Got huge budget? Very profitable site, we'll deal quickly in 24 hours!

[Clementine]

Site similar to this (http://flippa.com/auctions/86154/BESTIPHONEUNLOCKING-COM), but one year old and has earned 20k+.

PM if interested or email:

adminjet at runningmachines.info

I am not looking for xxx,xxx or even high xx,xxx.

Serious buyers only. We can talk via gmail chat.

[Fergal]

Thanks for posting your ad Clementine. How much profit is that site making per month?

[gtt]

Thanks for sharing, Clementine.

There must be some nice profits venturing in flipping sites like this one. Yeah, I have heard about Etsy, eBay and Amazon but never tried making business dealings on any of them.

How profitable is it getting into these things, Fergal? Any inputs please? Thanks in advance.

--Gerry

[Keaton]

You say the site is similar to that? What's the actual website and domain?

[Clinton]

I run a forum where members specialise in the buying and selling of sites. One thing is very clear - scams are a dime a dozen.

I'm not saying yours is a scam, Clementine, but it's considered highly suspicious if you are not willing to share the domain name. Making that public allows experienced people to point out if there's a major flaw. Expecting people to contact you in private suggests you looking for some clueless newbie to con.

Again, I emphasise that this may not be your intention, but just thought I'd warn you of what the general perception is when sellers ask for private contact before disclosing even the domain name. That's why listing sites like Flippa - and my own forum - are completely inflexible on the issue of naming the domain in the thread.

[Fergal]

Thanks for sharing, Clementine.

There must be some nice profits venturing in flipping sites like this one. Yeah, I have heard about Etsy, eBay and Amazon but never tried making business dealings on any of them.

How profitable is it getting into these things, Fergal? Any inputs please? Thanks in advance.

--Gerry

Gerry please use this thread for questions and comments related to the site sale. You can ask any questions related to the business of flipping websites in our Website Development, E-Commerce & Making Money Online (http://www.businessadviceforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4) forum.

[Clementine]

Gerry, I hope this post will give you an idea.

Clinton, I know where you're coming from, but pardon, I don't want to share the URL of this website in public (sorry, Keaton, but it's a different site, with different owner, although same business, iphone unnlocking), and lots of sellers practice this so I don't see anything wrong with it. Maybe you all just find it unbelievable how this type of business could produce such ROI, but I can't undo things and claim otherwise; the revenue screen shot proves it (I will only show it via PM to real serious interested parties).

Fergal, thanks for the very accommodating reply...profit depends on how much you put into Google or Yahoo campaign or advertising. For example, in a month we spent $400 on Yahoo and earned $1,600 back. Some months we earned $3,000+...In the flippa site above, owner claimed to have spent $600-$700 to produce at least $2k, so at least we're earning around the same figure each month although he's only operated his site for one month.

Further, starting December last year we stopped spending on PPC because of limited resources and still get around $900 profit from free traffic; $200 in January, and $160 in February or 6 sales in total (customers mostly come from US, some UK, and occasionally, Canada and Australia). I am telling you this for you to know its potential when you have budget for advertising. The guy said he only started his site in January and in just one month has seen results, so it's proof that this business really makes money for anyone willing to invest time and money. If you notice, the guy's original price yesterday was $130,000, which is kind of ridiculous. But perhaps he was inspired by another iphone unlocking that was sold before on sitepoint (not yet flippa) for $400,000...I checked back and it's gone down to only $30,000 and now it's $55,000 . Perhaps he realized he can't sell the site in that price or he was just very excited; but whether $30,000 or $55,000 is still a big amount for a site that existed only for more or less one month and earning $3,000 only so you wonder where the confidence is coming from...the same confidence that moved me to offer this business to anyone interested.

Here's the rundown:

December earnings: $800 (free traffic)
January earnings: $200 (free traffic)
Few months back: $1,000 - $3,000 because of money spent on campaigns (yahoo and google)
Total money spent= $7,000
Net profit = $20,000+

Total earnings screenshot (I'll show it anyway):
http://www.mediafire.com/i/?2wwmbqy1yyt

If you are skeptical in this business or don't believe me, I respect that, but I think I have given my explanation.

BIN: $34,000 (I'm more realistic and we're all hit by the crisis)...50% downpayment via paypal and 50% via escrow. Full support will be provided for up to one month. I have refused previous offers of this site because either they are too low or back in mind I know this site is worth more...so if anyone wants to venture into this kind of business, feel free to send PM and we'll deal quickly.

Like the guy said, Apple is about to release new generation iphone within the year, so expect demand to increase - about the same time a lot would also get into this business so better jump in early. Those who have did not regret doing so, just happens not many are willing to sell their assets, for obvious reason. Thanks.

[Sahil]

I have a question, when I saw the site listed in Flippa. I see that PayPal has blocked the person selling that software or anything like that. I got an error telling that the user is unable to receive money. My question is is it so that PayPal not allows this? And another thing is it a real software you provide or it a scam? If it is a scam then for your kind info it is not allowed on BAF. And also PM the URL of site or anyone from Mod Squad or Admin, we need to check it.

Thanks!

[Clinton]

Maybe you all just find it unbelievable how this type of business could produce such ROI
When something is too good to be true then experience has taught me that it's not true. While confidential information can be kept behind an NDA barrier there is no good reason why the URL should be too - the usual purpose is to frustrate those who may be able to spot the flaws in the offering.


50% downpayment via paypal and 50% via escrow.
It doesn't work like that. For two reasons.
1. Paypal won't do a transaction that's above $10K
2. There is only one percentage you can do through escrow - 100%.

I would strongly advise buyers to not go within a mile of any transaction involving advance payment of a large sum. And stay even further away from an advance payment via Paypal

[Clementine]

Sahil, thanks for expressing your concern. No, the software may come in various forms but it's legal. First of all, I don't have any business with the seller on Flippa and have no clue about the Paypal error or payment problem, I just brought your attention to his sales thread to give you an idea of this business' potential. Just because the seller doesn't want to post the site's url in public, claims something or is asking an exorbitant amount or wants an advance payment or wishes to receive (advance) payment via Paypal does not make him or her a scammer. I think I am not the only seller who has these terms. If there is serious interest I think the seller can always adjust his/her terms because after all he only wants to dispose of his commodity to get some amount, and if the buyer is seriously interested won't allow requirements as the above to be a hindrance - both can always talk and meet halfway.


I am a regular member in another forum (not Digitalpoint) with tens of Paypal transactions due to some businesss IN that forum and have no plans of running away anyone's money. Client's always pay me 50% in advance or full amount, for my services, sometimes in the hundreds of dollars, so these practices are not new to me. I do recognize that this is a transaction involving a large sum of money, but there's also a saying that if you can't be trusted in small amounts, then you can't be trusted in big amounts. I don't say it automatically goes that way, this is precisely why scammers exist because they can't be trusted at all regardless of the amount. All I want to say is, why stereotype all sellers as scammers or wanting to scam anyone or you? There are always bad apples in a basket we all know that, but why do we always forget the good ones? Not all sellers are scammers; many are pure traders who want honest-to-goodness deals who were brought into this business out of a great (financial) need, unlike buyers who mostly just want to expand their options and their assets.


Having said that, if the buyer is a solid member of a forum with enough reputation or can present proof that he's someone who could be trusted and has the capacity to pay, I see nothing wrong in trusting a seller like myself and agreeing to a 50% advance payment. If buyer wants security, I also want security of my asset. I am not the only one who came up with this term. TRUST is a big thing, but we all need it and we must learn to give it when the situation calls for it.

Clinton, thanks for reminding me about the 10k limit. PM's are there to serve some purpose in line with the member's...And there's nothing in the rules that says links or urls to the site should be posted in the thread, so I think I did not break any rule and I appreciate that acumen or wisdom from Fergal because sellers must be free to conduct their businesses in their own method as long as it's legal, and buyers should also be free to post questions or do their assignment before buying or investing in something - however, no one is free to scam anyone, therefore caution and necessary measures must be taken by both parties.

[Keaton]

If you aren't even going to let us see the website you want us to buy then no one will be at all interested because it shows you're either scamming us or the site actually rubbish. You'll have to show the person who buys it anyway.

[Clementine]

In some forums there are buyers who require that websites or domains must have not been listed anywhere. It's the same principle. Thanks.

[Clinton]

Having said that, if the buyer is a solid member of a forum with enough reputation or can present proof that he's someone who could be trusted and has the capacity to pay, I see nothing wrong in trusting a seller like myself...
That sounds like exactly the type of argument that doesn't build trust. Your logic seems to be that if the buyer can prove he's trustworthy that's enough reason for the seller to be considered trustworthy.


I see nothing wrong in trusting a seller like myself and agreeing to a 50% advance payment.
I do.

When there's the option of an escrow that protects both the buyer and seller 100%, any repeated suggestions that try to persuade a buyer to not use escrow doesn't give off the right vibes. All that stuff about mutual trust shrinks to a lot of nonsense if it's the buyer who has to extend trust first and do it to the extent of a five figure sum. My recommendation is still 100% escrow.

[Clementine]

You have the right to express your thoughts, Clinton.

As a seller, Paypal is more convenient for me. But if the buyer wishes to pay via escrow, I guess he's the boss in the situation.

[Clementine]

Update: The flippa site now got a $20,000 bid (http://flippa.com/auctions/86154/BESTIPHONEUNLOCKING-COM)!

I am open now to the following payment methods: Escrow or Wire Transfer.

[Clinton]

Clementine, the auction you keep referring to is not yours, so I'm a bit puzzled by your earlier comment about listing sites' requirements that you don't list elsewhere. Are you saying your site is listed somewhere for sale and that's the reason you can't tell us the domain?

BTW, the Flippa auction involves a domain name that violates an Apple trademark and Apple have been getting very vigorous in chasing and shutting down such sites. Your site is similar to this, is it?

[Clementine]

Not yet, Clinton. Soon you will see it listed somewhere but for a much bigger asking price.

I just want you all to know what's happening to that site over there so it would at least support my claims here that this business is something.

I am aware about the Apple trademark...In fact, there were 7 sites that Apple took recently not simply because those sites contain their products in the domain names but they sell or are promoting Apple products on their websites so a breach of the fair competition clause. If Apple wanted to take down this site they would have done it months ago because the site has been up for one year already. I don't think Apple lacked "research" skills. It's only my opinion though.

[Clinton]

Soon you will see it listed somewhere but for a much bigger asking price.
If you've got a solid property with regular earnings that is completely legal and you're listing it for sale somewhere I wish you all the best with achieving the highest possible sale price.

[Clementine]

Thanks, Clinton.

[Clementine]

Guys, I will put this site on auction next week. Till then...