Online store for sale

OneYorkshireLass

I was looking at an online store for sale where the owners had set everything up, have suppliers and the website is ready to go, but they haven't taken any orders and don't intend to because they have 'other committments'.

After all that work why wouldn't they at least run it for a little while?

Does it sound dodgy?

bris

They make and sell them, that is their other commitments. All you get is a ready made website and a list of suppliers that are available elsewhere. There are a lot of people selling these so called web site businesses.

OneYorkshireLass

No, they've stated they were going to run it (it was their 'baby') until something else came up. It doesn't read like one of those set-up-and-sell types.

Although having just found the website, I'll be staying clear as it looks like I've made it (it's pretty awful)!

motorguy

OneYorkshireLass wrote: »

No, they've stated they were going to run it (it was their 'baby') until something else came up. It doesn't read like one of those set-up-and-sell types.

Although having just found the website, I'll be staying clear as it looks like I've made it (it's pretty awful)!

Because setting up a website and finding a few suppliers is the relatively cheap part - driving traffic to your site is the tricky part, oh - and being competitive with everyone else thats in the same market.

nonnatus

Maybe a trick, but I have a friend who set up a terrific online business. Had a great website, a customer list of around 2000 (and growing every day) and a substantial amount of stock.

Then he was diagnosed with Terminal Cancer. He was given a very short while to live and started immediate Chemo to try and get a bit more time.
But his business had to go. He had the same problem with sceptical people wondering why he was packing in such a new venture and so was forced to reveal his illness, which was horrible for him and the prospective buyer.
He decided against selling in the end and has passed the running of the business to a relative.

Maybe the sellers in the OP just didn't want the world and his wife knowing intimate family details?

martindow

nonnatus wrote: »

Maybe a trick, but I have a friend who set up a terrific online business. Had a great website, a customer list of around 2000 (and growing every day) and a substantial amount of stock.

And a turnover from sales? This should be saleable and is very different for the OP who is being offered a pretty web page and no sales or customers.

LianneCarlaS

It's pretty worthless unless you had your heart set on that particular domain. Buy a domain for <£10 install a shopping cart (plenty of freeware out there such as zen cart get someone else to install it for a small amount if you aren't tech savvy) and spend a few hours calling suppliers which you would need to do even with the suppliers they have been in contact with because you would be a new customer and then spend a lot of time and/or money getting traffic.

Unless it's an up and running business with traffic that is converting into sales or a domain name you really really really really want then there isn't actually anything they are selling you