Ecommerce Businesses For Sale
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25 Year Old Outdoor Sporting Goods Ecommerce Business
10 Year Old E-Commerce Brand w/Dominant Market Position and 30% YOY Growth
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Thriving Women’s Health Supplement Business | $5.7M SDE | 300%+ Growth | Owners Capping Growth
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16-Yr-Old Multi-Channel Ecomm | SBA & Conv. Pre-Qual | YoY 13% Rev & 7.6% SDE Growth | $2.2M TTM SDE
B2B Membership Model Evergreen Children’s Biz | 82% Repeat Orders | 846% SDE Growth | Partial SBA
Under Offer
Shopify/Amazon Sea Moss Brand | $270K+ MRR | 90%+ Gross Margin | US Made | 30%+ Growth
SBA Pre-Qualified $11M Revenue Athlete Focused eCommerce Drop Shipping Business
SBA Prequalified: 21+ Year Old Transportation Industry Ecom Business With No Paid Ads
5-Year-Old Established Supplements Brand | 60% Returning Customers | 4-5 Hours Weekly Management
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Financing Available | Growing Shopify Personalized Gifts Business | No Inventory | 45% Net Margins
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SBA Camper Van Ecom Brand | 70% Organic Traffic | $900+ AOV | 8-Figure Revenue Potential
Growing B2B Drop Shipping Business w/Large Ticket Items | Strong PPC and Organic
SBA Pre Qualified – 8-Year-Old Women’s Boutique – $670K SDE w/ Only $55k Ad Spend
SBA Pre-Qualified 12-Year-Old Off-Road Vehicle and Watercraft Cleaning Products
10 Yr Old Corvette, Camaro & GM Auto Niche – Dropship Sites – 61% YoY Revenue & 62% YoY SDE Growth
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13 Yr Old Personalized Gift Biz | SBA Pre-Approved | $1.8M+ in Revenue | 40K 5-Star Etsy Reviews
5 Yr Old Unique Fitness Brand is eCommerce Leader in its Niche w/ Strong Growth Potential
SBA Pre-Qualified | 14 Year-Old Eyewear Brands | Exclusive Vendors | B2B Growth Opportunities
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SBA Pre-Qualified Custom Artwork Shopify Business | 75% Digital Sales | Turnkey Operations
20-Year-Old Supplement Business With Over 41% Recurring Revenue and 31% Net Margins
Non-Amazon, DTC eCommerce: Incredible, Patented Products, Repeat Revenue, & 438% Growth
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SBA Prequal: 27-Yr Old Air and Water Purification. High Margins & Cash Flow Efficient; YoY SDE +18%
Profitable 20-Year-Old Furniture eComm Business Primed for Immense Upside
30+ Year Old Security Products Business | Partial SBA Financing | 35% Repeat Orders
SBA Pre-Qualified: 30+ Year Porsche Performance Parts Manufacturing | Made in USA | $328K SDE
Alternascript & Hair Labs
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19-Year-Old Ecommerce Surfing Accessories Business | Premium Domain Name | Low Workload
SBA Eligible: 20-Year-Old USA Manufacturing Biz | Premium Automotive Products | 77% Gross Margins
13 Year Old Ecom Website is a Leader in its Musical Instrument Niche, SBA Pre-Qualified
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11-Year-Old Patented Desk Treadmill Brand | SBA Eligible | Big Growth Opportunities
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SBA Prequalified 10 Year-Old Ecom Site | Growth Opps Include Untapped 130k+ Customer Email List
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Diversified Multi-Channel Music E-Retailer: Exclusive Relationships Powering Strong YoY Growth
Dropship Shopify Business | $1400 AOV | 83% SDE TTM Growth
SBA Pre-Qualified: 8-Year-Old Multi-Channel Well Diversified Pet Supplement Business
Women’s 3 SKU Beauty Brand With No Inventory Requirements – Low Multiple
Explosive Growth Men’s Beard and Vitamin Brand | $222K SDE with Subscription Revenue
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Low Priced Custom Products Shopify Business | $2M+ TTM Revenue | $400k+ TTM SDE | 80% Digital Orders
9 Year Old Commercial-Grade Bathroom Products Business with Recurring Revenue
18 yr old Holistic Wellness Product Biz | 46% SDE Margins | 59% Repeat Order Rate
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10-Year-Old Grilling Amazon Business | 19% Revenue Growth | Wholesale Relationship | Low Workload
5-Year-Old Video Editing Digital Products Business | 45% TTM SDE Growth
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Premium Cannabis Hardware Shopify Brand | $115 AOV | 30% Returning Customer Rate | Ready for Scale
16 Year-Old Dropship Site w/ Significant Organic Sales | 47% YOY Sales Growth & 58% YOY SDE Growth
Usual Wines
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32-Year-Old Vending Machine and Refills Dropship Business | 16.8% Repeat Order | Premium Domain
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Premium Snack Subscription Box Biz | US Supply Chain | 36% Repeat Customer Rate | 58% SDE Growth
Shopify Superfood Greens Brand | 40% Subscription Revenue | High Margins | Marketing Needed
3+ Year Old Premium KVM Business – 98.7% YoY SDE Growth – Multiple Growth Opportunities
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20-Year-Old Maternity Line | Evergreen Styles | Wholesale, Drop-Ship, and DTC Channels | $184k SDE
SBA Shopify Custom Home Decor | $130 AOV | High Gross Margins | US Manufacturing
SBA Pre-Qualified: 15-Year-Old Ecommerce Website | $171K SDE | 40% Net Margins
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Automated Resume-Writing Service | 78% Net Margins | Little Marketing | Seller Financing Available
Cash-Strapped Health Food CPG Brand with Costco PO in Need of Buyer with Capital
8-Year-Old DTC Shopify Everyday Carry Business
High-Margin, Premium Hemp Products | 40% Repeat Purchase Rate | YOY TTM 285% Rev & 388% SDE Growth
Growing Jewelry Business | +137% YoY Revenue | +92% SDE | 76% Gross Margins
Boho Jewelry Shopify Based Business with Seller Financing Available | $7M+ Lifetime Sales
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10-Year-Old Outdoor Living Retailer | 100% USA Suppliers | 20x ROAS
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Amazing Shower Accessory Business – 131% Earnings Increase YOY
10 Year Old Retro Mailbox Business | Design Patented Customizable Products | 35% Net Margins
Hobby Horse/Equine Business with 85% Gross Margins | 55% SDE Margins | 30% YoY Growth
Dessert Baking Ecomm Business | 86% Subscription Revenue | Made in the U.S.A.
4-Year-Old Beauty Supplement Brand | 130% YoY SDE Growth | 4.52-Star Rating
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Ultra-Premium Performance Bag Business w/ High Margins
Established 5 Year Old Lifestyle Business Focused On Wooden Baby Products
7-Year-Old DTC Women’s Bag and Accessory Brand | $115 SDE | $5.5M Lifetime Rev | No Amazon Presence
3-Year Natural Skincare Brand | 80% Gross Margins | Made in the USA
18-Year-Old Fly Fishing eCommerce Site | $93K SDE | 3.1x Multiple
Premium Wristwatch Ecomm Business | 67% Net Profit Margins | Low Workload | High-Profile Collabs
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Direct-To-Consumer Ecommerce Business at 1.95x Multiple | Numerous Potential Growth Opportunities
7-Year-Old Shopify Watch Accessory Brand | 33K Emails | $89K SDE
Turnkey Custom Sock Business With Loyal Customer Base | 38% Repeat Customer Rate | $330 AOV
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Shopify Private Label CBD | 75% Repeat Customers | 360+ Subscribers, ~13K Recurring/Month | 1.85x
Designer Eco-Friendly Kitchen Goods Business w/Loyal Base and Expansion Opportunities
16 Year-Old Beard Care Biz | Loads of Growth Opps | Sales Diversity Between Amazon & Website
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9-Year Old Custom Ping Pong Paddles DTC Business | Massive Growth Opportunities | Easy to Operate
13+ Year Old Dropshipping Business With 156% YOY SDE Growth
Dropship Shopify Health Business | $1M+ Revenue | 35% SDE TTM Growth | U.S. Based Suppliers
Growing 13 Year-Old 100% Dropship Building Materials E-Commerce Business
Stellar Skincare Product Line | Millions Spent on Unique Formulas and Branding
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Trademarked Sunglasses Brand with 100% YOY Profit Gains
DTC Garden Fairies, Homes, Gnomes | 1,000+ 5-Star Reviews | < 1% Return Rate | 6k Monthly Organic
20-Year-Old Knife Business | 22% Repeat Customer Rate | $90 Average Order Value | 2,100+ Reviews
4-Year-Old Shopify Men’s Accessory and Personal Gear Business
Handmade Jewelry Business on Shopify | 50% Repeat Customer Rate | Mother & Baby Niche
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Cake-Baking Ecomm Business | Multiple Revenue Channels | B2B Expansion Opportunities
Print-On-Demand Footwear Ecommerce Business | High Margins | Multiple Growth Opportunities
6-Year-Old Non-FBA Women’s Jewelry Brand
6 Year-Old Subscription-Based Business With Low Workload and Strong Margins
Luxury Japanese Kitchen Knives | Shopify Based | 144% Trailing 6 Month YOY SDE Growth
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7-Year-Old Camper Van Accessories Brand | 76% Gross Margins | $156 AOV | US-Made Products
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6 Year Old Solar Energy Accessory Business on Amazon FBA and Shopify
6-Year-Old Anime Drop-Ship Business | $61K SDE | Low Workload
Shopify Custom Products Business | US Manufacturing | Shark Tank Featured
4-Yr-Old Diaper Bag eCommerce Brand | $38K SDE | 2.3x Multiple
Custom Furniture Ecommerce Business | Low Owner Workload | 1.97x Multiple | High Upside Potential
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Distressed Supplement Brand | 87% Gross Margin | 25% Repeat Order Rate | Untapped Growth Potential
11 Year Old Shark Tank Shopify Travel Brand | 47% Repeat Customer Rate | High Margins
Quick Sale Opportunity | 4-Year-Old Unique Beverage Business
Daily Deal Website With 3,000+ Email Subscribers That Buy Deals To Resell On Amazon
Patented Travel and Fitness Accessories Brand | Amazon FBA + 3rd Party Platforms | 1.2x Multiple
Ecommerce Businesses For Sale
Shopify and other ecommerce platforms empower entrepreneurs with the tools to quickly scale eCommerce businesses. While some entrepreneurs may choose to start their own venture, others may wish to purchase an existing eCommerce brand. If the latter option interests you, it is important to first understand how to find ecommerce stores for sale.
In this article we will discuss:
- Key considerations when buying an ecommerce store
- The most popular types of ecommerce businesses for sale
- Where to find ecommerce stores to purchase
- What to look for when buying an ecommerce store
Considerations When Buying an Ecommerce Business
Before you go down the path of purchasing an ecommerce business, there are some important elements to consider.
Buying vs Starting a Business
One of the first questions to consider is whether you want to start your own Shopify business or purchase an already existing company. There is no universally right answer, as each option has its own benefits and drawbacks.
When you start your own company, you have more control of the initial phases of development. You can select your product and create your company’s branding and story.
The flip side of this is that starting your own business requires significant time, energy, and resources. And of course, any new business venture comes with the risk of failure.
When you purchase an already established company, you get to own a business that has a proven track record of success. By doing so, you remove some uncertainty and risk from the equation. In addition, if you choose wisely, it is possible to purchase a business that requires minimal time and energy to manage.
Again, there is no right or wrong answer here. However, if you do decide that you would like to purchase a business, there are many other important aspects to take into consideration.
Your goals
Before jumping in and becoming a Shopify store owner, it is important to get clear on what your goals are in the first place. Are you looking to make a career change? Do you want to create a side income? What are your lifestyle goals?
One of the attractive aspects of the eCommerce business model is that it can be customized in order to meet a variety of lifestyles and goals.
Oftentimes, individuals who purchase a Shopify business seek to drive growth over time in order to build a valuable asset. Or, perhaps running your own business brings a certain level of excitement and enjoyment to your work life that was missing previously. Perhaps, you seek more freedom and flexibility in your schedule so you can pursue the lifestyle of your choosing.
Whatever your goals are, take some time to get clear on what you are looking to achieve by purchasing an ecommerce business.
Your budget
Of course, you also need to get clear on what your budget looks like. Fortunately, there is a range of financing options available to help fund the purchase of a business.
Do your homework on how you plan to go about financing your purchase before you start looking. That way, when you find a business that you like, you have the means to make a credible offer.
Skills required to run the business
When you are looking for a business to purchase, you also want to consider what skills, knowledge, or qualifications required to run the business.
For example, let’s say that you are considering purchasing an ecommerce business that sells automobile memorabilia and collectible items. While the business may be profitable, it might be hard to maintain the same level of success if you (or someone on your team) don’t have the relevant industry knowledge base.
In this scenario, this would certainly be something that you would want to consider when deciding whether or not the business is a good fit for you.
Regardless of which niche the Shopify store falls into, running a company requires knowledge in a few key areas. These include marketing, supply chain management, and product development, among others.
Most Popular Types of Ecommerce Businesses For Sale
There are a lot of ecommerce businesses of all different sizes, from an individually owned small business to multiple Shopify stores owned by a conglomerate. Some, like Kylie Cosmetics, are household-recognized brands.
There are a few different popular categories that many ecommerce businesses fall into. These include:
- Print on demand businesses
- Dropshipping businesses
- International businesses
- Wholesale businesses
- Retail businesses
Print on demand businesses
With print-on-demand businesses, the product is printed or manufactured after a customer places an order for the product. As the business owner, this allows you to avoid maintaining a large inventory of products, minimizing your upfront investment.
Many print on demand businesses allow their customers to create and print customized products. These may be mugs, shirts, posters, and more.
Dropshipping businesses
When you think of a valuable online business, the first model you may think of is a dropshipping store. The dropshipping business model is one of the most popular and beginner-friendly models available.
With a dropshipping business, you partner with a manufacturer who produces all of your products for you. In addition, they will then store your inventory and ship your product to your customers once an order has been placed. Alternatively, you can have the manufacturer ship your inventory to a dropshipping company, which then takes care of order fulfillment.
Regardless of which option you choose, having a dropshipping store removes a lot of hands-on work for you, leaving you with more time to grow your business.
International businesses
The USA represents a significant portion of the Shopify business marketplace. However, there are still numerous companies around the globe that use the platform.
It is important to weigh the pros and cons of each type of business when deciding which option is right for you.
Retail businesses
Most Shopify businesses sell direct to customers, making them retail businesses. As a retail business owner, you have several different options to choose from as far as how your business is structured.
As mentioned, one of the most popular options is to use dropshipping to fulfill your orders. However, you can also choose to store and manage your inventory on your own, as well as take care of all fulfillment services. While this may save you some money, it will also create more work for you or your team.
Wholesale businesses
Another option is to sell directly to other businesses as a wholesaler. As with retail, you could choose whether you want to manage your own inventory and fulfullment, or leave that up to a third party.
Where to Find Ecommerce Businesses For Sale
When it comes time to purchase a Shopify store, where can you actually find one for sale? How do you go about contacting the seller and initiating the negotiation process?
There are several ways that you can go about finding the right eCommerce business for sale.
Purchasing directly from a seller
One option available to you is to go about the entire process of finding, evaluating, and purchasing a Shopify store all on your own. If you choose this route, keep in mind that it can be challenging to find trustworthy businesses and business owners without help from a professional Website broker.
There are a number of eCommerce company marketplaces available for you to use when searching for companies for sale. They are all relatively easy to find and use on your own.
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In addition, Shopify has its own marketplace. The Shopify Exchange Marketplace has numerous businesses for sale in every industry. The Exchange Marketplace makes it easy to find Shopify stores for sale, communicate with the seller, and make an offer on the business.
However, it is important to keep in mind that there are a lot of details to pay attention to when buying a business in order to ensure that it is a wise investment. For this reason, it is typically preferable to go through the process with someone who knows what to look for and what to avoid.
Working with an Advisor
Many entrepreneurs choose to work with a qualified business Advisor when purchasing a business. There are many reasons for this.
For starters, the right Advisor will help you parse through the available businesses for sale in order to identify companies that match your goals and criteria. In addition, they will help you initiate contact with the seller, and negotiate favorable terms and pricing.
A crucial part of purchasing any Shopify store is ensuring that the business actually performs as it is advertised. You need to verify sales numbers, costs, key performance indicators, and other metrics. For someone who does not have a lot of experience, this process can be quite daunting.
By purchasing from an owner who is working with an Advisor, you can have confidence that the Advisory has adequately prepared the owner and business for selling. A qualified advisor will ensure that all financial documentation is ready to go and that other aspects of the business are organized correctly. This helps to ensure a smooth process and allows you to more easily verify the business prior to making an offer.
While the inspiration to purchase an eCommerce store may come naturally, it takes diligence, persistence, and attention to detail in order to pull off a successful acquisition. In addition, it helps if you know what you are looking for.
What to Look For When Buying an Ecommerce Business
Regardless of why you are purchasing an ecommerce business, you want to have a high degree of confidence that the company will perform well after you become the new owner. While every business is different, there are several qualities that you can look for that signal a healthy company.
Understand the Valuation Process
One of the first steps in analyzing an online store is to understand how the current owner arrived at its valuation. As with many other online businesses, Shopify stores are valued using the SDE multiple method. SDE is a benchmark metric that stands for Seller’s Discretionary Earnings.
Under the SDE multiple method, the value of a company = SDE x multiple. Let’s take a closer look at both the SDE as well as the multiple.
Understanding SDE
In essence, the Seller’s Discretionary Earnings is the amount of money that a business generates for a single owner. In more detail, it is the profits that a business generates before interest, taxes, non-cash expenses, one-time investments, owner’s benefit, and non-related discretionary expenses are taken into account.
SDE is used in place of revenue or net profit when calculating the value of a business because it does a better job of capturing the true money-generating potential that the business has. In this way, it allows a more accurate comparison between businesses.
Understanding the Multiple
The multiple is the number by which the SDE is multiplied in order to arrive at the total value for a company. For example, if a company’s SDE is $100,000, and the company receives a multiple of 2.5, the company will be valued at $250,000 ($100,000 x 2.5 = $250,000).
Multiples vary from one company to another. Calculating the multiple is as much art as it is science. It sums up all of the tangible and intangible aspects of a company to produce an estimate of value.
While there is no formula, there are several factors that influence the multiple. These are collectively known as the Four Pillars of Value. They include:
- Growth
- Risk
- Transferability
- Documentation
Growth
If you want to purchase a thriving online business, pay attention to its growth trends. Past growth is one of the best predictors of a company’s potential for future success.
Many individuals purchase a new business because they expect that the company will grow into the future, providing a healthy return on investment (ROI). By looking at the past growth trends of a company, you can largely determine whether or not it is likely to continue performing well in the future.
In addition to evaluating past growth records, it is important to look to see if the company has room for future growth. What may come across as a weakness initially may in fact be an opportunity for growth moving forward.
For example, let’s say you consider purchasing a company that has strong sales numbers and robust past and current growth. However, its marketing plan relies almost entirely on social media marketing. While this may be a weakness in one sense (we will discuss this next), it could also represent an exciting opportunity.
By adding other marketing channels like content marketing or paid search advertising, you could potentially increase sales without expending a large amount of effort.
Risk
Every business venture entails some form of risk. However, all else being equal, the more risk a company has, the less valuable it will be. When making a decision about which ecommerce to buy, you should seek to choose businesses that have less risk.
In general, a business carries risk if part of its success rests on a single point of failure. Returning to the example above, a company relying on only one marketing channel incurs greater risk. If their top social media channel changes its algorithm or they suffer some other setback, sales and revenue could dry up overnight.
However, if the company relies on a more diverse set of customer acquisition channels, it suffers less if one channel takes a hit. The company could add email marketing, content marketing, and paid advertising, to name a few, in order to minimize risk.
Transferability
Another important component to evaluate is the ease with which a company can be successfully transferred to a new owner. The easier that a company can be transferred without sales figures being impacted, the more attractive it is.
There are many factors that could influence how easy it is to transfer a company successfully. For example, if the company is tied to the current owner’s personality or image, it may be difficult for a new owner to fill the role. Be sure to evaluate how easy it would be to successfully take over ownership as part of your evaluation.
Documentation
The extent, clarity, and accuracy of documentation of the company by the current owner also impact the overall value of the company. The better their documentation, the more valuable the company is.
This comes down to several factors. For starters, if a company has thorough documentation of its accounting and performance metrics, such as website traffic, it makes it much easier for you to evaluate and verify the company.
Additionally, clear documentation of the company’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) makes it a lot easier for you and your team to take over ownership and run the company effectively.
Lastly, proper documentation is a strong signal that the current owner has run the company in a responsible manner. If they have demonstrated diligence and attention to detail when it comes to their record-keeping, they likely have taken the same approach in other areas of their business.
Conclusion
Buying a Shopify store can be the start of an exciting venture, one that has the opportunity to transform your financial future as well as your lifestyle for the better. With the right approach, you can find the right company for your needs, navigate the purchase process, and become a successful Shopify store owner.
Buy an Ecommerce Business – FAQs
Buying an eCommerce business can be an intimidating process, and we want to make it as smooth as possible for you.
Below you will find answers to frequently asked questions. If you have a question that is not addressed below, please get in touch with us.
Is buying an eCommerce Business from Quiet Light safe and secure?
Yes, buying an online business from Quiet Light is safe and secure. Quiet Light vets businesses with a strict process, and requires every party who works on a deal to sign a confidentiality agreement. High-profile or sensitive transactions may be subject to additional screening.
“High-profile or sensitive transactions may be subject to additional screening.”
What do I need to know before I buy an eCommerce business?
Before buying an eCommerce business, there are many things you need to know. At a bare minimum, you need to understand the monthly expenses and revenue, as well as how the business will fit within your life.
How much does it cost to buy an eCommerce business?
eCommerce businesses vary widely in price, and there are options for many different budgets. The asking price is determined by multiplying the business’s Discretionary Earnings x Some Multiple.
Who do I contact about buying an eCommerce business advertised on Quiet Light?
Reach out to us by email at [email protected] or phone (800) 746-5034.
How do I receive more information about an eCommerce business I want to buy?
To get more information like the full business summary, profit and loss statements, and a detailed interview with the owner of the business, click on the business of interest and complete the inquiry form.
What type of eCommerce businesses are available to buy at Quiet Light?
There are many different types of businesses available to buy at Quiet Light. We sell eCommerce businesses, content sites, membership businesses, Amazon FBA businesses, and more.
Contact Us About Buying an Online Business
Quiet Light is a trusted leader in the emerging niche of buying and selling profitable online businesses. To buy an online business for sale, reach out to us at [email protected] or (800) 746-5034.