Dec 27, 2023

# What is supply and demand?

This article will describe the meaning of supply and demand in the context of online marketplaces and two-sided platforms. It will give a definition and some examples where possible.

## Definition of supply and demand

A marketplace has two types of users: supply and demand. A marketplace's supply side has the product; demand consists of customers who want that product. Growing your marketplace requires attracting both types of users. Depending on the marketplace, supply and demand can be called providers and customers, sellers and buyers, hosts and guests, and so on. In Sharetribe content, we primarily refer to supply and demand as providers and customers.

[← Back to the marketplace glossary](/marketplace-glossary/)

## Learn about other marketplace concepts

[What is matching in marketplaces?](/marketplace-glossary/matching/)

[What is marketplace concentration?](/marketplace-glossary/concentration/)

[What are split payments in a marketplace?](/marketplace-glossary/split-payments/)

[What is a marketplace admin or operator?](/marketplace-glossary/admin/)

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