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The Pro Guide to Buying Websites
Figure 3.12. Viewing the sales history on Flippa
This listing shows each sale, the pricing details, and how many bids the site received. You can click on the links to access the sales listings, check out the comments, and get a feel for how the sale went down—or is progressing. Past performance is a good indicator of future performance, so if your research reveals some aspects of the seller’s approach that make you uncomfortable, do consider those. Maybe you’ll discuss them with the seller and resolve your apprehension. Or maybe they’ll tip you off to potential issues that will dissuade you from progressing with the purchase.
Understanding the reason for selling A question buyers often ask is, “If this site is so great, why would you want to let it go?” Understanding the seller’s reasons for selling may provide with you with insight into the struggles the current owner has faced—information that could be valuable as you assess your own ability to develop the website further. They may have other interests that they want to focus on in the same space, which may increase the competition you’ll face if you make the purchase. Perhaps they’ve neglected the site due to other priorities, so it’s actually lost value in recent times.