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How do you sell a site?

by XIIIzen
38 replies
So I have been working on some sites for some time. Some of them make a decent income, some of them are a bit under performing, so i'm thinking about selling some of the lesser ones. So I got to the question, how do I sell it?

So my fellow warriors I come to your wisdom, which points should I take into account? Where is the best place to do sell it?

Thanks in advance for your help!
#sell #site
  • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
    The only online marketplace I have experience with is Flippa. Have you considered them yet?

    This blog (not my blog) is a proverbial goldmine of free information when it comes to site flipping:
    http://www.flipwebsites.com/
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    • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
      Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

      The only online marketplace I have experience with is Flippa. Have you considered them yet?

      This blog (not my blog) is a proverbial goldmine of free information when it comes to site flipping:
      Flip Websites | How To Make Money Online Fast with Website Flipping
      Flippa has a steep learning curve, IMHO. While I have never actually sold a site there, my one site did make it to $1,000 with 22 or 23 separate bidders. Unfortunately, I decided not to sell because that final bid fell well short of my reserve....

      Some things I may do next time:

      1) Don't throw money really into the Add-ons/upgrades until you build some comments/social proof behind it. Of course, some probably skew the comments by having friends or buddies leave comments....I didn't do that, and it was HARD to get people to show interest. It's all about getting the initial bite and addressing all questions and concerns as expeditiously as possible.

      2) I would at least consider not doing a reserve price. Not having a reserve price wont give you, as a seller, a "safety net", however, there are some buyers who won't bid simply because the reserve isn't known....tons of people will write you asking "what's your reserve"....

      Honestly, if I knew i had a killer site, I'd strongly consider starting the bid at $1, without a reserve. Seems crazy....but, there's an art and science to it all....use those initial low bidders to gradually walk the price up, validating and supporting each new price point.

      Take CONTROL of your bid, and don't let it get away from you. Honestly, when I ran mine, THAT was life...I got very little sleep....I ran email/updates through my phone, and had an alarm for it to let me know when new bids came through. If questions came through, I answered VERY quickly.

      Hope those helped...

      Anyone have any thoughts on these? Experiences?
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  • Profile picture of the author n_touch
    There are many of them out there. If you have built it well and the site is doing good, you could always try and sell it on here. There is a section that is for only websites. Other than that I would go with flippa. They have a lot of people always looking for a good deal.
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  • Profile picture of the author Blade Runner 77
    Flippa is good, plus you could look at Moniker.com.
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  • Profile picture of the author blillard
    Flippa is hands down the best market place for selling your website. One word of advice though, try seeing why your site are under performing and try to add a little more value to the site before making the flip. You'll be glad you did.
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    • Profile picture of the author XIIIzen
      Originally Posted by blillard View Post

      Flippa is hands down the best market place for selling your website. One word of advice though, try seeing why your site are under performing and try to add a little more value to the site before making the flip. You'll be glad you did.
      You do have a point, I will check it out, perhaps i targeted the wrong keywords or the design is not helping... I will make some changes for a while to test it out and if ti keeps under I will consider flippa.

      x3xsolxdierx3x Thanks for the resource I will check it out, no doubt about it.

      Thanks everyone for the quick response. This is why I like this place a lot. There is always that can help you out.
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    • Profile picture of the author Money on the Side
      Originally Posted by blillard View Post

      Flippa is hands down the best market place for selling your website. One word of advice though, try seeing why your site are under performing and try to add a little more value to the site before making the flip. You'll be glad you did.
      Flippa is ok for cheap sites, but in no way are they the "hands down" place to go. If you have a serious site that makes money, hire a business broker. I've used Flippa to sell cheapo sites quickly, but if you have a site that make good money, an online business broker is better. The one I used had high paying customers waiting for a good website to come up.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ben Gordon
    Sell your websites on Flippa. It's the largest website selling marketplace with a lot of experience so you won't have trouble with them.
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  • Profile picture of the author thegotoguy
    How would someone go about finding out how much a site is really worth? I mean some domain names with no hosting are considered EMD's and can be worth tons of money. But how would you grade a site from domain name all the way down to content and have a realistic figure to base a flip on?
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    • Profile picture of the author HamishMillar
      Originally Posted by thegotoguy View Post

      How would someone go about finding out how much a site is really worth? I mean some domain names with no hosting are considered EMD's and can be worth tons of money. But how would you grade a site from domain name all the way down to content and have a realistic figure to base a flip on?
      its worth what the markets willing to pay. when its about getting the most for your site focus on what you would be looking at if buying ie PR, unique content, ranking, seo, support etc theres no grade but there are website evaluation websites...
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  • Profile picture of the author nelaffiliate
    I sell on Flippa.com. It's a good place. Sell with escrow to get your money safely. Take a look at sites that have sold there and learn from how sellers have sold their sites.
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    • Profile picture of the author thegotoguy
      Originally Posted by nelaffiliate View Post

      I sell on Flippa.com. It's a good place. Sell with escrow to get your money safely. Take a look at sites that have sold there and learn from how sellers have sold their sites.
      Thanks! Good advice! I listed one of my sites on Flippa and now I'll wait to see how it does!
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  • Profile picture of the author jt808
    I also would recommend selling them on Flippa if you want to get your site in front of as many buyers as possible.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
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    Flippa has the most buyers. Depends too on just how underperforming they are. Flippa users will of course be looking for sites that already have revenue and traffic so the more they have, the more valuable they will be.

    To see what kind of sites sell the best on Flippa, go to Flippa and click on just sold tab. That should give you a good idea of what you can get for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author simonbuzz
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    Use Flippa cause it's the best in selling sites
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  • Profile picture of the author saif1337
    You know you can even sell it on ebay, theres not many people doing it but i've seen websites for sale on there
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  • Profile picture of the author ProvenViral
    The best place to sell a website would be some place like Flippa where you will be able to see what's selling and whats not. Check out the just sold auctions so that you can see what is hot and what people are buying in the market. Usually people purchase websites that have either alot of traffic and/or making alot of money.
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  • Profile picture of the author Claire Sharp
    You can sell it at Flippa. Flippa is the best selling market place for websites.
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  • Profile picture of the author ankushkohli
    You can try flippa, sedo & various other popular forums like: warrior, digital point etc..
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  • Profile picture of the author DeusX
    Great place (AND FREE) is DigitalPoint Forum - I've sold my site in 4 days there
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  • Profile picture of the author TryBPO
    We're starting to become "regular" sellers on Flippa and can give a few points that work well for us:

    1. Say who you are. Many sellers hide behind anonymity but that's not a good idea, people spending money want to know who they're giving it to. Put yourself out there, it's worth it, unless you don't stand behind your offer.

    2. Message EVERY bidder. It's a pain, but we send a message out to each new bidder with MORE information about us. It adds to the buyer feeling comfortable doing business with us, and might squeak in a few extra bids in the end, getting us more value.

    3. Detailed reporting of EVERYTHING. We're exhausive in listing out the information available in tons of screenshots, data in the ad, etc. You'll avoid silly questions by giving them all the information upfront and look less like you're trying to "hide something".

    4. Start it off at $1 No Reserve. It's a bit more risky, but completely worth it. There's value in getting on the "Most Active" section of Flippa and if you get more bids you'll get there. Selling your sites for No Reserve definitely gets you more bids.

    5. Feature the auction 24-48 hours from the end of the auction. Flippa auctions don't always end when they're supposed to...each new bid adds an additional four hours. I'm not sure about all of the other add-ons to the auction (highlighting, bold, etc.) but I KNOW this one works...it puts you on the first page of Flippa in the last 2 days with No Reserve...a good place to be. You might want to think about bumping it up to the first page again towards the end if you're getting quite a bit of action and the price is high enough...another bid would get you another $50 at least, depending on where the price is, currently.

    6. DON'T sell yourself short. No Reserve means you'll get quite a few visits early, then nothing...will be quite for a bit. People will contact you trying to see if you'll put a BuyItNow up or will sell to them privately. Don't give in! They're normally experienced buyers trying to get your price down OR they read some latest/greatest WSO explaining how to take some value away.

    Take a look at our site, AdSenseFlippers for more info and best of luck!!
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  • Profile picture of the author seriousdave
    I think Flippa are the bet guys to handle this.
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  • Profile picture of the author thegotoguy
    So are you saying "NOT" to set a buy it now price? I set one along with a reserve.
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  • Profile picture of the author anhart23
    go for flippa. that is the best take but there are a lot of other places for doing the same too. If your site is good enough, it would be sold before you even know it
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  • Profile picture of the author Wage Mills
    try flippa or forums
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  • Profile picture of the author cooljapra
    Flippa is the best option i think
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  • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
    With all due respect, there are a TON of one liner posts here...to a thread that could become extremely valuable.

    To everyone who has said "use Flippa...it's the best"....give us some substance...something to sink our teeth into. What kind of experience have you had? Recommendations?
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  • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
    I'd also be VERY cautious about using the word "potential" in your Flippa sales copy....

    That word can be the kiss of death.

    Thoughts?
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    • Profile picture of the author Ryan Sorensen
      Definitely have to add in on this thread. I've only been selling sites since Feb, 2011 but since have sold just over $35K worth of sites on Flippa, $10K privately.

      The number one thing you can do to boost final sales prices and number of sites that actually get sold is your TRUST. I'm not talking about just your trust rating. I'm talking about how you handle the auction - whether your copy and website info is thorough, honest, and unhyped. If you tell it like it is, making it obvious right away what buyers are looking for (traffic numbers and sources, monthly profit, maintenance requirements, and how they can take it to the next level) then you stand a greater chance that people will stop, look, and listen to what you have to say. Most buyers can spot BS pretty quickly.

      If people ask a question, be thorough and quick to respond. You're asking them to drop $5K on a site, wouldn't you want to do everything in your power to help them make an educated buying decision? The more they know about it, the more comfortable they feel about purchasing.

      The winning formula is this: TRAFFIC - REVENUE - TRUST

      For starter sites I suggest concentrating on the positive aspects of the site (maybe it's already ranking for a few keywords), give the potential buyers clear instructions on what to do to grow it out, and try not to over hype it. Yeah you could squeeze out a $100 here or there with some hard hype but in the long run you'll be throwing away opportunities to grow a long term business with serious website buyers.

      Just from my experience...
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      • Profile picture of the author TryBPO
        Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

        TryBPO,

        With that said, is there ANY information that you would recommend NOT giving out, at least initially? I know that people appreciate information, and they tend to not even consider those who are attempting to pull the wool over their eyes....then, I wonder if there's a way to strategically use subtle voids in information to stimulate discussion and comments -- social proof of interest -- in the comment's section. hm...
        We always love to add comments to our auction. It adds to the social proof, because the number of comments shows up in the search results and (we think) people are more likely to click on an auction that has some discussion...similar to being the same reason people bid on auctions that have more action.

        Interesting point about holding back and giving more to the curious, but we haven't tried this and can't speak to it. My gut tells me that it's better to give more of the information up front...it avoids silly questions in the auction. We have had questions, though, asking for per-site breakdowns on income and have added those screenshots after the fact and, I think, going even further once the auction is up just helps to solidify your trust with potential buyers.

        Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

        I'd also be VERY cautious about using the word "potential" in your Flippa sales copy....

        That word can be the kiss of death.

        Thoughts?
        We use "potential" but just in the aspect of giving ideas as to what they can do with the sites after purchase. We're intentionally a little vague here, just presenting a seed and letting the potential buyer put their own experiences/spin on the idea and letting them determine what the sites are worth and how they can expand, based on what they know and are familiar with. It's true, though, people HATE the auctions that say things like "This site is worth (potentially) $2,000 a month!" When it's currently only earning $80/month! It makes you look...well...fake.

        Originally Posted by Ryan Sorensen View Post

        The number one thing you can do to boost final sales prices and number of sites that actually get sold is your TRUST. I'm not talking about just your trust rating. I'm talking about how you handle the auction - whether your copy and website info is thorough, honest, and unhyped. If you tell it like it is, making it obvious right away what buyers are looking for (traffic numbers and sources, monthly profit, maintenance requirements, and how they can take it to the next level) then you stand a greater chance that people will stop, look, and listen to what you have to say. Most buyers can spot BS pretty quickly.

        For starter sites I suggest concentrating on the positive aspects of the site (maybe it's already ranking for a few keywords), give the potential buyers clear instructions on what to do to grow it out, and try not to over hype it. Yeah you could squeeze out a $100 here or there with some hard hype but in the long run you'll be throwing away opportunities to grow a long term business with serious website buyers.

        Just from my experience...
        We totally agree with Ryan, here. It's ALL about trust. Not over-hyping the auction copy tends to bring in the buyers we'd rather work with, anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
    This thread is a perpetual goldmine of awesome ideas and experience.

    When crafting sales copy, I definitely think wording should be used that can stimulate comments and discussion. Haven't tried this myself, but I wouldn't discount the idea of just being forward with people about commenting...."If you have any questions, or concerns, we ask that you comment below, rather than by email or PM..."

    I recall receiving alot of emails that I really wish people would have just added to the Flippa listing comment's section itself.
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  • Profile picture of the author ianspencer
    Yeh Flippa is a good way to sell your website
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  • Profile picture of the author TryBPO
    Yes, if we get a particularly useful PM, we'll share that PM in the comments section and answer it ourselves. That way, we're not stuck repeating the same answers to PMs to multiple people.

    Also...if someone was willing to take the time to PM you and had a question about something...you can guess/imagine that there might have been 5-10 others that had the same question but just didn't bother to PM you about it. Getting it answered for them might sneak yourself in a few extra bidders to the auction.
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    • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
      Originally Posted by TryBPO View Post

      Yes, if we get a particularly useful PM, we'll share that PM in the comments section and answer it ourselves. That way, we're not stuck repeating the same answers to PMs to multiple people.

      Also...if someone was willing to take the time to PM you and had a question about something...you can guess/imagine that there might have been 5-10 others that had the same question but just didn't bother to PM you about it. Getting it answered for them might sneak yourself in a few extra bidders to the auction.
      Seems like the best approach to safeguard your time, rather than responding, to repeat askers, with the same answer.

      I wonder if anyone else here has tried starting their flippa bid at $1 with no reserve price...? hm
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  • Profile picture of the author ramonavandusen
    This vary and will depend on several factors counting what platform the site is built on, how much work is required, how transferable the monetization strategy is, how much certification has been done of the processes, and other considerations.
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