Are you looking for an expression to help you describe how much of a commercial success an item is? You could say that this product is “selling like hotcakes.” Keep reading to discover where this phrase originated and how to use it in a sentence.
Meaning
The American expression “selling like hotcakes” is used to describe products that are so popular they sell out as soon as they are put up for sale. In short, the phrase means that a product is extremely successful.
The phrase can be rephrased with any conjugation of the verb “to sell,” for example:
- Sell like hotcakes
- Sold like hotcakes
- Used to sell like hotcakes
Example Usage
Would you like to incorporate the saying “selling like hotcakes” — meaning selling extremely quickly owing to popularity — into a sentence? Take a look at these examples to get a better feel for the contexts in which the phrase is commonly used:
- “Nike’s new sneakers always sell like hotcakes. If you don’t preorder them, you stand no chance!”
- “My niece’s homemade lemonade isn’t exactly selling like hotcakes, but I still admire her entrepreneurial spirit.”
- “You know the economy is in trouble when staples like flour and sugar start selling like hotcakes.”
- “Tamagochi games sold like hotcakes in the ‘90s, but have now largely been forgotten.
Origin
The phrase “selling like hotcakes” originated in 19th century America.
A “hotcake” is a pancake. The hotcakes that were sold in the 19th century are quite different from the pancakes you may eat today, though — hotcakes were typically made with cornmeal.
This early version of the pancake was a hit. Often sold at fairs and church events, workers had trouble keeping up with the high demand — and hotcakes sold out as quickly as they were made.
It is not surprising that this popular snack item quickly sparked a new phrase, “selling like hotcakes.”
Few people realize that “hotcakes” are early pancakes. The phrase stuck around, though. In the modern age, anything from NTFs to smartphones and toilet paper can “sell like hotcakes.”
Despite its American origin, the saying “selling like hotcakes” has traveled across the Atlantic Ocean, too, and British people will have no trouble understanding what you mean if you say that something sells like hotcakes.
Phrases Similar to Selling Like Hotcakes
Are you looking for synonymous phrases? Instead of “selling like hotcakes,” you could also use these expressions:
- [The product] is snapped up quickly.
- [The item] sells like crazy.
- [The product] is a hit.
If you would prefer to use more formal language, you can also simply say that the item in question is “in high demand.”
Phrases Opposite to Selling Like Hotcakes
The opposite of a product that “sells like hotcakes” is one that almost nobody is interested in. You could say that the product is:
- A total failure.
- A dud.
- Dead in the water.
What Is the Correct Saying?
The correct saying is “selling like hotcakes.” This American phrase means that a product is in high demand and selling very well.
Ways People May Say Selling Like Hotcakes Incorrectly
The phrase “selling like hotcakes” is widespread on both sides of the Atlantic. Not many people know where it originated, though.
If you have only ever heard the phrase verbally, it is easy to conclude that the correct saying is “selling like hot cakes.”
In this instance, you might think that it refers to warm cakes of any kind. Hotcake is, in fact, an archaic synonym for pancake.
Acceptable Ways to Say Selling Like Hotcakes
You can say that something sells like hotcakes if it is a great success. The product sells out nearly as quickly as it is put up for sale, and people can’t wait to get their hands on it.
The phrase is usually reserved for mass-produced items. You shouldn’t say that an exclusive collection of five products sold like hotcakes.