate the good ones.
What to do if your sell-through rate is low
If you're already holding stock that isn't moving, check whether the problem is your listing or the market:
- Is your price competitive? Compare your price to the most recent sold listings. If you're £5 above the market, drop it. Speed of sale matters more than maximising each unit when you're trying to turn stock.
- Is your listing title optimised? eBay search is keyword-based. Include the brand, model, condition, and any common variant names in your title.
- Is the market STR just low? If the category STR is 15% regardless of price, you've bought into an oversaturated market. The decision then is whether to wait or liquidate.
Frequently asked questions
Above 70% is strong — buyers outpacing sellers. 40–70% is healthy and worth investigating. 20–40% is average and competitive. Below 20% is generally oversaturated. Always pair STR with a profit calculation before buying.
Divide sold listings by total listings (sold + active), multiply by 100. Example: 45 sold ÷ 67 total × 100 = 67% STR. Use eBay's completed listings filter to get the sold count. Or use our free STR calculator.
Check STR at the point of sourcing — before you buy. Seasonal products shift significantly, so a product's STR in October can be very different from March. For products you're holding, reviewing STR monthly helps you spot market changes before they impact your sell rate.
First check whether your price is competitive against recent sold listings. Then review your listing title and photos. If the overall market STR for that product is genuinely low (under 20%), you may need to reprice aggressively or accept a smaller margin to move stock.
Yes. Electronics and branded clothing tend to have higher STRs because buyers search specifically for those products. Generic homewares and books often have lower STRs due to high seller volume. The benchmarks above apply across categories, but your baseline expectation should adjust for the market you're in.