With the world of online sales always growing and changing, you may be wondering: “How Do I Sell my Ecommerce Business?”
Selling an online business comes with a lot of considerations that a business with only a physical storefront doesn’t have to think about. But, they share a similar amount of stress that can come with not knowing what paperwork, documentation, and more you need to ensure a clean handoff.
By working with Advanced Business Brokers, you get a customized marketing plan on how to attract business buyers that want to buy an online business, as well as business valuation consulting and support to juggle the intricacies of selling your business.
Collecting relevant information about your business can help you take the first important step toward a smooth transition. When working with a broker to sell ecommerce businesses, you’ll be asked to have different paperwork ready. Some things that you may be asked for include documentation such as:
Together, all of these show qualified buyers exactly what kind of investment that they’re making based on their perceived value of your business.
After collecting information, you next should speak with a broker. All the assets that your ecommerce business has available need to be considered for the valuation of the business. Beyond what information the paperwork has, a business broker helps you come up with a business plan for selling and works through what the sales process will look like for your unique situation.
One of the biggest decisions to make during this process is determining with your broker what exactly the new business owners will have available to them once they take over your ecommerce site. Potential buyers care about what resources they’ll have available to continue to grow organic traffic of the business, manage social media platforms for the business, and more. Some things to consider with the sale include:
Once you determine what the right buyer will have after they purchase your business, you have to determine what type of transition support you want to offer. To sell your ecommerce business, most buyers will be looking for you to help them serve the customer base and continue to reach other prospective buyers.
The next step comes with meeting your potential buyers. During these meetings, the current owner discusses any necessary legal documents to discuss any financial information of the company, the timeline for due diligence, and more. Generally, all of this will come together in a letter of intent (LOI) that is mutually put together by both the buyer’s team as well as yours as the seller.
Through the help of your business brokers, when you draft an LOI, they will make sure that every detail is covered and nothing is missed in the entire process.
After the LOI is signed, the due diligence process starts, allowing the buyer to continue to research the company. Brokers can help you work with your attorney to draft the purchase agreement. This document details the main parts of the deal. There will be some negotiation on the wording and details of the purchase agreement, but your broker will help you along the process to ensure full understanding of the deal.
Selling your ecommerce business can be a daunting idea, and that’s why brokers like Advanced Business Brokers are here to help. We strive to make the process seamless and make sense to you every step of the way. If you have an ecommerce store that you would like to move on from, make sure to contact our team to start the process of selling!
If you’re thinking about selling your business and don’t know where to start, consider speaking with our team here at Advanced Business Brokers. We specialize in brokering and advising exit plan strategies for various sizes/sectors of businesses.
With over 25 years of dedicated experience, Bob empowers small business owners in the Indianapolis metro area to achieve their entrepreneurial visions, whether by building scalable operations or crafting highly sellable entities. For three decades, he’s cultivated a robust network of owners, buyers, and strategic partners, a resource he fully leverages to help clients meet their unique objectives.
Bob’s expertise spans a diverse range of industries, including trade-based businesses like construction, HVAC, skilled trades, and manufacturing, as well as white-collar professional service firms such as law, finance, marketing, and technical services. Beyond his client work, Bob actively contributes to his community, serving as Treasurer for the Boone County Chamber Board and as well as a board member for both the Central Indiana Police Foundation (CIPF) and Fiscal Sponsorship Allies (FSA).
Bob holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and teaches there as well in the Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, which is ranked among the Top 50 programs in the U.S.
He lives with his wife Lori in Zionsville, just outside Indianapolis, and in his free time, he enjoys working on his home, playing golf, and traveling.
With a degree in psychology and a professional background in social work, Marissa
brings a people-centered lens to every project. Her experience includes being a Project
Planning Specialist at GE Aerospace, creating efficient processes and structures that
help teams work smarter and stay aligned. Marissa joins the Main Street Market Maker
team with Advanced Business Brokers to dedicate time and attention to smaller
business opportunities and provide excellent and supportive customer service.
Outside of work, she is a mom of three young men who finds joy in the everyday chaos
of family life. She loves strong coffee, warm beaches, and any excuse to spend time in
the sunshine. Hot yoga and hammocking are some of her favorite ways to reset and
stay grounded and help her show up with more presence both at home and in my
professional life.
Steve brings more than 20 years of experience as a legal and financial professional to
his work with business owners preparing for transition and sale. He advises owners and
their families through every stage of the exit planning and transaction process, with a
focus on thoughtful assessment, risk management, and strategic value enhancement.
Steve is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) and an active member of the Exit
Planning Institute. He previously served as Director of the Small Business Development
Center in Toledo, Ohio, where he worked closely with entrepreneurs across a wide
range of industries on growth, financing, and succession planning initiatives.
Earlier in his career, Steve practiced law with a nationally recognized Chicago-based
law firm and held roles in capital markets and commercial banking with leading financial
institutions. This multidisciplinary background allows him to approach business
transactions with a practical understanding of legal, financial, and operational
considerations.
As a business broker, Steve specializes in industrial and manufacturing companies,
skilled trades, and professional service firms, including marketing, staffing, and financial
services businesses. Steve earned his Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago
School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Notre
Dame. He lives in the Toledo area with his wife and two daughters. Outside of work, he
enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time at his family’s lake house.
A lifelong resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Dr. Mark Hagar brings decades of hands-on experience in small business ownership, acquisitions, and turnarounds to his role as a business broker. Over his distinguished career, he has acquired and operated more than 20 companies and engineered over 50 successful turnarounds, giving him a uniquely practical understanding of what makes businesses succeed, and sell. His portfolio spans manufacturing, distribution, and service firms in industries including printing, education, military contracting, aerospace, and orthopedics. This diverse background enables him to identify value, anticipate buyer needs, and structure complex deals with confidence and precision.
Mark holds a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from Cranfield University’s School of Management in Bedford, England—one of Europe’s leading business schools. His research on small business resilience and operational excellence has been recognized by the Small Business Institute (SBI), the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE), and the International Council for Small Business (ICSB).
In addition to his business career, Dr. Hagar has served as a member of faculty at several institutions of higher education, including Holy Cross College (Notre Dame), Trine University, and the University of Saint Francis. He also hosted Your Business Matters, a small business–focused radio show and podcast for more than a decade and is the author of Small Fortunes – the Acquisition Entrepreneur’s Guide to Buying a Profitable Small Business.
A passionate advocate for entrepreneurs, Mark previously chaired the Indiana Leadership Council for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), representing small business owners before state and federal legislators. He currently serves as President of the Allen County, Indiana Economic Development
Commission.
As a broker, Mark specializes in industrial, manufacturing, and distribution firms, with particular expertise in special situations, distressed assets, and complex transitions where experience, creativity and discretion are central to success.