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I'm Buying a website

Discussion in 'General Business' started by mathewaki, Mar 7, 2020.

  1. #1
    Hello,

    I am just looking for a little advice. I have not purchased a website before privately, I have purchased on from flippa and that went ok.

    I used to read a website regularly a few years ago, the owner stopped updating the site about 2 years ago. I enjoy the content and emailed him seeing if he might be interested in selling the site. He said he has lost interest in the site and would sell it.

    I am purchasing the following:
    Website and email account
    Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
    Also a sister site on Tumblr

    The website is built on Google Pelican, I have no idea about this as I have only used WordPress or square space, seller has told me he can and will transfer the site for me to WordPress.

    The sales process is currently being setup by the seller and we have decided to use escrow for this.

    I am seeking a little guidance as to what I should be doing to make this deal safe and secure for myself, also what are my first steps that I should implement after receiving the website and associated social pages, email and so on.

    Also I have been linked to a page from the website that shows website stats, its on the "advertise" page stats are from similar web, can these be trusted?

    Thankyou very much and hope I can learn something from your responses
     
    mathewaki, Mar 7, 2020 IP
  2. newbie191

    newbie191 Notable Member

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    #2
    I would only trust google analatics for website traffic stats.
     
    newbie191, Mar 8, 2020 IP
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  3. mathewaki

    mathewaki Member

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    #3
    Yes I have since requested this and have been granted access
     
    mathewaki, Mar 8, 2020 IP
  4. mathewaki

    mathewaki Member

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    #4
    Hi thanks for your reply, I have requested access to Google analytics and all looks good.

    As for payment escrow.com is probably the safest form of payment I have found.
     
    mathewaki, Mar 8, 2020 IP
  5. mathewaki

    mathewaki Member

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    #5

    Not sure if it'd be a scam honestly, I approached the owner of the site seeing if he'd sell as he no longer updates it. He didn't have the site advertised for sale at all.
     
    mathewaki, Mar 8, 2020 IP
  6. cronik

    cronik Well-Known Member

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    #6
    You fund the escrow, seller then sends you files and transfers domain. You then release the funds. I haven't used escrow but isn't that how this works? I don't know what Google Pelican is, but I know of the python website generator called Pelican, it just generates static websites. If this is a static website you just need to upload the files and import DB as needed. You can message me for help, but ideally you would have the files/db uploaded first so when the domain gets transferred the website will have 0 or barely any downtime.
     
    cronik, Mar 8, 2020 IP
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  7. NetStar

    NetStar Notable Member

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    #7
    Ehh... A Web Site for sale that hasn't been updated in years = A web site that was a pain in the ass and abandoned 2 years ago as it made no money and now that it is useless the owner is trying to justify the price with content.
     
    NetStar, Mar 9, 2020 IP
  8. JEET

    JEET Notable Member

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    #8
    See, nobody loses interest in a money making website.
    If the website is not monetized at all, there are no ads etc, then you can assume that the website was a hobby and owner lost interest because of some other reason.
    However, in this case, this website was not a hobby, and the owner clearly intended to make money with the website,
    hence the "advertise with us" page.

    Now that the website has not been updated in 2 years, it clearly shows that traffic has dropped a lot, and its probably not worth the effort anymore.


    Unless you can add some value to the website using your tech skills or content writing skills, this might prove to be a regretful trade.
     
    JEET, Mar 9, 2020 IP
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  9. mathewaki

    mathewaki Member

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    #9
    The website still makes money not as much as before but it's still not bad.

    Traffic on the site currently sits at 40k to 45k per month, 2 years ago it was 200k per give or take. The owner became a Dr and just lost interest in the site as he became too busy
     
    mathewaki, Mar 11, 2020 IP
  10. mathewaki

    mathewaki Member

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    #10
    The website still makes money not as much as before but it's still not bad.

    Traffic on the site currently sits at 40k to 45k per month, 2 years ago it was 200k per give or take. The owner became a Dr and just lost interest in the site as he became too busy
     
    mathewaki, Mar 11, 2020 IP
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  11. JEET

    JEET Notable Member

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    #11
    40k traffic is not as much as you think it is, even 200k is not that much.
    When you will put up an affiliate link advertisement, then you will understand what I am trying to say.
    Where the traffic is coming from, also matters a lot.
    Whether its same old people coming to the website again and again, or whether its new people finding the site in search, will also decide how much the site will make for you.
    Don't get me wrong, not trying to demotivate you, just trying to express what I learned as a webmaster in the last 15+ years.

    What is the niche, and what are you paying for this site, if you don't mind telling?
     
    JEET, Mar 11, 2020 IP
  12. JEET

    JEET Notable Member

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    #12
    Sometimes 40k traffic can do what 200k traffic cannot, and sometimes even 200k is not enough.
    It all depends on where the traffic is coming from, and what they are looking for.

    Search engine traffic converts better, because these are people "looking for a solution".
    They feel the "need" for something (demand), they searched, came to your website (supplier)
    Conversions will be much better here.

    Social media traffic does not converts as much. This is "inquisitive" traffic.
    People who are browsing a social website and came across your advertisement.
    Did not needed your solution, did not asked for it, no demand.
    You simply came before them.
    So out of curiosity, they might "check out" your website, may or may not buy.
    Conversions will be comparitively less here.

    This is the same as having a shop in a crowded market, and going door to door.
    Shop will convert better, with less effort.

    Plus, repeating website visitors get "used to" your ads, and tend to ignore it.
    In fact, they find these ads irritating rather than useful.

    This is why don't think about amount of traffic, but try to figure out the source, and how much its converting.
     
    JEET, Mar 11, 2020 IP
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  13. jrbiz

    jrbiz Acclaimed Member

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    #13
    I doubt that this is a scam because you approached him and he had not been trying to sell it. Whether it is a good business deal is another issue. Some folks have already talked about how you are going add value to increase the website's revenues. My question is what specific marketing are you planning to do to drive traffic to the site and will you have the resources to do so after you pay for the site? Cleaning the site up under the hood and/or adding content are all good things, but you really, really are going to need a demand generation/marketing program if this is to be successful. Do you have any solid plans in this regard?
     
    jrbiz, Mar 12, 2020 IP
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  14. NetStar

    NetStar Notable Member

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    #14
    I'm sorry I think you can't read inbetween the lines. If a web site is making money there is no logical reason to abandon it and stop updating it for years... If the owner decided to get a job odds are he needs money... The only logic I can apply here is that maybe the web site wasn't making any significant money so he lost interest to pursue a real career....... but why would this web site interest you???? Personally I think you need to dive deep in REAL traffic stats...
     
    NetStar, Mar 12, 2020 IP
  15. NetStar

    NetStar Notable Member

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    #15
    What a stupid thing to say in THIS scenario.... The owner HAD 200k traffic but then abandoned the web site and now it makes 40k.... How the hell can you say sometimes 40k traffic can do what 200k traffic cannot when the owner only has 40k because he killed his traffic??????????????????????????????????????????????
     
    NetStar, Mar 12, 2020 IP