How to buy a Shopify store in 2026
Step-by-step guide to buying a Shopify DTC store: valuation, supplier diligence, ad account transfer, and inventory handover.
- Shopify stores now sell for 2.3x–3.6x SDE on average — down from 4x+ in 2021.
- Ad account and supplier relationships are the two items that make or break the deal.
- Inventory valuation should be at cost, not retail. Buyers get this wrong constantly.
Ad account transfer — the single biggest risk
Meta ad accounts can't be transferred; the buyer creates a new one and requests the pixel/data. This means losing months of learning. Model an ad-CAC bump into your first six months.
Supplier and inventory
Get the seller to introduce you to key suppliers on a 3-way call before close. Verify MOQs, payment terms and lead times. Physical inventory count at close — with the seller present.
FAQs
Usually stated as 'plus inventory at cost'. Standard and fair.
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