Owning a business is a lifelong goal for many Americans. If you are looking to acquire a business, you may be asking, “How do I find businesses for sale in my area or specialty?
exchangeMarketPlace.com
With the success of Web-based businesses, you might consider an online store as an alternative to a conventional brick and mortar business. Run by Shopify, Exchange allows interested buyers the opportunity to browse thousands of e-commerce stores for sale. Buyers can view choices of staff, established companies or entry-level stores. They can also find companies for sale by owner in several categories, including:
Construction and Industry
Drop
Electronics and appliances
Fashion and apparel
Food and beverage
Health and beauty
Home and furniture
Pets
Sports and recreation
Toys and games
In addition to the sale price, each listing company presents some key information, including:
Business background and reason for the sale
Performance metrics (e.g. average revenue, profit, sessions and sales per month; profit margin)
Business expenses
Items included in the business sale (e.g. inventory, logo and brand assets, Mailing list)
Seller’s advice
A bonus? The site lists similar businesses that you might be interested in that the business listing you saw, so you can compare options.
If you purchase an E-commerce store through this site, you will pay for your business through the Escrow.com payment service site once the transaction is complete, you will be assigned a dedicated team to ensure smooth delivery. Some sellers will also offer support after the sale.
- BizBuySell.com
BizBuySell has over 45,000 active sales leads and has facilitated over 100,000 business sales. This platform gives owners the ability to buy or sell a business or franchise. Visitors can search for businesses by category and location and set a minimum and maximum price to narrow down their results.
Listings can display the following:
Price
Detailed description of business
Reason for sale
Flow
Revenue
Inventory value
Number of employees
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization
Additional information, including listing statistics and demographic information, is available with a BizBuySell membership purchase.
Benefits to using BizBuySell include the ability to search for business brokers in your area, as well as the ability to sign up for E-mail alerts for any listings that match your search criteria.
- BusinessBroker.net
BusinessBroker.net users can search for business and franchise listings by industry and location and discover the best brokers in the area.
BusinessBroker also offers financial and lending tools to help buyers make sound business buying decisions. In addition, professionals are available to help guide first-time buyers through their search.
Potential buyers can sort through categories of stores ranging from advertising companies to vending machine companies or filter by:
Investment level
Specific industry
Modern companies
Featured companies
If you need additional details, use the” Request More Information ” feature to contact the seller.
- BizQuest.com
Just as you are able to do with BizBuySell and Entrepreneur, BizQuest allows users to search for businesses and franchises by location, industry, and other defining categories.
A significant feature, BizQuest offers extensive advanced filtering capabilities, allowing users to search by specific financial requirements, such as::
Revenue
Flow
Inventory
Property
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment
Year of Incorporation
Home-based companies
Companies offering seller financing
Relocatable companies
- LoopNet.com
LoopNet advertises businesses for sale, as well as commercial properties for sale and lease. It is common for LoopNet to feature over half a million business listings at once, no small feat. Look for popular industries in your area with businesses for sale. In addition, the company promotes accessibility by offering mobile apps for Android and Apple devices. - BusinessesforSale.com
Head to BusinessesForSale.com to find businesses for sale around the world, or keep your sights on the US by typing your query in the search field. There is also an advanced search, filtering the results by:
Location
Category
Price
Flow
Revenue
Commercial requirements (e.g. rent, accommodation included, owner financing, etc.)
Keyword Match
In addition, the site offers resources for buyers, including guides to buying and financing a small business. Buyers register for standard access, which includes saved deals and searches, E-mail alerts, and messages to sellers.
If you are trying to find a business for sale by owner, consider the advanced Premium Buyer membership, which allows you to see who is selling a private business and grants you contact details of the seller. With this membership, you are also able to access all business publications.
- FranchiseGator.com
While other sites allow franchises to be listed through their platform, Franchise Gator focuses exclusively on businesses operating under specific licenses. Potential buyers can search for franchises based on industry, location, category and the amount they are willing to spend. The site also features content that gives expert advice to franchisees on how to successfully operate a franchise.
You will get a paragraph preview of each franchise for sale, as well as information on the minimum money required to be considered. However, to collect additional details, you will need to submit a free request for more information.
Once you have access to a franchise profile, you can view details such as:
Money required
Net worth required
Total investment funds required
Training availability
Available discounts
Franchise fee
Franchisor details
Available financing options
Franchise and industry questions and answers
- Craigslist.com
The original sale-anything, buy any site is still a viable option for many prospective buyers and sellers. Search for deals based on location, price, and category. While Craigslist may not feature as many listings today compared to years ago, chances are you can wrestle with a diamond in the rough. - DealStream.com
DealStream allows users to search for businesses for sale around the world. Other listings include real estate,property and intellectual property. Get basic information on thousands of listings. To see more than a few lines of a description, however, you will need to sign up for a free membership.
Listings that are not unlocked with a basic membership require an upgrade in membership status. Memberships include a professional plan for $40 per month, which allows nearly 14,000 views, and an Elite plan for $139 per month, offering access to all listings.
- BizBen.com
If you are looking for a business in California, consider this business for sale site. BizBen has earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Filter searches by business category and geographic area, including:
San Francisco Bay
North Bay
Sacramento
Central Valley
Paul
Orange County
County Of San Diego
Inland Empire
Central Coast
You can also enter specific keywords that you would like to include in your search.
BizBen results often return multiple photos that sellers have posted along with specific details of the company’s history, as well as revenue and adjusted network. Access the seller’s phone number for free and without registering, or email the seller by filling out a simple form.
Alternatives to Where to Find Businesses for Sale
Understanding how best to find businesses for sale is not as easy as finding a house or car to buy. There are a variety of other steps you can take:
Search Ads
Whether you are using advertising space to promote your interest in buying a business or sifting through the classified listings in your local newspaper, leveraging advertising is a great way to discover potential business targets.
Leverage Your Business Relationships
Establishing relationships is essential to sustaining any business, especially one in transition. It’s wise to lean on your current connections to see if they know anyone you want to sell to.
Even if not, having them on your side and being able to represent you in a positive light to other owners who may be in the seller’s market makes your job much easier.
Contact companies in your area
It never hurts to cold call companies that you may be interested in buying from. Look for a business and ask if they are for sale or, at the very least, open for sale. It is unlikely that your initial conversation will result in a sales deal. So your main goal should be to establish relationships with business owners and get a sense of the market around them.
Even if they’re not selling, there’s a good chance you’ll meet someone who wants to retire, move, or needs to move for their next venture. You can discover an opportunity through networking and letting the owners know that you are interested in purchasing a business.
Get Professional Assistance
Working with a business broker is a great way to find an established business for sale. This professional’s job is to help you figure out what you are interested in, identify your Business skills, connect you with companies that might be a good fit, and ultimately guide your decisions.
A business broker can help educate you on what industries and types of businesses you should avoid based on your skills. Brokers can also be helpful during trades. A broker can guide you on what you need to consider and what you should be asking for in the process.