Are Startup Websites Really Dying? Thoughts From an Experienced Flipper

Are Startup Websites Really Dying? Thoughts From an Experienced Flipper

Everybody’s saying that the end of startup websites is near. Buyers are said to have wisened up and now want more value for their money.

Meaning, potential buyers tend to just pass up on sites that have little to show for in terms of traffic, revenue, and content, whereas this didn’t seem to be an issue a few years, even months, back. Gone are days when having a good-looking site was all it took to make a sale. Nowadays, buyers seldom pay a dime more than a hundred and fifty bucks for startups, when the “sweet spot” used to be within the 200 to 300 dollar range.

So is earning from startup websites about to become a thing of the past? Many internet marketers who are also into flipping websites see the trend going to that direction. But not this experienced website flipper who I had the opportunity to do an interview with very recently.

Aside from being a successful internet marketer, maintaining several websites and creating startups to be flipped, this lady is also the author of a book which dishes out the A to Z of website flipping. She has sold over 50 websites since 2008 and one only last May – a startup with “zero traffic and earnings” (her words) — for $180. So no, she isn’t about to give up on startup websites that easily, although she does concede that making a sale is not as easy as it used to be.

Having been in this business for quite some time now, and earning more than a decent income online, she is in a good position to say how site flippers can step up their game and help convince buyers that purchasing startups can still be a good idea.

So what does she see as the greatest challenges to selling startup websites?

The answer she gives is straight to the point: “… one of the biggest challenges is for people to resist the temptation to take a lot of shortcuts and to only focus on themselves and their short term final bid price.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. I’ve come across many commentaries from other successful flippers lamenting the state of most startup sites being sold these days. According to them and to our guest interviewee here, it’s important to take stock also of what you have to offer and not just what you can get. They call it over-delivering.

My guest also shared that in flipping websites, all aspect of the business have to be considered, from the niche selection, to the domain, to the design, and then content creation. One client may be interested in the design of the site and another buyer on the earning potential of the niche you have picked. The point really is, it’s worth your while to pay attention to all the aspects of your website so to appeal to a greater number of buyers and improve your chances of making a sale.

Those who are actually creating turnkey sites and making sales from them say that startup websites are not going away anytime soon. Even better, the market may just be “straightening” itself up, separating the value websites from the so-so ones. Pick your group.