Online Business for Sale: How to Verify Traffic and Revenue

If you're looking at an online business for sale, treat the seller's numbers as a starting point, not proof. Before you make an offer, get viewer access to the analytics, payment and ad accounts, or a live screen-share. That way you see traffic and revenue for yourself, match them to bank statements and work out how much depends on one platform. Below is what to request, how to cross-check it and the red flags that come up most often.

How to verify traffic on an online business for sale

Screenshots and PDF exports are easy to edit. Even honest ones can hide context. Ask the seller to add you as a viewer on their analytics account, or to share their screen on a call while you click through it yourself.

What to check:

• Date range. Look at at least 12 months month by month, and longer if available. A sudden spike just before listing deserves an explanation.
• Traffic quality. Check engagement, pages per visit and conversion rate. Bot traffic often shows almost no engagement and comes from countries the business doesn't sell to.
• Search data. If the site relies on search, ask for access to Google Search Console. It shows which queries bring visitors and whether clicks fell after an algorithm update.
• Consistency. Traffic should roughly track orders, sign-ups or ad income. If visits doubled but sales stayed flat, ask why.

How to check the revenue and profit are real

Verify revenue where the money actually arrives: Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, Amazon Seller Central, ad networks or affiliate dashboards. Then trace the payouts into the business bank account. The platform dashboards, the bank statements and the filed accounts or tax returns should tell the same story.

Profit is where sellers get creative. Ask for a full profit and loss statement and check that every real cost is in it: software, hosting, freelancers, ad spend, payment fees, refunds, returns and chargebacks. Each "add-back" (personal spending run through the business) should be explained and backed by evidence.

Ask for	Verify in	Watch for
Monthly revenue	Payment processor and bank	Gaps versus the P&L
Refunds and chargebacks	Processor dashboard	A rising trend
Ad spend	Ad accounts	Spend cut recently to inflate profit
Subscriptions	Billing platform	High cancellations
Taxes filed	Returns, via the accountant	Figures that don't match

Tax and sales tax rules (VAT, GST/HST, US state sales tax) differ by country and region, so have an accountant review the figures before you commit.

Where does the traffic come from?

Ask for a channel breakdown: organic search, paid ads, social, email, marketplaces, direct and referral. A business that gets most of its sales from one source carries that source's risk. One algorithm change, ad account ban or marketplace suspension can cut income overnight.

Questions to ask:

1. What share of revenue comes from the single biggest channel?
2. If ads drive sales, what does it cost to acquire a customer compared with the average order value?
3. Has the site ever had a search penalty, ad account suspension or marketplace policy warning?
4. For Amazon, Etsy or similar sellers, can you see the account health page yourself?
5. How big is the email list, how was it collected, and can it legally transfer to you?

Data protection and anti-spam rules differ between the UK, the US and Canada. Ask a solicitor, attorney or lawyer whether the customer list can move to a new owner.

What exactly are you buying?

With no premises or stock to inspect, the assets are mostly logins and rights. Confirm the seller owns, or can transfer, each of these:

• Domain name: which registrar, whose name it's in, and when it expires.
• Code and design: if a freelancer built it, get written confirmation that the rights belong to the business.
• Content and images: written by the owner, commissioned with rights assigned, or properly licensed.
• Brand: any registered trademarks, plus social media accounts.
• Supplier and manufacturer accounts: will the supplier deal with you on the same terms?
• Marketplace and software accounts: some platforms restrict account transfers, so check their terms.

List every asset in the purchase agreement. Consider using an escrow service so funds release only once the accounts have moved over.

How many hours a week does it really take to run?

"Passive income" claims are common and rarely accurate. Ask the seller to write down a normal week: customer service, order handling, content, ad management, supplier contact and bookkeeping, with rough hours for each.

Then ask who else does the work. Freelancers, virtual assistants or family members may not stay after the sale. If the owner puts in 25 unpaid hours a week, cost that time into your offer. Build an agreed handover and training period into the contract, along with a non-compete so the seller can't relaunch the same idea.

When you're ready to compare options, browse online businesses for sale or wider businesses for sale in the UK on BizMarketplace. If you're an owner preparing to exit, get these records in order first, then list your business for sale free.