The [Top 6] Websites to Find an Online Business for Sale
Reading Time: 10 minutes What is an online business for sale?
An ecommerce business for sale is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors looking to purchase a business and make a profit.
With an online business, buyers benefit from the ability to purchase a business that can be operated remotely and managed from anywhere in the world.
With access to a wide range of potential customers, buyers can access global markets and reap the rewards of a successful online business.
Additionally, buyers benefit from the ability to scale the business quickly and efficiently, giving them the potential to generate a substantial return on investment.
By leveraging the power of the internet, buyers can maximize their return on investment and realize their full potential as business owners.
The benefits of buying an already established online business for sale
- Established proof of concept.
- An established customer base.
- Access to all employees, systems, and business assets.
- No need to go through multiple failed concepts before hitting the recipe for success.
- Ability to skip the building phase and move right to expansion.
- Mitigated time, monetary, and knowledge investment required to build a business from scratch.
- Ability to buy into an existing business to gain market share and become a fierce competitor.
What to consider when buying an online business website for sale
Buying ecommerce businesses for sale is an increasingly popular way for entrepreneurs to jumpstart their business journey. It helps them avoid the long hours, limited cash flow, and other challenges of starting a business from scratch.
However, it’s important to consider all the advantages and disadvantages of buying an online business, closely examine each business listing and do your due diligence before investing.
Let’s discuss what to consider when buying an online business for sale, including the important information needed to make an informed decision, the potential risks involved, and the advantages of taking this route.
Risk and return
It is important to look into a business’s potential risk and returns before purchasing, as it helps determine whether it is a good fit for you.
Knowing the financial data in monthly increments allows you to determine whether the business is heading in the right direction.
Here are some of the known risks of purchasing an already-established business.
- Existing systems can be hard to change.
- Employees might not stay, leaving you in a lurch.
- Lack of control over the development or brand development.
- The business might be on a downslide.
- Understanding the way money is made and the risks to the business model is crucial.
Cost
It is important to consider the cost of the business you are purchasing to ensure it is a sound investment.
If the total annual expenses exceed the annual revenue, the business might not be viable in the long run.
Furthermore, the cost of the business should not just be based on the initial purchase price but also the potential future value of the business.
It is important to consider the long-term potential of a business and the potential returns you may receive for your investment.
When looking to purchase an online business for sale, several considerations make up the cost of the business.
These considerations include the following:
- size of the customer base
- the established assets of the business
- the quality of suppliers, the ecommerce platform
- the hosting provider
Time required
It is important to consider the time required by the business you purchase before deciding.
This is because you need to be sure you have the resources and dedication to manage the business when it is yours.
If you don’t have the time to dedicate to running the business, it could cost you more in the long run.
Customer base
It is important to consider the customer base of the business you are purchasing because it can indicate the business’s success.
An existing customer base allows you to measure and evaluate the business’s potential and determine whether it is worth purchasing.
Moreover, it also enables you to gain insights into customer preferences to understand potential areas of improvement or expansion.
Hosting ecommerce platform
An ecommerce platform is a software system that allows businesses to create and manage an online store.
When purchasing a business, it is important to consider the ecommerce platform used as it will affect the design and functionality of the website, as well as the ability to handle orders, payments, and customer service.
A business that uses an ecommerce platform should also have a high-converting website, efficient order fulfillment service, dropshipping suppliers, an advertising presence on multiple digital mediums, and automated processes.
A good ecommerce platform can help maximize a business’s potential and make it more profitable.
Here are some good ecommerce platforms to look into:
- Shopify
- BigCommerce
- WooCommerce
- Squarespace
- Magento
Profit
It is important to consider the revenue of the business you are purchasing to ensure that it fits your lifestyle/income needs and meets your investment capability.
Examining the total annual expenses compared to the annual revenue is essential to determine if the business is viable and will generate a return on your investment.
Evaluating the financial health of the business by looking into the balance sheets and P&L statements, as well as examining the metrics such as annual revenue and gross/net profits, will give you a clear idea of the well-being of the business.
Taking a risk to buy a business that has already failed may not be worth it unless you are experienced or highly skilled.
Therefore, looking for an online business that has grown revenue is a good idea.
Profitable potential
It is important to consider the potential for success of the business you are purchasing to ensure that you are investing in a business that has real value and can bring substantial returns on your investment.
Evaluating the potential for success includes looking for new market segments the business can move into and identifying opportunities for expanding a product line or introducing new advertising mediums.
Business model
A business model is a comprehensive plan for how a business will generate revenue and make a profit. It should be considered when purchasing a business because it determines the long-term strategy for success.
When searching for an online company, one should look for value and potential for growth instead of just buying something cheap.
Evaluate a business based on its potential upside and what it can be made into.
A list of different types of online business models includes the following:
- Affiliate
- Ecommerce
- SaaS
- Apps
- Advertising
- Lead Generation
- Subscription and Private Label
- Retail Arbitrage
- Dropshipping
- Wholesale
Target market
When purchasing a business, it is imperative to consider the target market of the business.
This will give you a better understanding of the growth opportunities, as well as the current state of the business.
Knowing the target market can help you identify additional market segments that could be tapped into to increase sales.
For example, if the business has no presence on Amazon, that could be an opportunity to expand to that demographic.
Franchise rights
It is important to consider the seller and buyer rights of the business you are purchasing to protect yourself, your business, and your assets.
Knowing the legalities and obligations of both parties is essential to completing a fair and successful transaction.
Best places to find a profitable online retail business for sale
To help you find the perfect online businesses for sale, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to the best places to check out, buy, and sell online businesses.
We’ll also discuss the features of these websites to help you get a great deal.
With this guide, you’ll have all the information you need to find the perfect online retail business for sale.
Flippa
Flippa is a global auction marketplace that offers a variety of online businesses such as ecommerce stores, SaaS companies, and mobile apps.
It provides services such as a Due Diligence Report, Flippa Finder, and Website Broker to help buyers and sellers make informed decisions.
Flippa also offers financing options, escrow services, and a valuation tool to ensure secure transactions with competitive prices.
Features:
- Financing to Small Businesses – Flippa partners with Guidant Financial to offer small business funding via SBA and 401(k) business financing solutions.
- Escrow – Flippa collaborates with Escrow.com to offer secure transaction services.
- Valuation Tool – Flippa offers a free online business valuation tool to accurately determine your business’s value.
- Diverse Categories – Flippa neatly segregates businesses into various categories to help you find the right online business.
- Sponsor Listings – You can sponsor your listings for better visibility on Flippa’s home page.
Shopify Exchange
It offers secure transactions and a free buyer’s guide to help you know trade rules.
Shopify Exchange Marketplace also offers a list of hand-picked businesses to help you pick the right business and a free valuation tool to help you put the right price tag on your business.
Features:
- Starter Stores – There are tons of online starter stores listed on the Shopify Exchange for less than $100.
- Secure Exchange – Shopify ensures safe and secure transfers of online businesses in partnership with Escrow.com.
- Staff Picks – Shopify offers a list of hand-picked businesses curated by its staff to help you find a suitable online business.
- Free Buyer’s Guide – It provides a free buyer’s guide to help you know all the trade rules.
- Actionable Insights – Access actionable insights like traffic, demographics, profit margin, and more.
Empire Flippers
Empire Flippers is a global marketplace for buying and selling large online businesses.
It minimizes the friction from the dealing process by personally vetting buyers and sellers, providing legitimate businesses and real data, and done for your migrations.
It offers numerous benefits to buyers, such as refundable deposits, podcasts, and more, and sellers, such as promotion to thousands of potential investors, negotiation for profitable deals, and more.
Features:
- Legitimate Businesses – Empire Flippers vets all businesses before they go live, ensuring buyers can access the highest quality options.
- Real Data – Buyers can access all the necessary details, including URLs, Google Analytics, and Profit & Loss Statements.
- Done For You Migrations – Empire Flippers has a team of migration managers who help buyers to transfer the asset once it is sold.
- Personalized Buying & Selling Experience – Empire Flippers offers personalized services for buyers and sellers throughout the process.
- Refundable Deposit – Buyers only have to pay a 5% refundable deposit of the value of the business they purchase
FE International
It offers a global network of over 50,000 pre-qualified online investors to help buyers find the right business.
It also provides professional brokers to prepare a detailed prospectus with details like business opportunities, financial performance, traffic, and market trends for sellers.
Features:
- Global Network – FE International offers a global network of over 50,000 pre-qualified online investors to help you find the right buyer.
- Professional Broker – Professional brokers prepare a detailed prospectus with business opportunities, financial performance, traffic, and market trends.
- Private Listing – You can make a private listing to protect your business interests during sales.
- Complete Assitance – Qualified business brokers offer total assistance during the purchase and sale.
- Reliable Transfer – It offers private and confidential transfer of business on your behalf.
SideProjectors
SideProjectors is a marketplace for buying and selling unfinished side projects.
It offers different business types, such as SaaS, eCommerce, blogs, and more, allowing users to search for projects based on various categories and types.
It also provides membership and sponsorship to increase a listing’s visibility and promote high-quality listings.
Features:
- Accurate Filtering – Filter buying options based on project types, status, price, submitted date, target market, etc.
- Co-Founder – Ability to list specific projects looking for a co-founder.
- Membership – Access to benefits like customized project email alerts for $3 per month.
- Sponsor – Increase listing visibility for $10 per day.
- Multiple Apps Integration – Real-time project deals on Slack and integration with ProductHunt.
Digital Exits
It offers features like creating a marketing plan, preparing an executive summary, and managing the entire deal from start to finish.
It also has an extensive network of buyers with a buying capacity of $668.27 million.
Features:
- Global Deals – It can help you sign international deals with investors from all over the world.
- Copywriter Interview – In-house copywriters interview business owners to gather all the relevant information.
- Bank Financing – It gets bank financing for your business in advance to make it attractive for buyers with less net worth.
- Marketing Plan – It helps you chalk out the right marketing plan for the sale of your business.
- Executive Summary – It prepares an executive summary for an impressive presentation.
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