2 min. read Ecommerce
Interview with Ričardas Šmaižys for 15MIN: How Not to Get Burned When Buying a Pre-Built Online Store
“Ready-Made” Stores Are Everywhere — But Are They Worth It?
These days, you’ll find dozens of listings every day on Facebook groups, classifieds platforms, and specialized forums: “Ready-to-go business”, “Unique store with inventory included”, “Start earning from day one”. It all sounds tempting — but the reality behind these offers is often far less glamorous.
Why Are These Stores Being Sold?
- Most commonly, the owners are simply disappointed. They tried launching in a niche, discovered that sales weren’t happening, and are now just trying to offload the project.
- The ads often say things like “no time to continue”, but in reality, the business just isn’t profitable.
- Even the promised “included inventory” usually turns out to be unsellable or returned goods, not a bonus.
Common Mistakes When Buying These Stores
1. Believing you’re getting a solid technical setup
In most cases, it’s actually cheaper and more effective to build a store from scratch than to fix someone else’s outdated or poorly developed platform.
2. Assuming the store is profitable
If it were, it wouldn’t be for sale. You’re often buying a failed business model.
3. Getting lured in by the “bonus inventory”
In reality, you’re just freezing your cash in stock that didn’t sell the first time.
Dropshipping? Even Riskier Today
Thinking of buying a dropshipping store? The situation is even worse.
- The once-popular niche of reselling cheap products from China is collapsing.
Giants like Temu and AliExpress now ship incredibly fast — leaving no competitive advantage for small players. - Most of what you’re actually buying is just a basic website with a product list, not a real, functioning business.
Final Thought: You’re Likely Buying Someone Else’s Failure
Buying a “ready-made” e-shop may seem like a shortcut — but more often than not, it’s a shortcut to someone else’s failed attempt.
If you’re serious about building an online business, it’s far safer and more sustainable to:
- Build your own store
- Create a business model that fits you
- Start fresh with a clear strategy
Don’t revive what already didn’t work. Create something that will.