To outsell means to sell more of something than a competitor does. When one product outsells another, more people buy it during the same period of time. For example, if a new video game outsells all other games during the holiday season, it means more copies of that game were sold than any other title.

Companies pay close attention to what outsells what because it tells them what customers really want. A bakery might notice that chocolate chip cookies consistently outsell oatmeal raisin, suggesting they should bake more of the popular variety. Authors hope their books will outsell other releases that month. Car manufacturers compete to see whose vehicles will outsell their rivals.

The word emphasizes doing better than others in the marketplace. A lemonade stand that outsells the competition makes more money than rival stands, probably because the lemonade tastes better, costs less, or sits in a better location. Success in outselling often comes down to offering something people want more, whether that's better quality, lower prices, or smarter marketing.