$17k revenue, 53% margins website - true or false? Let's do the breakdown.

I recently came across a listing on Flippa that caught my attention. This can be interesting for those who want to buy online business on Shopify (and Flippa).

It’s an online store (and, more importantly, a brand) selling electric longboards, skateboards, and accessories. According to the seller, it’s a Slovenian brand that was established in 2018.

Some key stats:

• annual revenue: USD $17,385
• page views: 150/mo
• 6-years-old website
• Subscribers - Instagram: 2,031, Facebook: 157, X (Twitter): 10
• Audience: International reach, with strong traction in Slovenia and presence in the U.S., India, Ukraine, and New Zealand

The website is multilingual, features an AI chatbot, and includes interactive 3D models for products.

The Niche
The first thing that jumps out to me is the niche. Electric skateboarding is definitely an exciting space, especially with the increasing demand for sustainable transportation. However, it’s a bit seasonal, and geographical demand can vary. For instance, in places like Ukraine or India, the quality of the road surface is critical. Some areas just aren’t suited for skateboarding due to poor infrastructure. Demand here will likely depend heavily on local road quality. I’d rate the niche 3.5/5. It has promise, but with some caveats depending on the region. Niche is a quite important aspect if you decide to buy online business on Shopify (especially).

The Website & Traffic
Now, the traffic - 150 page views per month is quite low for a business that claims to be established for 6 years. This signals either underutilized marketing potential or possibly low organic traffic despite the multilingual site. However, SEO is still a huge opportunity. Given the low competition in this specific space, a strategic SEO campaign could yield positive results over time.

Social Media & Branding
The listing includes the brand’s social media accounts. Instagram, in particular, shows a solid follower count (over 2k), which is good for a niche brand like this. The engagement could be higher, but it’s something that can be built upon. The brand has established a unique identity, which is important for recognition, but there’s still room to scale social marketing.

Total discovery Potential: 5/5. SEO and organic growth potential here is strong if executed well.

Business Model
The business model seems to be a mix of dropshipping or potentially a local store with global delivery. This can be tricky. The seller says they will share the supplier details, but if they don’t sell the business name itself, there’s a potential trust issue with customers who are already familiar with the brand. Transparency will be key. For buyers outside Europe, especially in the U.S., fulfilling orders and managing product quality can be a challenge. Storing inventory and dealing with potential returns could add significant overhead, not to mention shipping costs and time. Also, it can add some new challenges like returns, inconsistent product quality or slower shipping times. \

So… I’d rate the model 2.5/5. It could be streamlined with more clarity around suppliers and logistics.

Market Trends
The electric skateboarding market is growing steadily, as is the trend for eco-friendly transport in general. But as with any new niche, it requires time to build momentum. Maybe, in 5 years, this space could show much better numbers. But is it enough to buy the business today? \

The asking price for the website is $8,502. Given the current revenue and growth potential, I’d rate the price 3/5. There’s some upside here, but it’s not a steal by any means.

Veridct
My verdict: 3.5/5. Would I buy it? Well… It’s a solid niche with high potential for growth, especially if you’re willing to put in the work to improve SEO. However, it’s not a turnkey business, and it would require some time and resources to scale. If I were an experienced businessman, I’d consider it, but I wouldn’t if I were thinking about my first business asset.