
To buy a Shopify store find a reputable marketplace, check the store’s revenue and traffic, negotiate the price and use Escrow for a safe transaction.
Platforms like Flippa, Empire Flippers and FE International sell Shopify stores but you need to check profit margins, customer base and marketing strategies before buying.
Always ask for Shopify dashboard access, Google Analytics data and supplier agreements to avoid scams.
Buying a Shopify store can save you months of work compared to starting from scratch but if you buy the wrong store you can lose money fast.
Many sellers inflate their numbers with fake sales, bot traffic or unsustainable ad campaigns.
That’s why proper research is key—if you verify the financials, traffic sources and profitability you can takeover a business that’s already making money.
This guide will walk you through the exact steps to find, evaluate and buy a profitable Shopify store and avoid common mistakes.
That’s why research and verification is importrant before you buy. If you follow the right steps you can get a Shopify store that makes real profit instead of one that drains your bank account.
1. Where to Buy Shopify Stores
Not all platforms selling Shopify stores are trustworthy. Some marketplaces have strict vetting processes, others are full of low quality or misleading listings. Choosing the right marketplace is the first step in finding a profitable store.
Flippa
Flippa is one of the biggest marketplaces for buying and selling online businesses, including Shopify stores.
You can find stores at all price points, from beginner businesses to 6 figure stores. However because Flippa allows anyone to list a business the quality of stores varies greatly.
Many sellers on Flippa exaggerate their earnings or use temporary ad boosts to make their store look more profitable than it is.
If a store has sudden spikes in revenue with no clear reason, be wary. Always ask for verifiable proof of sales such as direct Shopify dashboard access or bank statements before you make an offer.
Pros:
- Stores of all sizes and price points.
- Auction system to bid on good deals.
Cons:
- Many listings have fake sales screenshots.
- Deep due diligence required
Check Out Empire Flippers
Empire Flippers
Empire Flippers is a premium marketplace that sells profitable eCommerce businesses.
Unlike Flippa, all listings are pre-vetted, so sellers must provide verifiable proof of revenue, traffic and profitability before their store is listed. This makes it a safer option for buyers.
However the minimum investment for a store on Empire Flippers is usually $50K+ which may not be suitable for beginners.
But if you’re looking for a store with a proven track record and real profit then it’s one of the best places to buy.
Pros:
- Every store is pre-vetted with verified financials.
- High quality businesses with a proven track record.
Cons:
- Higher prices, most stores start at $50K+
- 5% deposit required to see detailed store data.
Explore FE International
FE International
FE International is another high end marketplace that sells established eCommerce brands. This platform has a strict vetting process so all businesses listed have accurate financials and real sales history.
Stores on FE International are higher end of the market and often sell for $100K+.
If you have the funds and looking for a established business with real profits then this can be a good place to buy.
But not ideal for those with a smaller budget or looking for a side project.
Pros:
- Strict vetting process ensures accurate financials.
- Established brands with high profit margins.
Cons:
- High buy-in costs, most stores $100K+
- Best for experienced buyers with capital to invest.
Browse FE International
Private Deals & Facebook Groups
Some Shopify owners sell their stores privately through Facebook groups, business forums or direct outreach. Since they avoid marketplace fees they may offer better deals.
But buying privately comes with higher risks as there’s no vetting process to ensure the store is legitimate.
If you’re buying privately make sure to verify every claim the seller makes. Ask for access to their Shopify dashboard, traffic reports and payment processor accounts to confirm real revenue.
If a seller refuses to provide this information walk away.
Pros:
- Better deals without marketplace fees.
- More room to negotiate on price.
Cons:
- No vetting process so you must verify everything yourself.
- Higher risk of scams and fake sales reports.
Shopify Exchange Alternative (Facebook Group)
Sourcelow (Ready-Made Print-on-Demand Stores)
Sourcelow sells pre-built Shopify stores for print-on-demand businesses.
These stores come with preloaded products, automated fulfillment and supplier integrations so it’s a great option for beginners who want a turnkey business.
These stores are fully set up but don’t come with an existing customer base or revenue. So you’ll need to start marketing from scratch to drive traffic and sales.
If you have experience with ads or social media marketing then this can be a great way to get a business up and running quickly.
Pros:
- Store setup is done in 24-48 hours.
- Comes with suppliers and automated fulfillment integrated.
Cons:
- No existing sales or customer base—it’s a brand new store.
- You still need to market the store to drive traffic.
Sourcelow
2. What to Check Before Buying a Shopify Store
Once you’ve found a Shopify store you like the next step is to analyze the store’s performance. This is where many buyers go wrong.
They trust the revenue numbers without verifying profitability and end up buying a dud.
Many stores have big revenue numbers but low profit margins. A store making $100K per month in sales could be losing money if their expenses (ads, product costs, fulfillment) are too high.
You want to find a store with healthy margins and sustainable traffic.
Revenue & Profitability
Sales mean nothing if the store isn’t actually making money.
Ask for:
- Shopify sales reports (not just screenshots).
- Bank statements or payment processor data (Stripe, PayPal).
- Ad spend vs. revenue breakdown (a store making $100K in sales but spending $90K on ads is barely profitable).
Red flags:
- Sudden sales spikes that don’t match long term trends.
- Heavy use of discount codes (which reduces real profit).
Traffic Sources
Where is the store’s traffic coming from?
Best traffic sources:
- Organic SEO – Google rankings bring free, long term traffic.
- Social media followers with real engagement.
- Email list – Helps drive repeat sales.
Avoid stores that rely on:
- Expensive Facebook/Google ads with high ad spend.
- One viral TikTok or Instagram post (traffic will disappear overnight).
- “Direct traffic” spikes in Google Analytics (usually fake).
3. How to Check a Shopify Store’s Performance
Most people trust the seller’s words without looking at the numbers.
A store might look like it’s making $50K per month but if those numbers are inflated or unsustainable then you could end up buying a failing business.
To avoid this you need to verify everything before you buy.
Some sellers artificially inflate their store’s numbers by running short term ad campaigns just before selling.
Others use bot traffic to make their website look more popular than it really is. If you don’t check where the sales and traffic is coming from you could end up with a store that collapses as soon as you take over.
Check Google Analytics
Google Analytics is the most accurate way to see a store’s actual traffic and user behavior. Sellers can fake Shopify revenue screenshots but they can’t easily fake Google Analytics data.
Ask for:
- Read-only access to Google Analytics.
- Traffic breakdown by source (SEO, ads, social media, direct traffic).
- At least 12 months of historical data to see trends.
Red flags:
- No access to Google Analytics (they might be hiding fake traffic).
- High “Direct” traffic percentage (usually bot traffic).
- Sudden traffic spikes just before the sale (could be temporary paid ads).
If a seller won’t give you Google Analytics access then they have something to hide. A serious seller should have no problem showing this data.
Shopify Reports
The Shopify dashboard gives valuable insights into a store’s revenue, customer retention and sales trends. If you can get access to the actual Shopify reports you’ll get a clear picture of how stable the business is.
Check:
- Gross revenue vs net profit.
- Ad spend vs revenue (is it profitable or just high sales with high costs?).
- Refund rates (high return rate means unhappy customers).
Red flags:
- Big refunds or chargebacks (dropshipping quality issues).
- Sales that spiked for one or two months (fake trend).
- A business that is discount dependent (low profit margins).
Backlinks & SEO
If a store has good SEO it’s more sustainable and less dependent on ads. Organic traffic means the store gets free customers from Google and reduces the need for expensive ads.
Use:
- Ahrefs – Check domain authority and backlink quality.
- SEMrush – Analyze keyword rankings.
- Google Search Console – See organic search traffic trends.
Red flags:
- Spammy backlinks (links from shady websites).
- No organic traffic – Means they only rely on paid ads.
- Store has very few indexed pages in Google (poor SEO foundation).
4. Buying a Ready-Made Shopify Store from Sourcelow
If you don’t want to spend months building a Shopify store from scratch Sourcelow offers pre-built stores with suppliers already integrated.
These are print-on-demand (POD) businesses meaning you don’t need to hold inventory or ship products.
This is a good option if you want to start selling fast but you need to understand the trade-offs.
While the store is set up for you, these businesses don’t come with an existing customer base or proven revenue. You will still need to run ads or SEO campaigns to drive traffic and make sales.
How Sourcelow Works
Sourcelow creates fully functional Shopify stores that come with:
- Professional Shopify theme and design.
- Preloaded products from print-on-demand suppliers.
- Automated fulfillment – Orders are sent to suppliers who ship to customers.
- Marketing tools such as product descriptions and images.
Pros of Buying from Sourcelow
- Fast setup – Store is ready in 24-48 hours.
- No inventory required – All products are made on demand.
- Supplier integration included – Orders are sent to manufacturers.
Cons of Buying from Sourcelow
- No existing sales – Unlike buying an established store you’re starting from scratch.
- You still need to market the store – Facebook ads, TikTok or SEO are required.
- Not a guaranteed success – While the store is set up for you the business still depends on your marketing efforts.
5. Negotiate & Close
Once you’ve found a store that meets your criteria don’t accept the asking price. Most sellers expect to negotiate and you can often get a better deal with the right approach.
Some sellers overprice their businesses expecting to sell for 4-5x their annual profit when the standard is 2-3x annual profit. If a seller is pricing their store too high you can use the following strategies to negotiate a better price.
How to Value a Shopify Store
The most common way to value a Shopify store is using a profit multiple:
Formula:
- Shopify store valuation = Annual net profit × 2-4
Example:
- A store making $50K in annual net profit will sell for $100K-$200K.
- If a seller asks for $500K for a store making $50K per year they are overpricing it.
🚩 Red flags:
- A store with declining sales being sold at a high multiple.
- A seller who won’t provide financials.
- A store that relies too much on paid ads for revenue (high risk).
Negotiation Strategies
✅ Offer 70-80% of the asking price – Most sellers expect to negotiate.
✅ Ask for seller financing – Pay in installments not upfront.
✅ Request a transition period – Have the seller stay on for 2-4 weeks to help with the store.
Close with Escrow
Never send money to a seller directly. Use Escrow.com or a similar service to protect your payment.
How to close:
- Use Escrow.com to hold the payment until the handover is complete.
- Get a signed agreement outlining what’s included (inventory, supplier relationships, social media accounts).
- Make sure you get full admin access to Shopify, payment gateways and supplier accounts.
Red flags:
- The seller wants to use PayPal or direct wire transfer (scam risk).
- No agreement on what’s included in the sale.
- The seller is pushing you to close without verifying.
Conclusion
Buying a Shopify store can be a good investment or a bad mistake. If you take the time to check the financials, negotiate a fair price and close properly you’ll own a business that makes money from day one.
But if you rush into a purchase without checking the details you’ll end up with a store that looks good on paper but loses money fast.