Acquiring and operating a drop shipping business is one of the most lucrative things you can do as an e-commerce entrepreneur in 2024. It’s a great way to jump-start your trading career if you’re new to the market or to enhance your portfolio further.
Operating an online business is no easy feat, though, especially if you have to build a dropshipping business from scratch. Thankfully, there are thousands of dropshipping businesses for sale right now. Here’s how to buy a dropshipping store.
Why Buy a Dropshipping Store?
Dropshipping businesses offer many advantages compared to traditional shipping businesses. Key among these is that you don’t need to rent out or buy storage space for your inventory, as you’re effectively just an intermediary between the client and the manufacturer.
But the biggest advantage of a dropshipping business is its scalability, which is practically infinite. Your operation can and will grow depending on how much effort you and your team invest in it. By optimizing your business, you’ll be able to offer your services 24/7, guaranteeing you a source of passive income.
Types of Dropshipping Stores You Can Buy
There are many different types of dropshipping businesses, each with its own unique layout and contents. If you’re looking to acquire an existing website, the following three types should interest you the most.
Pre-Built Dropshipping Stores
Pre-built dropshipping stores are sort of like store templates. They are stores that don’t give you much wiggle room to customize them as they’re already a finished product. As the name suggests, these stores come with everything pre-configured – from the website design to the chosen niche and product range. They’re designed to be a turnkey solution, meaning you can take the reins right away.
Custom-made Dropshipping Stores
Purchasing a custom-made dropshipping business can cost quite a lot upfront, but it’s the only way to guarantee you’ll get what you ordered.
Going for a custom-made store gives you greater control over your business’s direction. However, it requires time and effort to create. It’s a perfect choice if you have specific goals, unique product propositions, or a novel niche in mind.
It’s worth noting that certain sites like WooDropship have plugins that allow you to do similar things.
Established Dropshipping Stores
Established dropshipping stores are sites that have already established themselves on the market.
An established store is a business that’s already up and running with a track record of traffic and sales. This kind of store comes with an established customer base, SEO rankings, and often, recognizable branding.
Opting for an established store eliminates the uncertainty that comes with starting from scratch. It provides you an immediate headstart. However, with such promising benefits also come higher prices. Remember though, the initial investment you put into purchasing an established store may parallel the potential revenue it can generate.
Always bear in mind that success won’t come instantly even after purchasing any type of ready-made dropshipping store. With constant effort in maintaining, advertising, and introducing new ideas, your store can experience significant growth over time whatever the type may be.
What to Look for Before You Buy a Dropshipping Business?
Conducting proper research and making an all-encompassing plan is paramount if you don’t want to get burned when purchasing a dropshipping business. Most importantly, there are many factors you have to consider first.
Financials and Performance
First, consider your budget range, but more importantly, how much revenue potential your business will have. If it’s an already existing business, statistics like traffic sources and customer reviews can give you valuable insight into its average sales.
Products and Suppliers
Think about what sort of products you’ll be selling and what niche you’ll be competing in, as that will determine the profitability of your endeavor. Try to stock various goods, but make sure they all have good reviews in the public’s eye.
Additionally, make sure to find a reputable supplier that will deliver the products on time. Try to develop and maintain your relationships with your suppliers, as they may offer you exclusive items or even discounts in the future.
Website and Brand
If you purchase a custom-made store, you’re effectively starting from zero. But if you’re acquiring a pre-existing business, you should consider the brand’s reputation in the public’s eye, the business’s functionality, and its growth potential.
Overall Business Health
If someone has listed their dropshipping business for sale, there’s probably a very good reason why it’s for sale. Inquire about it when contacting the owner. If they give a shady response, steer clear of that domain.
The last thing you want on your hands is a website experiencing legal or serious operational issues. Even if it’s something less serious, like a decline in traffic, inquire about it and include it in your deliberations about whether to purchase the website.
10 Marketplaces to Buy Dropshipping Stores in 2024
Once you’ve decided what sort of dropshipping business you want to purchase, it’s time to finalize your decision and begin your dropshipping journey. Here’s our choice for the top 10 marketplaces to buy dropshipping stores in 2024.
Flippa
Flippa is one of the world’s premiere website brokers. It is highly regarded because of its seamless user interface, allowing you to browse its many categories easily. This is quite handy if you’re looking for something specific.
Advantages of Flippa
- Flippa’s dashboard has Google Ads and Semrush integrated, allowing you to see the specifics of a website’s operational history in detail
- Extensive web filters for browsing and locating exactly what you need
- Detailed analytics that outline the site’s potential growth
Disadvantages of Flippa
- High potential of getting scammed due to Flippa’s policy of accepting any site
- Escrow fees due to their use of third-party software for transactions
- No migration support for websites
Pricing
Flippa lists a wide range of sites, and the prices of these sites can range anywhere between $10K and $10M+. They also offer self-service listing packages where you can choose between the Entry ($29), Boosted ($49), and Premium ($199).
Empire Flippers
Empire Flippers primarily made a name for itself by listing high-end businesses. Each listing is carefully analyzed for its legitimacy and cataloged appropriately.
Advantages of Empire Flippers
- Every essential statistic about a specific business is included in their listings
- Fewer scams are present on account of their scrutinous vetting process
- Extensive support service that helps with everything from legal proceedings to post-purchase support and migration support
Disadvantages of Empire Flippers
- They primarily focus on high-end sites
- Their listing gets updated weekly
- Higher fees on average
Pricing
Because Empire Flippers primarily focuses on higher-end listings, their prices tend to start at a higher price point than usual. Currently, their most affordable listing is around $28k, with higher-end listings reaching up to $4,2mil.
AliDropship
Unlike the previous services, AliDropship has a plugin that allows you to create your own dropship business from scratch. Additionally, it also lists thousands of dropshipping stores for sale that they curate for you to choose from.
Advantages of AliDropship
- You get complete ownership of the businesses you build and the ones you purchase
- Building a business is made easier with the help of a personal manager
- Their automation systems allow you to better manage and market your business
Disadvantages of AliDropship
- Many of their plugins are premium options
- Their one-click import function only works on Google Chrome
- Limited design options because of major locked functions (layout, header & menu positions, etc.)
Pricing
AliDropship offers many packages, but two are primarily relevant to us. Their pre-built package is free for the first 14 days, but afterward, it costs $39/m, and their design plugin requires a single purchase of $89.
Brandafy
Brandafy is a great option for people looking for a seller that offers an extensive brand-creation toolkit and ongoing support in that regard. They mostly offer turnkey sites, but their ongoing support for said sites has made them legendary.
Advantages of Brandafy
- An extensive list of high-quality sites
- Expedient store delivery with an average delivery time between 1 and 3 days.
- The stores themselves come with an ads strategy, supplier integration features, and lifetime support
Disadvantages of Brandafy
- Some users have reported that their customer support is unresponsive
- Their design services are sometimes sub-par
- They sometimes miscategorize products
Pricing
Brandafy offers pre-built stores for free. It also offers an advanced store package starting at $17 and a store management and assistance package for $1,297/m.
StartStorez
StartStorez is similar to Brandafy. What they do differently is that the price of their businesses increases based on the number of products you intend to list on them rather than by the age/history of the store.
Advantages of StartStorez
- Their basic plan is quite extensive and offers all the tools you’ll need to begin your shipping journey
- Each store comes with automation systems, social media integration, and 24/7 customer support
- You can easily add items to the business with only a few clicks
Disadvantages of StartStorez
- Similar services can be found at other sites for a more affordable price
- Certain users have reported copyright issues stemming from their designs
- No trial options
Pricing
StartStorez offers three product tiers. Their one-product store costs $65/m, their 12-product store costs $99/m, and their 30-product store costs $129/m.
Acquire
Acquire has one of the most diverse ranges of listings; it’s similar to Flippa in that regard. Where they differ is in the quality of the debrief. Not only does Acquire show all the essential statistics, like history and potential, but it also has 20+ other financial metrics.
Advantages of Acquire
- Extremely detailed website report
- Ability to finance a purchase via their partnership with Clearco
- Easy to navigate and secure
Disadvantages of Acquire
- They only offer annual subscriptions
- Canceling a subscription is an arduous ordeal
- Some users have reported receiving AI-generated startups
Pricing
Acquire offers three plans. Their basic plan is free, and you can see their listings. Their premium plan will set you back $390/ year, and their platinum plan is a more sizeable $780/annually but will offer more perks as well.
Dropbuild
Dropbuild is pretty neat because not only do they give you a site with all the required requisites, but they’ll also create video ads for your marketing campaigns and ad copies — something that few other sites offer.
Advantages of Dropbuild
- Video ads and ad copy are a part of their bundles
- Their designs are meticulously optimized
- Lifetime support and guidance
Disadvantages of Dropbuild
- Certain users report long shipping times
- Their operational guidance can be misleading sometimes
- No pre-made businesses on offer
Pricing
Dropbuild does not offer subscriptions. Instead, it charges a lifetime support fee of $449 for a one-product store or $599 for a niche store.
DropCommerce
DropCommerce mainly focuses on offering high-quality pre-built businesses in a variety of niches. It has been praised for its ease of integration with platforms like BigCommerce, Shoplazza, and others.
Advantages of DropCommerce
- High-quality listings
- Easy to integrate with other platforms
- Fast delivery times
Disadvantages of DropCommerce
- Their products are quite expensive, comparatively
- They primarily operate in the North American market
- No low-budget options
Pricing
DropCommerce has 5 product tiers. The free tier allows you to browse through their site and make orders but offers no other benefits. Subsequent tiers cost $19/m, $49/m, $89/m, and $149/m. Pre-builds are also available, starting at $249 and up to $999.
Ecommerceify
Ecommerceify is a lesser-known service but a solid option if you want to obtain a high-quality dropshipping business with ongoing support. Their delivery times are quite fast, and they’re attentive to your instructions.
Advantages of Ecommerceify
- Fast delivery times
- Full ownership after purchase
- Ongoing support for the latest best-selling products
Disadvantages of Ecommerceify
- Their prices are quite expensive
- You only get full support with the advanced plan
- Their special offer does not apply to custom stores
Pricing
Ecommerceify has four packages. Their custom store packages are $199 and $349, respectively, and their pre-build packages are $149 and up to $299.
DropshipForSale
DropshipForSale specializes in delivering tailored websites for a variety of niches. They’re great if you want to pursue a more esoteric niche.
Advantages of DropshipForSale
- Extensive post-purchase support
- Covers diverse niches
- Has tools that allow the user to customize their store further however they want
Disadvantages of DropshipForSale
- Their inventory management system is a bit weird to use
- Some users have reported dissatisfaction with the product they received
- Some users have reported issues with site transfers
Pricing
The cost of DropshipForSale’s websites tends to vary greatly. Their basic plan for building a website is only $20, but if you want to buy a pre-built store, it’ll cost you anywhere between $399 and $1,250.
Should You Buy or Build Your First Dropshipping Store?
This is the burning question: Should you buy a dropshipping business or get a business custom-made just for you? Both have advantages and disadvantages, so let’s discuss them.
Buying Dropshipping Business for Sale: Pros and Cons
The main benefit of purchasing an existing dropshipping store is that you’ll save a lot of time that would have otherwise been used on building it. Another key benefit is that most pre-built businesses immediately generate income for you.
The con, however, is that these businesses are fairly expensive. What’s more, if they’re already a developed brand, it’s nearly impossible to rebrand without suffering some consequences.
Building Dropshipping Store: Pros and Cons
Building your own dropshipping business is great because it allows you to customize every minute detail about the business and its contents. If you need to build a store to support your brand, building your own is the way to go.
However, it is a time-consuming process, even with plugins and a support manager helping you. Additionally, it might be a while before you start seeing sales and generating income because it has no name just yet.
Doing Your Due Diligence: Use Koala Inspector to determine if a store is a right fit
You wouldn’t buy a brand new or used car without first trying it out and taking it for a drive, so what makes it different when it comes to buying an online business? Don’t just pick the first store that a platform is selling – make the choice that is best for you.
Doing your due diligence before making a big dropshipping purchase lowers the odds of dropshipping failure, in an oversaturated dropshipping store industry. There are many other stores you must compete with. Reduce your risk of buying a dropshipping store that won’t produce good results, by using Koala Inspector to reveal the store’s statistics, products, and strategies.
Koala Inspector is our custom build trusted e-commerce and dropshipping companion tool, built for e-commerce and dropshipping store owners like you. Using this tool, over 95,000 dropshipping users have made the most of the Shopify store platform and revealed competitor insights to get ahead when dropshipping. It also provides all the dropshipping analytics you need to decide whether a prebuilt, custom-built, or existing Shopify dropshipping store is worth your money at all.
Conclusion
When you start dropshipping, buying a prebuilt, custom, or existing store can truly be a great way to not only save time and money but do things correctly and jump into action instantly. With millions of dropshipping stores in the market, the most important thing is to stand out from the crowd. Pick an eye-catching store that will stick out to customers at first glance and start selling immediately!
Using the top amrketplaces provide flexibility, options, and filters that bring you closer to the dropshipping store of your dreams. Gone are the days when you had to clumsily navigate Shopify’s tools to piece together an e-commerce dropshipping site. With this option, you can even run a one-man operation and become a solopreneur easily.
And while you’re chasing the dream, don’t forget to download Koala Inspector, the best Google Chrome extension to assess and examine dropshipping stores to make sure you’re making a wise purchase. Download it here and start unraveling hidden e-commerce store data and analytics.
