How to Find and Buy Best Shopify Stores Up for Sale (2025)

Buying an existing Shopify store is one of the fastest ways to start an online business. Instead of building everything from scratch, you can take over a ready-to-run store that already has products, branding, and traffic. 

This guide will help you understand how to find the best Shopify stores up for sale and what to look for. 

1. Why Buy Shopify Stores Up for Sale Instead of Starting New?

Before jumping into a marketplace, you should understand the difference between starting from scratch and buying a Shopify store. 

Shopify powers over 4.8 million merchants around the world. There are thousands of stores created yearly, many of which eventually get listed for sale. You’re not alone in wanting to invest in an online business already in motion.

When you buy an established Shopify store, you get a business that’s already running, generating traffic or even revenue. This helps minimize the risk of not profiting after spending time and money on a business idea. However, you also need to maintain the success of the store, which requires e-commerce skills and knowledge. 

Here are what you should consider before buying a Shopify store for sale.

1.1. Budget

This goes without saying: you should have an idea of how much money you can spend on Shopify stores up for sale. 

And I don’t mean just the price for claiming ownership of the store, I’m also talking about your budget for maintenance, updates, marketing campaigns, and any activities necessary to ensure the busines runs smoothly. 

For example, if you have $3000, you can not spend all that on a Shopify store. Make sure there is a spare share for future growth. 

1.2. Business goals

Think about what you want to get out of the store. Are you looking for a side hustle, a long-term investment, or a full-time business? Based on your goal, you can choose a suitable Shopify store.

You may purchase a established business with steady revenue and make it your main job and source of income. You can also get an affordable, fairly new business with potential and try growing it in your free time.

Don’t worry, what’s fascinating about online businesses is that there will always be options that allows you to meet your goals. 

1.3. The ability to maintain and grow your business

We’ve talked about this: you should be equipped with necessary skills and knowledge to run your business. 

For instance, you’re eyeing a pet grooming business since the niche is trending and seems profitable. But if you’ve never handled pet care, don’t understand the product line, or don’t know how to market to pet owners, you’ll struggle no matter how promising the store looks. Buying a business only works if you’re ready to operate it effectively from day one.

2. Popular Types of Shopify Stores Up for Sale

Before buying, understand that different business models come with different levels of complexity, profit margins, and marketing needs. It’s important to pick one that aligns with your strengths, time commitment, and long-term plans.

Below are the common types of Shopify stores up for sale:

• Dropshipping stores

Dropshipping stores are popular among first-time buyers because they’re easier to start and manage. You won’t have to deal with inventory or shipping, since your supplier handles that. Instead, your role will center around marketing and customer service. 

The low barrier to entry also means higher competition and lower profit margins, so strong branding and supplier reliability are key to success.

Source: Shopify

• Print-on-demand (POD) 

With POD, you can sell custom-designed products like t-shirts, mugs, or tote bags. You upload your designs to a POD platform, and when a customer places an order, the item is printed and shipped on your behalf. 

This model reduces upfront risk and makes it easy to experiment with new ideas. However, standing out requires creative designs and smart marketing. 

• Wholesale and B2B stores 

These stores sell in bulk to other businesses. You’re not chasing individual customers but larger accounts with bigger order sizes. Wholesale stores often involve managing inventory, negotiating with suppliers, and offering personalized support. 

This means wholesale stores may generate higher revenue per sale, but require more operational oversight. This model fits those with experience in logistics or business development.

If you’re new to ecommerce or want a low-maintenance store, dropshipping and POD options may suit you best. If you’re comfortable with a hands-on approach and have some capital, a wholesale store could provide stronger long-term returns.

3. Top 5 Places to Find Best Shopify Stores Up for Sale in 2025

Finding the right marketplace is as important as evaluating the store itself. Here are some reliable places to find Shopify stores for sale. 

3.1. Empire Flippers

Empire Flippers is a curated marketplace for established online businesses. Each listing undergoes vetting and due diligence before going live. Expect higher prices, but better security.

I recommend Empire Flippers for buyers who are serious about investing in a well-run business and want professional support during the process.

3.2. Acquire.com

Formerly MicroAcquire, Acquire targets more startup-level ecommerce businesses. Most listings come with basic financial info, and some include Shopify access.

One thing I like about Acquire is that it lets you contact sellers directly, without middlemen. If you enjoy negotiating and doing your own vetting, this can be a rewarding place to explore. 

Just be aware that with less oversight, there’s a higher chance of encountering overvalued listings or sellers who withhold key information.

3.3. Flippa

Flippa has been around for years and offers the widest variety: from $500 starter sites to million-dollar stores. It’s more open and less curated, which can be both good and bad.

You might uncover hidden gems here, but you’ll need to do more due diligence carefully, since quality varies widely. 

3.4. Prebuilt Shopify Store providers

These are companies that build and sell ready-made Shopify dropshipping stores for sale, oftentimes with products, designs, and apps already set up. Common providers such as eComStart and Adsellr.

This route is ideal if you’re not ready to build a store yourself but want to launch something quick and cost-effective. Just be aware that some stores may be templated or sold to multiple buyers. Always ask if your store is exclusive or part of a larger batch.

💡Relevant reading: Are Prebuilt Shopify Stores Legit & Worth Your Money? (2025)

3.5. Facebook Groups and Indie Communities

If you’re comfortable navigating informal spaces, check out groups like IndieMaker, r/Shopify on Reddit, or private Slack communities for indie founders. These aren’t traditional marketplaces, meaning deals are done person-to-person, often without escrow or platform fees.

Because of that, prices can be lower. But so is the level of protection. If you go this route, I strongly recommend using a third-party escrow service or a broker. 

4. Key Factors to Evaluate Before Buying

Buying a Shopify store isn’t just about liking the products or the storefront. It’s about ensuring the business has solid foundations that can continue generating revenue after you take over. 

Below are five core areas to evaluate, each offering insights into the store’s sustainability, potential, and risks.

4.1. Financials

This is where most buyers start, and rightly so. You’ll want to look beyond just revenue numbers. 

Most sellers use Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE) to calculate profitability. SDE reflects the true earning power of a business by adding back the owner’s salary, one-time expenses, and discretionary spending.

What I’ve learned is that strong revenue means nothing if the costs are eating away all the profit. Watch for consistent profit growth over time. If the numbers are declining or flat, that could signal trouble ahead. 

4.2. Traffic sources

Understanding where the store’s traffic comes from can tell you how stable and scalable the business really is. Is the store bringing in visitors through legitimate organic search, paid advertising, or social media?

In my opinion, organic traffic is the gold standard. It tends to be more stable and cost-effective in the long run. There are many ways to grow organic traffic without cost, too. 

That said, many successful Shopify stores up for sale also rely on paid ads. If that’s the case, find out how much they’re spending, what platforms they’re using, and whether they’re actually seeing a good return on that spend. You don’t want to inherit a business that bleeds money on advertising with no clear payoff.

4.3. SEO and domain authority

If the store relies on search engine traffic, you’ll want to take a deeper look at how it performs in search results. Tools like Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, or SEMrush can give you a snapshot of keyword rankings, backlinks, and overall domain strength.

For example, I’ve seen some stores with impressive organic traffic but weak or spammy backlink profiles. That’s a red flag. It could mean future penalties or a drop in rankings.

4.4. Operational complexity

This is where many new buyers get caught off guard. A store might look passive from the outside, but behind the scenes, it could require several hours a day to manage.

The best course of action is to check if the business has documented processes. Are there standard operating procedures in place? Are tools like Shopify Flow, Klaviyo, or Zapier being used to automate tasks? If the answer is no, that might mean more upfront work for you.

5. How to Navigate a Shopify Store for sale

Before you buy a Shopify store, it’s worth taking some time to get familiar with how Shopify works behind the scenes. You don’t need to be an expert from day one, but having a working understanding of the platform will make the transition much smoother.

I always recommend logging into a free Shopify trial and exploring the dashboard yourself. That’s the best way to get comfortable with how the platform feels. 

💡Tips: Shopify provides step-by-step instructions for new users, but it may not be the same for established stores. You should find support from Shopify Help Center or built-in Shopify AI assistant. 

You’ll also want to get familiar with the Themes and Apps sections. Most Shopify sellers use third-party apps to run their marketing, manage reviews, or automate fulfillment. When you’re reviewing a store for sale, check which apps are installed, how much they cost per month, and whether they’re still necessary for the business to run.

Many new buyers overlook this part and only discover later that they’re spending $50 a month on tools they don’t need or understand. That’s an avoidable mistake!

It also helps to learn the basics of how Shopify Payments, shipping settings, and customer notifications work. Once the store is yours, you’ll be responsible for keeping operations running smoothly, and a few hours of prep will save you a lot of confusion down the line.

The learning curve can be a challenge if you’ve never used Shopify, but you can start getting the gist of this platform with our articles:

• How To Start a Successful Shopify Dropshipping Store [2025]
• Shopify Pricing Plans Comparison (2025): All Fees & Hidden Costs
• Shopify Review: Is It Still The #1 eCommerce Platform in 2024?   

6. FAQs and Real Buyer Tips

Final Thoughts 

Buying a Shopify store can fast-track online business success if approached with care. Set realistic goals, study the store’s financial and traffic data, and use escrow services to protect your investment. eComStart hopes this article helps you make better decisions.

CONTACT US for more consultation regarding Shopify.