5 Places to Find Dropshipping Businesses for Sale

For the unfamiliar, dropshipping is an ecommerce model in which sellers don’t hold inventory. After selling a product, the vendor purchases the item from a third-party supplier, who ships it directly to the customer. With dropshipping, sellers don’t need to worry about upfront inventory investment. They can also simplify operations and have more flexible business management and product offerings.

Because dropshipping has become so popular, budding entrepreneurs can pursue a wide range of business opportunities. In this post, we’ll discuss the main benefits of buying a dropshipping business, the best places to buy one, and some actionable advice on finding the perfect business opportunity.

Why buy a dropshipping business?

Acquiring a dropshipping business can be highly advantageous compared to other business models. Let’s discuss the top four advantages.

They require less capital

Because you don’t have to worry about keeping stock of items, dropshipping businesses don’t require as much capital to grow, leaving you to spend more resources on marketing your store and products. A lot of the time, you probably won’t need to raise outside capital, allowing you to retain full ownership of the business.

Operated from anywhere

Because dropshipping businesses are online, you can operate and grow them from anywhere in the world. You only need an internet connection, a website, and supplier arrangements, making dropshipping businesses an excellent choice if you want to work remotely.

Easy to scale

Since you won’t need to stockpile products with a dropshipping business, you can sell all sorts of products. So, feel free to test different product categories and then focus on what works. Another benefit of not having to hold physical inventory is that you can handle larger sales volumes without major operational changes or investments.

Reduced risk

Retail businesses must stock inventory and risk not selling all of it. Comparatively, dropshipping companies only have to purchase products from suppliers after a sale. They also have an established and proven business model, making dropshipping a much less risky business than other types.

Best places to buy dropshipping businesses

You have many options if you’re looking for a dropshipping business for sale, including specialty dropshipping marketplaces and more general marketplaces. We’ve vetted each entry on our top 5 list to ensure it has an excellent reputation in the industry.

1. Empire Flippers — best overall

Empire Flippers is an online platform for buying and selling online businesses, and its size and sophistication have made it a well-known name in digital business sales. Dropshipping is one of the major types of business you can find through it. 

For each listed business, Empire Flippers verifies the accuracy and authenticity of the information sellers provide, including verifying revenue and traffic data, assessing the quality of earnings, and evaluating the business’s overall health. With Empire Flippers’ help, you’ll find well-vetted opportunities and reduce some of the risks of purchasing an online business. After completing a transaction, this platform supports the business migration from the seller to the buyer.

2. Acquire.com

Formerly known as MicroAcquire, Acquire.com facilitates the buying or selling of startups and established businesses, with one of its main categories being dropshipping. To become more involved in acquiring a potential business, you can create an account on the platform. Then, you can access essential financial metrics about the company to help you make an informed decision.

Acquire.com connects buyers and sellers, streamlining the acquisition process so everything goes smoothly. It currently has thousands of businesses for sale, all of which have been vetted to ensure the accuracy of the information. If you’re looking for a high-quality dropshipping business to purchase, check out Acquire.com.

3. Flippa

As one of the world’s best places to trade online businesses, Flippa is a great place to shop for dropshipping stores. Browse this platform, and you’ll see many dropshipping websites with authority, traffic, an existing customer base, and revenue. Purchased businesses are ripe for growth, so you can get to work immediately. 

Through Flippa, you can view basic listings for free, but to see more comprehensive information and to contact any sellers, you’ll need to create an account. At the time of this writing, Flippa has thousands of dropshipping businesses for sale, ranging in price from a few hundred dollars to over one million dollars. If you want to buy a company and expand it, Flippa is a great place to start.

4. Website Closers

Website Closers is another platform with a plethora of established dropshipping businesses available for purchase, spanning various product categories. Every listing is highly vetted to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the seller’s information. Finding a business to buy starts with inputting your preferences into the website’s search preferences; this will provide you with a list of results to start vetting.

You can contact the designated business broker if you find a compelling listing, allowing you to inquire about and scrutinize the business before making an offer. If the deal goes ahead, Website Closers will streamline the business’s acquisition process.

5. Dropbuild

Dropbuild leverages the power of the Shopify platform to develop dropshipping websites. The platform has become highly regarded in the dropshipping industry, successfully working with thousands of entrepreneurs. For people wanting to launch a new dropshipping business with all the systems in place to succeed, Dropbuild provides an excellent service.

Building a dropshipping business this way is an exceedingly streamlined experience. Start by choosing your niche and what you want to sell. Dropbuild’s team will then design your store, add your chosen products, and create quality high-conversion video ads to help you promote your products. If you’re happy with the end result, you can make your payment and take ownership of your store.

Tips for buying dropshipping businesses

For entrepreneurs of any kind, dropshipping businesses are a stellar opportunity to grow business and wealth. You can keep a few simple things in mind to protect your investment when deciding on which businesses to buy.

Check the supplier agreements

With a dropshipping business, you don’t hold physical inventory. Instead, when you make a sale, you rely on suppliers to distribute those products. In the event that your supplier suddenly stops working with you, your entire business can fail. Before acquiring any dropshipping business, double-check the supplier agreements to make sure you won’t be left behind.

Check the financials

Before bidding on a dropshipping business, thoroughly examine all financial records and business arrangements to ensure the numbers make sense. Compare the cost of each sale to the resulting profit margin. If the numbers don’t add up, the business might not be worth buying.

Buy a business you can add value to

Leverage your expertise and experience to acquire a dropshipping company that you can grow and prosper. For instance, if you’re skilled in influencer marketing, target dropshipping businesses selling products that would benefit from well-executed influencer campaigns. Doing so will help you grow the business quicker and with less investment.

Evaluate the market

Assessing the company’s market position and studying competitors is important to identify inherent risks. Before purchasing, construct a strategy to mitigate any potential issues, ensuring you have the resources and skills to grow the business. You should also ensure that the product the business sells will likely be in demand for a long time and isn’t a fad.

Check the terms of the sale

Before acquiring a dropshipping business, thoroughly review its contracts, licenses, intellectual property rights, and legal agreements. Doing so will ensure a seamless ownership transition and shield you from legal problems. For example, you may want the seller to agree to a non-compete clause to prevent them from starting a competitor immediately.

The bottom line

Buying a dropshipping business is an excellent opportunity to provide owners with flexibility, reduced overheads, global accessibility, product diversity, and scalability. Regardless of your ambition or budget, there are many great opportunities to pursue. But before purchasing any dropship business—no matter the marketplace or service—be sure to conduct due diligence to ensure your investment is a good one.