Buy an online shop: ready businesses from their owners
What you really buy with an online shop
A ready online shop is more than a website. The price depends on what is in the package: the domain, the customer base, stock in the warehouse, supplier agreements, social media accounts and ad accounts. Two shops with the same turnover can cost very different amounts if one has live supplier contracts and the other is just a website template.
Searching through listings often turns into long conversations with every owner. On BlaBlaPrice you describe what you are looking for once, and shop owners send you their terms themselves.
What to put in your request
- niche — kids' clothing, cosmetics, car accessories, pet supplies;
- budget — for example, up to $9,100;
- profit — the minimum monthly turnover or net profit that works for you;
- traffic — visitors or orders per month, and whether there is a customer base;
- platform — Shopify, WooCommerce or a custom-built site;
- business model — dropshipping, own warehouse, selling through marketplaces;
- what is included — domain, stock, suppliers, social media accounts;
- age of the business — for example, running for 2 years or more.
Example: “I am looking for an online shop in the kids' clothing niche on Shopify, running for 2 years or more, profit from $1,500 a month, 3,000 visitors. Preferably with stock and supplier contracts. Budget up to $9,100.”
How to check a shop before you buy
Figures given verbally are worth nothing. Ask for analytics screenshots, view-only access to Google Analytics or the platform dashboard, and a bank statement or order history for several months. Look at where the traffic comes from: depending on one source (say, only ads) is a risk, while organic search and repeat customers are a plus.
Check in whose name the domain, trademark and ad accounts are registered, and what exactly will be transferred to you. Ask how long the owner will help with the handover: teaching you to work with suppliers, the admin panel and order handling.
How to compare offers
Owners reply in the chat: a description of the business, the price or what it depends on, and what is included. BlaBlaPrice compares the offers and shows the best one by substance first, and reviews of the seller help you judge how reliable they are. Sellers can see how their offer ranks against the others and can improve their terms, for example by adding stock or support after the handover.
Compare not only the price but the multiple: how many months of profit the business is valued at, and what you get for it. A shop with a big discount may turn out to be a shop without suppliers.
Common mistakes
- Paying an advance without seeing real analytics or checking who owns the domain.
- Forgetting about stock: it is valued separately, and you need to count it too.
- Not agreeing on a support period after the sale.
If you also want a physical outlet, look at shops, and for ways to promote the business, at social media accounts. You can also consider franchises when you want a ready model with support.
