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I sold a site for $11 and it's since made over $10,000

by juk123
50 replies
Always be careful when selling websites with income. It's better to keep hold of them. I've made a couple of mistakes. I sold a site on Flippa for $11 so after fees I was negative. The site has gone on to make over $10,000.

Another site I sold for $175 which has made the new owner $4,500 so far.

I think selling websites with revenue is too much of a risk as you might make a short term profit but you miss out on long term profits.
#$10 #$11 #made #site #sold
  • Profile picture of the author discrat
    Hey juk,
    It might be kind of neat to let people here at WF take a look at these Sites. Especially that first one.

    If you do not wish too, thats cool

    But this is very interesting.

    Thanks,
    Robert Andrew
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      There's no guarantee the sites would have made that money for you - it may have been what the new owners did to the sites that increased profit.

      But - since you built the sites and they are profitable - nothing to keep you from building more of the same and keeping them, is there?
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    • Profile picture of the author juk123
      Originally Posted by discrat View Post

      Hey juk,
      It might be kind of neat to let people here at WF take a look at these Sites. Especially that first one.

      If you do not wish too, thats cool

      But this is very interesting.

      Thanks,
      Robert Andrew
      I'll send you the links so you can see the sites and the live traffic.
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      • Profile picture of the author IMPromocoder
        Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

        I'll send you the links so you can see the sites and the live traffic.
        Would love to get that info too.
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        • Profile picture of the author Kay King
          I installed eXtreme tracker on each site so I can still view the traffic
          I think it's highly unethical that you can still view site stats for a site you no longer own.

          I wouldn't buy a site from you.
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          Dear April: I don't want any trouble from you.
          January was long, February was iffy, March was a freaking dumpster fire.
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          • Profile picture of the author juk123
            Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

            I think it's highly unethical that you can still view site stats for a site you no longer own.

            I wouldn't buy a site from you.
            Why unethical? I can't force someone to remove the public stats tracker on the sites. Think before you speak woman.
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            • Profile picture of the author Tom B
              Banned
              Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

              Why unethical? I can't force someone to remove the public stats tracker on the sites. Think before you speak woman.
              Your response to Kay indicates she was correct in her assumption.

              You could contact the seller and inform them they still have the tracker. That is what I would consider good customer service.
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            • Profile picture of the author axus_auto
              Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

              Why unethical? I can't force someone to remove the public stats tracker on the sites. Think before you speak woman.
              If you're getting the stats from the public stats tracker, then you most likely do not know where the traffic is coming from.

              Which also means the current owner of the site probably paid for the traffic or worked hard for the traffic, There are a few ways the owner could have done this, eg. utilizing current sites, social media accounts, ppc etc.

              I believe you're probably mistaken in thinking that the site naturally gained traffic and suddenly became very profitable..
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          • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
            Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

            I think it's highly unethical that you can still view site stats for a site you no longer own.

            I wouldn't buy a site from you.
            I've flipped sites before and they never removed the tracking, nor did they swap out some of the affiliate links. That site consistently STILL makes me about $500-600/mo. Is it unethical that I haven't reached out and said hey, the site you bought for me is still making me money because you weren't thorough?

            I don't think it's a matter of being unethical... you sell something as is, it is their responsibility to swap out code.
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            • Profile picture of the author kilgore
              Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

              I don't think it's a matter of being unethical... you sell something as is, it is their responsibility to swap out code.
              So they have to read every line of code you've written or it's their responsibility that you're tracking them? Sorry, but this makes no sense. And if you left a backdoor would it also be the new owner's responsibility to harden their site against your intrusion?

              Think about it this way: if I sold a house and but left a bunch of hidden security cameras in it and kept access to the pictures, that would not only be unethical, it would also be illegal. I'm no lawyer, but it wouldn't surprise me if keeping access to site analytics runs afoul of the law too.

              When you buy a site, you should also get all the accounts that support that site, including any analytics or other tracking accounts. If they're somehow tied to the original owner, the original owner should disable them or at the very least let the new buyer know about them so that he or she can deal with them. It's no longer your site and no longer your data, plain and simple. If you're making money from it you're stealing. If you're peeking at its stats you're no better than a hacker.
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            • Profile picture of the author Thomas Smale
              Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

              I've flipped sites before and they never removed the tracking, nor did they swap out some of the affiliate links. That site consistently STILL makes me about $500-600/mo. Is it unethical that I haven't reached out and said hey, the site you bought for me is still making me money because you weren't thorough?

              I don't think it's a matter of being unethical... you sell something as is, it is their responsibility to swap out code.
              This is bullshit.

              Let's use your logic in a different scenario.

              You sell a house to someone. The house has 3 sets of keys. They forget to collect 1 set, so you still have them. Does that mean you can let yourself in to have a look around? No.

              Same goes for a website/business sale. You have sold the assets - no longer yours to use or monitor.

              Your attitude is one of the reasons places like Flippa gets such a bad reputation - so many people get ripped off or deal with sellers who think it's acceptable to do stuff like that post-sale.
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            • Profile picture of the author Tsnyder
              Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

              I've flipped sites before and they never removed the tracking, nor did they swap out some of the affiliate links. That site consistently STILL makes me about $500-600/mo. Is it unethical that I haven't reached out and said hey, the site you bought for me is still making me money because you weren't thorough?

              I don't think it's a matter of being unethical... you sell something as is, it is their responsibility to swap out code.
              Yeah... I think it's highly unethical. Your links should have been removed prior to delivery.

              Make whatever excuse you like... honest people know better.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

    Another site I sold for $175 which has made the new owner $4,500 so far.
    I guess one question is whether the incomes, in each case, are attributable to work already done before the sale, or to the work and skills of the new owners? Or what proportion of each? Which can cometimes be pretty difficult to specify?

    Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

    I think selling websites with revenue is too much of a risk as you might make a short term profit but you miss out on long term profits.
    Yes, I hear you there. (I've never sold one, myself: in my case, the income always tends to be derived by "unseen work and skills" not directly connected with the websites themselves, but with their monetization by list-building and email marketing.)

    You can perhaps replace them with something else, though, having done it all before?

    .
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    • Profile picture of the author juk123
      I installed eXtreme tracker on each site so I can still view the traffic. The new owner has done nothing to the sites apart from add in his affiliate links. No changes made on-page and no backlinking. These sites made money without any link building at all as they were based around long tail local terms.

      I know how much I was making for every 100 visitors (it worked out at $175). Each site has had around 25,000 organic visitors since selling so that is how I can calculate approximately how much each site has made.
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

        I installed eXtreme tracker on each site so I can still view the traffic.
        Ouch ... do their owners know this?

        .
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        • Profile picture of the author juk123
          Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

          Ouch ... do their owners know this?

          .
          Yes it's the free public eXtreme tracker that shows up on every page.
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      • Profile picture of the author Sid Hale
        So at the end of the day...

        Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

        I installed eXtreme tracker on each site so I can still view the traffic. The new owner has done nothing to the sites apart from add in his affiliate links. No changes made on-page and no backlinking. These sites made money without any link building at all as they were based around long tail local terms.

        I know how much I was making for every 100 visitors (it worked out at $175). Each site has had around 25,000 organic visitors since selling so that is how I can calculate approximately how much each site has made.
        So all you really know is that the site is now receiving much more traffic.

        There are many different sources of traffic, and different levels of quality in that traffic. The new owner could very well have implemented a new traffic strategy producing a lot more visits to the site, with virtually no increase in sales.
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        • Profile picture of the author juk123
          Originally Posted by Sid Hale View Post

          So at the end of the day...



          So all you really know is that the site is now receiving much more traffic.

          There are many different sources of traffic, and different levels of quality in that traffic. The new owner could very well have implemented a new traffic strategy producing a lot more visits to the site, with virtually no increase in sales.
          No changes have been made since selling. I have a very specific way of generating thousands of Google/Yahoo/Bing visitors with zero backlinking and I get instant first page rankings for almost every keyword I go after.

          Most traffic comes in from unique phrases that aren't listed on any keyword tool. It's hard to explain without revealing one of the sites. What I will say is my site targeted Indian states and cities and was making me nice money before I sold it. Traffic went to zero - listed it for sale. During the auction the traffic suddenly came back so I had to sell.
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      • Profile picture of the author savidge4
        Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

        I installed eXtreme tracker on each site so I can still view the traffic. The new owner has done nothing to the sites apart from add in his affiliate links. No changes made on-page and no backlinking. These sites made money without any link building at all as they were based around long tail local terms.

        I know how much I was making for every 100 visitors (it worked out at $175). Each site has had around 25,000 organic visitors since selling so that is how I can calculate approximately how much each site has made.
        To sell a site at a loss that "was" I presume actually making money was not a "mistake" on your part, but I am sorry, that was just plain STUPID.
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        • Profile picture of the author juk123
          Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

          To sell a site at a loss that "was" I presume actually making money was not a "mistake" on your part, but I am sorry, that was just plain STUPID.
          I couldn't agree more. I am a prize idiot for selling them.
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  • Profile picture of the author borsaronero
    If you sold it for $11 dollars probably was not Worthing more at that time. If it reach such results is thanks to the new owner and new strategy.

    If someone buy an existing domain he knows what there is to do, and probably also is ready to invest money. Maybe to get $10.000 he invests $8.000 in setting up strategy and website.

    The best advice is to understand what this people buy, with your domain. This is a skill probably yu have and you don't know to have. You will set something on this domains that people that know how to make money are interested in.

    So you can:
    1) Sell this skill or setup domain in the same way and seel them for higher price.
    2) Learn what this people do on the domain to use your skill and convert in money and do it yourself.

    If I am in you I will do both. Setup a selling domain business and investigate what did this people do to make their website a good business and try to replicate the path.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom Addams
    Ouch!

    I rarely sell websites. I prefer to:

    1. Buy a domain and develop a site around it.
    2. Buy a website and develop it.

    That's painful, buddy.

    But at least you learned a lesson. I mean, yes, there is plenty of money in selling or flipping websites; that's a fact. But perhaps you're best at holding onto them and developing. We all have our strengths. Perhaps one of your strengths is coming up with a killer idea for a website and setting it up. Not a bad strength to have!

    GRM
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    • Profile picture of the author kilgore
      Out of curiosity, how do you even know how much those sites are making? Surely when you sold them you transferred access to any relevant data sources about the website, right? If I bought a site from you I certainly wouldn't want you still in my financials!

      That aside, as has already been stated by Kay and Alexa, just because the site is making more now doesn't mean that it would have made the same with you at the helm. In fact, one of my (long-term) goals is to sell my business largely because I know that I'm better at creating new companies than managing mature companies while for other people the opposite is true. I'd fully expect the new owners of my business to make more money with it than I do. Why else would they buy it?
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  • Profile picture of the author JNano
    It happens sometimes. Like Alexa said you don't know for sure if it's something you did or if the new owner's skills/marketing made it possible for the site to grow like that.
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  • Profile picture of the author daviddifranco
    Damn... That's quite the turnaround. Don't beat yourself up over it, though. Learn from your experience and improve with your next project. Life is all about experience.
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  • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
    Do you have any more web sites for sale?
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    :)

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    • Profile picture of the author juk123
      Originally Posted by mojojuju View Post

      Do you have any more web sites for sale?
      No!!! lol

      I get bugged by previous buyers all the time asking if I have any more. Never again will I sell a site getting free traffic from my local/affiliate method. From now on I only sell sites that do not have traffic (turnkey sites).
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    • Profile picture of the author Stevie C
      Originally Posted by mojojuju View Post

      Do you have any more web sites for sale?
      Make sure you remove eXtreme tracker if he sells you one
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      • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
        Originally Posted by kilgore View Post

        So they have to read every line of code you've written or it's their responsibility that you're tracking them? Sorry, but this makes no sense. And if you left a backdoor would it also be the new owner's responsibility to harden their site against your intrusion?

        Think about it this way: if I sold a house and but left a bunch of hidden security cameras in it and kept access to the pictures, that would not only be unethical, it would also be illegal. I'm no lawyer, but it wouldn't surprise me if keeping access to site analytics runs afoul of the law too.

        When you buy a site, you should also get all the accounts that support that site, including any analytics or other tracking accounts. If they're somehow tied to the original owner, the original owner should disable them or at the very least let the new buyer know about them so that he or she can deal with them. It's no longer your site and no longer your data, plain and simple. If you're making money from it you're stealing. If you're peeking at its stats you're no better than a hacker.
        Originally Posted by Thomas Smale View Post

        This is bullshit.

        Let's use your logic in a different scenario.

        You sell a house to someone. The house has 3 sets of keys. They forget to collect 1 set, so you still have them. Does that mean you can let yourself in to have a look around? No.

        Same goes for a website/business sale. You have sold the assets - no longer yours to use or monitor.

        Your attitude is one of the reasons places like Flippa gets such a bad reputation - so many people get ripped off or deal with sellers who think it's acceptable to do stuff like that post-sale.
        To Kilgore: No, I left instructions on where to edit Google Analytics, affiliate links, and all the details. They were buying the site itself, not my services. I have sold thousands of sites, I don't have time to go around and telling people how to run the site they purchased when they were given instructions on how to edit everything out.

        Your example is far off base my friend. It's nothing similar. Leaving cameras in a house and comparing that to a website with instructions on how to edit it but they didn't do it, is nothing similar at all.

        @Thomas - Having 3 sets of keys and comparing that to someone who buys a website along with instructions of where to edit and how to do everything they need to do is not exactly the same, is it?

        My attitude is just one that's being real.

        If I sell you a website, and it literally takes a beginner 1 minute or less to swap out the analytics string and I give you the instructions for how to do everything you need to do, is it my responsibility to do it for you?

        Sorry, but if you think it is unethical to sell a website, along with details on how to switch absolutely everything over, then that's just crazy.

        If someone sells you a car, and they tell you that you're going to need to register the title with the secretary of state and you don't do it... is it their fault that you eventually get a ticket for no plates, and a title that isn't registered?

        Come on guys... there is personal responsibility. I'm not responsible for anyone's actions or lack of action. If people can't follow instructions that outline absolutely everything, then that's on them, not me.

        As for tracking.... it's simple to change. I don't care enough to look at the analytics, but I know some sites are still active.

        I one time forgot to change an adsense code... 2 months a site went without generating any money via adsense. It wasn't the seller's fault. It was my fault for overlooking it and not being thorough.

        When you buy a website on flippa or anywhere else, and it includes instructions on what you need to change along with screenshots showing how to do it... and you DON'T do it... then take personal responsibility for your lack of actions, don't make it an ethics issue with the seller. It's your own laziness or forgetfulness that is at fault.
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  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

    I think selling websites with revenue is too much of a risk as you might make a short term profit but you miss out on long term profits.
    Unless you're planning to leave it to your offspring or run it until you drop, every business should have an exit plan. It's just a matter of getting the timing right.

    But I've never sold an ongoing concern without having a good idea of its potential profit, both short and long term. On what other basis would you start negotiations?


    .
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  • Profile picture of the author markeeter
    Since you developed those sites, I am sure you can definitely develop more like that. Since nothing can be done, why regret. Just learn from experience and move on!
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  • Profile picture of the author Adie
    We have different experiences. I sold 3 earning sites and after several months, all were closed because the owners don't know how to run the sites. Its always depends on the new owner and there is nothing to regret..

    There is always a reason why a buyer is interested in your site...
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  • Profile picture of the author DaleRodge
    It's happened to me in the past but there's no point crying over spilt milk it's just the risk you take. At the end of the day you're selling it because you can't see the potential (or can't afford to carry on) and someone else can. You win some you lose some

    When I was 13 I sold a website for £150 (that was a lot of money to a 13 year old!) it's now one of the largest websites in it's niche in the world.
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  • Profile picture of the author vampirerocks123
    Same thing happened to me I sold a site for $2000 and since then it made around 80k for the one who bought it. The one bought from me thanked me for the site.

    Main thing to accept is he did all the hardwork on the site. From that point i never sold a site even if it doesnt have any potential.
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  • Profile picture of the author th3genie
    absolutely true. I was about doing the same mistake.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jack Sarlo
    I think the skill of the owner matters too - perhaps someone who's been doing IM for 6 years bought it, and had all the experience. I would learn from them, study what they're doing that you didn't, get on their list if they setup one - see why they made so much...

    blnt
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  • Profile picture of the author Nathan Kruz
    There is never a guarantee if your site will make money or not, its a pretty big risk. It's always good to run with your website for a little while and see if it has potential, then make an educated decision from there on if your going to sell it or not, and how much its worth.
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  • Profile picture of the author socialmarketingfusion
    Flippa is something that interests me. Any good suggestions on where I can learn to use Flippa?
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    I feel your pain man.

    One day i went to secure my *name's* domain name (randallmagwood .com) for $1, did it successfully. Then i let it go.

    6 months later a guy emailed me and asked me if i wanted to buy my name from him for $400. Obviously that went into the trash folder - but i guess my name had generated some interest online prior to 6 months earlier.

    As soon as the guy released it, i secured my name's domain name (.com), plus the ".net" extension, and the same domain names with a hyphen in it. (hopefully you understand what i mean).

    I just wanted my name so i could have that part of my work online *branded*. It's something that i did for ME - not for money. Just so that i could be proud of myself.

    The domain flipping world is like auctions. I'm no good at it, nor do i have the patience for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Chicas
    I used to own the domain WickedRoots.com and had a site to it and I decided to let it go. Now that business is worth millions... but not because of the name but because they decided to go sky high with their ventures. No pun intended.

    Not really my niche but I'm glad to see people make millions out of creative ideas.
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  • Profile picture of the author stevenrenolds
    Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

    Always be careful when selling websites with income. It's better to keep hold of them. I've made a couple of mistakes. I sold a site on Flippa for $11 so after fees I was negative. The site has gone on to make over $10,000.

    Another site I sold for $175 which has made the new owner $4,500 so far.

    I think selling websites with revenue is too much of a risk as you might make a short term profit but you miss out on long term profits.
    I know how that goes.. Ive made the same mistake. Usually now I give each website a bit more time to grow. Once the growing seems to of stopped or slowed and I feel the income is not worth my time in compared to the energy I have to put in it, then and only then do I consider selling it. I would love to see the sites that you are referring too. I'm sure other warriors would appreciate looking at them as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author skyro
    Do you sell sites regularly? What other sites do you have available for sale?
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  • Profile picture of the author itos
    I am sure that new owner did something else to increase your site value. Also selling a site for $11 it's just losing money since a new domain could cost you $10.

    At that point it's better just to stick with the site and see if it have better profits in the future.

    As a rule of thumb sell your site for the amount of at least 12 months of current earnings.
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    • Profile picture of the author rally2win
      Yeah, if there was a way to find out what the people you sold your sites to did (if any differences), this might help. Otherwise, just keep making sites that might profit for the future. No use with the spilt milk stuff. Cheers.
      R2W
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    This whole thread is subjective. There is absolutely no way for the OP to know what the new owner has earnt from the site. So why even worry about it.

    Move on and spend your time on things you have control over and will make you money.
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  • Profile picture of the author goindeep
    Its all part of the game. I've sold sites and never looked back. Some have been turned to shit and others are still running and I assume making money. As long as your still building sites and evolving then your still winning.
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  • Profile picture of the author tudexo
    Why did you sell it for $11 in the first place knowing you'd go negative after fees? But now that you did the credit for whatever the new owner earns goes to him.

    Going by the common trends you site should at least be earning 1/3 (that's the bare minimum) of the sale price every month if its at all earning anything. Since you sold it for just $11 means the site wasn't making nearly anything in the first place.

    Now you say its making 10k without ANY changes? That sounds strange to me unless you put in some real traffic creation ground work into the site and sold it off the same day without waiting for the work to take effect. That seems highly unlikely to me because if you sell a site for $11 you wouldn't put in any work into it - would you? That's nearly the same price as a fresh domain name alone.

    So, the entire story does sound strange to me.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lightlysalted
    It's very frustrating when that happens. In my experience I like to hold onto sites that have been profitable in the past but perhaps have gone quiet. You never know when site may suddenly burst back into life. You have to remember that it's often about you promote the site and one thing that your figures didn't reveal the are the profits made from the site; only the revenue.

    So for example one site may have made over $10,000 in revenue but may have cost $11,000 to generate that revenue.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jack Gordon
    This thread stinks.

    I think OP is setting us up for some sort of product launch that purports to unlock massive streams of hidden traffic or some such nonsense.

    And that is the nicest thing I can think of to say right now, so I will leave it there.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tsnyder
    Originally Posted by juk123 View Post

    Always be careful when selling websites with income. It's better to keep hold of them. I've made a couple of mistakes. I sold a site on Flippa for $11 so after fees I was negative. The site has gone on to make over $10,000.

    Another site I sold for $175 which has made the new owner $4,500 so far.

    I think selling websites with revenue is too much of a risk as you might make a short term profit but you miss out on long term profits.
    How do you know how much they've earned? I'm calling BS on the whole thing.
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