Names and aliases
activated seller share, supply activation rate
Formula
new_sellers_reaching_activation_event / eligible_new_sellers × 100%
Metric card
| Unit | % |
|---|---|
| Data source | New-seller cohorts and events for the selected activation milestone. |
| Frequency | By registration or eligibility cohort, after the activation window closes. |
| Segments | micro-market, category, acquisition channel, seller type, cohort |
Interpretation errors
- Treating registration as activation without available supply.
- Changing the activation event across cohorts without restating history.
- Ignoring quality and repeat participation after the first event.
Example
Illustrative example: 60 of 150 eligible new sellers reach the milestone; activation rate is 40%.
Use
Choose the milestone before cohort comparison: first eligible listing, qualified response, match, or completed transaction. Show multiple stages when one event does not capture economically useful participation.
Anti-example
More completed registrations do not prove more active supply when sellers create no available and relevant objects.
Limitations
- The activation event is platform-specific, not universal.
- High activation can create low-quality supply or supply without demand.
Related metrics
time-to-first-qualified-listing, time-to-first-transaction, activation-retention, unmatched-supply-share
Context sources
These works provide two-sided-market context; the formula above remains an author-defined working definition.
- Geoffrey G. Parker, Marshall W. Van Alstyne. Two-Sided Network Effects: A Theory of Information Product Design (2005).
- Jean-Charles Rochet, Jean Tirole. Platform Competition in Two-Sided Markets (2003).