Live selling glossary / Metrics
GMV (gross merchandise value)
Also called: Gross sales, Sales volume
Definition
GMV is the total value of everything sold through a show, seller or platform over a period, before fees, refunds, cancellations and shipping are taken out. It is the headline number in live selling because it is the one everyone can see.
GMV is not revenue. A seller's take-home is GMV minus platform commission, payment processing, refunds, shipping subsidies and cost of goods. Platforms quote GMV because it is large; sellers should track it alongside fees and sell-through to know what they kept.
Per-show GMV is the standard unit of comparison between sellers in a category, and GMV per hour is the fairest way to compare shows of different lengths.
The number
The Live Selling Index publishes median, 75th and 90th percentile sales per show by platform, refreshed weekly. See this week's figures.
Related terms
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