From our extensive experience in Shopify store acquisitions, we can tell you one thing for sure:

The secret to securing the best deal is all in the details.

Doing your due diligence and understanding the key factors can make or break the deal.

Here's our complete Shopify Store Acquisition Checklist to help you out:

#1. Financial Health

One of the most important things you must fully understand about an online store for sale is its financial health.

To be more precise, you’ll need to analyze the store’s revenue trends over the past 6-12 months.

This will give you a clear picture of its stability or growth.

Ideally, you’d want to avoid stores with sharp revenue drops or inconsistent performance, as these may be red flags.

You’ll also need to examine the store’s profit margins. High revenue with low profits could indicate underlying issues like excessive operational costs or poor pricing strategies.

Request verified financial records, such as tax returns and profit and loss statements, to confirm the store’s profitability.

This transparency is critical to making an informed investment.

Pro Tip: If the seller is hesitant to share financial documents, consider it a major red flag. Always ask for FULL disclosure before proceeding.

#2. Traffic & Marketing

Traffic is the lifeblood of any online business. When evaluating an online shop, look at its traffic sources to ensure they’re diverse.

A store that heavily relies on paid ads can be risky, as paid traffic is often unsustainable in the long run.

The best store in terms of traffic should have a good balance between organic traffic (via SEO or social media) and paid ads.

Look into the customer acquisition costs (CAC) and assess the return on ad spend (ROAS).

If these figures are not favorable, you may be inheriting an expensive marketing model.

A store with diversified, sustainable traffic will be much easier to scale and maintain.

Pro Tip: Use tools like Google Analytics or SEMrush to get a clearer picture of the store’s traffic and marketing performance.

 #3. Store Quality & Operations

The operational side of the store is equally important.

First, you want to ensure the pre-made Shopify store has a solid and reliable product catalog.

Poor-quality products or unreliable suppliers can lead to customer dissatisfaction and increased returns.

Similarly, evaluate the order fulfillment process; timely deliveries are key to maintaining customer trust and positive reviews.

Review the store’s customer service operations—if there are frequent complaints about support or long response times, it could point to operational inefficiencies.

Above all, ensure the store has a clean, responsive site that loads quickly and functions smoothly across devices.

Pro Tip: Request access to the store’s backend to check for app integrations, inventory tracking systems, and order fulfillment processes.

#4. Legal Considerations

Understanding the legal framework of a store can help you avoid potential headaches down the road.

Ensure that the store has all the necessary intellectual property rights, including trademarks for brand names or products.

Failure to secure IP rights can lead to expensive legal battles.

Additionally, check the agreements with suppliers, influencers, or affiliates. These contracts should be clearly defined and enforceable.

Also, evaluate the store’s return and refund policy to ensure it’s legally compliant and customer-friendly.

Pro Tip: If you're unfamiliar with business contracts, consider hiring a legal expert to review the agreements before committing to the purchase.

#5. Brand Value & Marketability

The brand’s reputation and its ability to resonate with customers can significantly influence its long-term value.

A well-recognized, trusted brand can help drive customer loyalty. This is much easier (and cheaper) to maintain than constantly acquiring new customers.

Analyze the store’s social media presence and email list size; these are valuable assets for future marketing campaigns.

Positive customer reviews, repeat buyers, and strong social media engagement are all signs of a solid brand.

If the store has weak branding or lacks differentiation, you might need to invest heavily in rebranding.

Pro Tip: Look for stores with established social media communities or loyal customers, as these are often hidden gems that you can scale quickly.

#6. Seller Motivation & Transparency

Most people tend to overlook this one.

Understanding the seller’s motivation for selling their online business is crucial.

If they seem evasive or reluctant to provide clear answers, proceed with caution.

A genuine seller will be transparent about the reasons for selling, whether it’s due to personal circumstances or simply because they want to focus on another project.

Strong communication throughout the process is also key; the seller should be responsive and cooperative.

A seller willing to assist during the transition phase is a good sign that they’re invested in the future success of the business.

Pro Tip: Trust your instincts—if something feels off or if the seller is unwilling to engage in open conversation, walk away.

#7. Potential for Growth

The best Shopify store for sale today should also have some potential for scaling.

Look for signs that the business can grow, such as a proven business model, repeatable customer acquisition strategies, and operational processes that can be expanded.

A store in a growing market with room for product diversification or international expansion presents you with significant opportunities.

On the flip side, be wary of stores operating in overly saturated markets with little room for growth.

Identify areas for improvement—whether it's optimizing the marketing strategy, expanding the product range, or improving customer service.

And determine if these areas are feasible with the current infrastructure.

Pro Tip: If the seller hasn’t optimized the store for SEO or hasn’t tapped into email marketing or influencer partnerships, these can be quick wins for scaling the business.

#8. Technical Aspects

The technical setup of the Shopify store can have a significant impact on its ease of use and future scalability.

Check for any custom code or design features that may complicate future changes or updates.

Excessive reliance on third-party apps could result in high ongoing costs, so ensure that the store uses efficient apps that provide a high ROI.

Perform an SEO audit to check for technical issues like broken links, improper redirects, or missing meta tags—all these problems can hurt organic traffic and slow growth.

Pro Tip: Ensure the code is clean and well-documented, especially if the store has custom features. If it’s not, consider the cost of bringing in a developer to fix it.