Plain-language questions
Ask for sell-through rate per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · E-commerce
Sell-through rate: formula and example.
Sell-through rate is the number of units sold divided by the number of units received in the same period, as a percentage. It shows how quickly a collection, season or purchase batch is selling. Retailers and online shops use it to decide whether to reorder, mark down or delist products.
Sell-through rate formula
Units sold ÷ units received × 100%
Worked example
Acme Groothandel receives 1,200 units of a new product line for the summer season. By the end of August, 780 have sold. Sell-through rate is 780 ÷ 1,200 × 100% = 65%.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A high sell-through rate means a product is selling well; a very high figure early in the season can mean you bought too little. A low figure means stock is sitting and points towards markdowns or a smaller next purchase. Compare by category and with the same point in a previous season.
Pitfalls with sell-through rate
- Forgetting opening stock for continuous lines; use opening stock plus receipts as the denominator.
- Not deducting returns from sales, which makes sell-through look better than it is.
- Comparing products that arrived at different times without allowing for how long each was on sale.
SQL & DAX
Calculating sell-through rate in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
SELECT p.category,
SUM(m.quantity) FILTER (WHERE m.movement_type = 'receipt') AS received,
SUM(ABS(m.quantity)) FILTER (WHERE m.movement_type = 'sale') AS sold,
ROUND(100.0 * SUM(ABS(m.quantity)) FILTER (WHERE m.movement_type = 'sale')
/ NULLIF(SUM(m.quantity) FILTER (WHERE m.movement_type = 'receipt'), 0), 1) AS sell_through_pct
FROM stock_movements m
JOIN products p ON p.product_id = m.product_id
WHERE m.movement_date >= date '2026-03-01'
AND m.movement_date < date '2026-09-01'
GROUP BY p.category
ORDER BY sell_through_pct;Sell-Through Rate =
DIVIDE(
CALCULATE(SUMX(StockMovements, ABS(StockMovements[quantity])), StockMovements[movement_type] = "sale"),
CALCULATE(SUM(StockMovements[quantity]), StockMovements[movement_type] = "receipt")
)In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate sell-through rate?
Divide the number of units sold by the number of units received in the same period and multiply by 100%. With 500 units received and 350 sold, sell-through rate is 70%. For continuous lines, add opening stock to receipts.
What is the difference between sell-through rate and inventory turnover?
Sell-through rate measures what share of a purchased batch has sold within a period. Inventory turnover measures how many times the average stock is sold per year, usually at cost. Sell-through suits a season or collection; turnover suits overall stock management.
When should you mark down based on sell-through?
It depends on your margin, the remaining selling time and whether the product will still sell later. Compare sell-through at a fixed point, such as mid-season, with previous seasons and with your plan. If a product is clearly lagging, an earlier and smaller markdown is often cheaper than waiting.
Further reading
- KPI libraryE-commerce KPIs: formulas and examplesE-commerce KPIs cover visitors, orders, returns and margin per channel. The data comes from your web shop, marketplaces and payment provider, alongside purchasing and stock from your ERP.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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