An exclusive right to sell listing is the most common type of listing agreement. Under it, the seller grants a single brokerage the exclusive right to market the property, and that brokerage earns its commission if the home sells during the listing period regardless of who procures the buyer.
This contrasts with an exclusive agency listing, where the seller can avoid paying commission if they find a buyer entirely on their own, and with an open listing, where multiple brokers may compete and only the one who brings the buyer is paid.
Because it guarantees compensation, the exclusive right to sell gives agents the incentive to invest fully in marketing the property. It is standard for most traditional MLS listings.