What we'll cover this week

• Dream Business - Online education site with a 93% profit margin

• Don’t Buy - Shady website with questionable traffic

• Seller Financing - Why it’s usually a bad idea

This Week’s Pro Tip

Conversion Rates Don’t Say Much

“I hear this all the time: “What’s a good conversion rate?”

The truth? There isn’t one. The only right answer is: “Whatever works for the business.”

The reality:

• More traffic = lower conversion rate. That’s just the law of diminishing returns at play. The more people see your offer, the lower the percentage that converts.

• What actually matters? Total conversions, revenue, and profit. If those are growing, you’re good.

Conversion rates only tell you something if everything else stays constant—which almost never happens (and honestly, shouldn’t if you’re scaling).

Short Disclaimer

Online Acquisition Weekly is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice. We do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of third-party listings. Always conduct your own due diligence or consult a professional before making any investment decisions.

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This Week’s Dream Business

This week’s pick is Thai Healing Massage Academy, an established online education site offering professional Thai massage training with certification and CEUs (listing on Flippa). The business has been running for 16 years, boasts a 93% profit margin, and generates $3,111/month in profit.

With an asking price of $51,776 (a 1.4x yearly profit multiple), this could be an interesting opportunity—if the numbers check out. Notably, the price was recently slashed from $90,000, which suggests the seller may be motivated to close a deal.

TL:DR

• Big content catalog

• High profit margin

• Lots of room for improvement

• Seemingly pressure to sell

Why This Listing Stands Out

One word: profitability. At 93%, this business runs on a lean model with minimal overhead.

Other key highlights:

• Large course catalog already built - The hard work is done.

• Automated email marketing - A funnel is already in place.

• No paid ads - Traffic comes primarily from organic and social sources, leaving room for growth.

• Established brand recognition - A well-known name in its niche with consistent search traffic.

What Could Be Improved

The aesthetics.

A design overhaul would likely increase conversions significantly. A more polished and modern look could make a huge difference.

Marketing-wise, there’s plenty of low-hanging fruit:

• Instagram & TikTok paid ads - A niche like this is highly visual, making these platforms ideal.

• Stronger email strategy - Drive visitors to an email signup before selling immediately.

• Pricing adjustments - One course is $108, another is $147. Standardizing pricing or making the lower-tier course a true entry point ($49 - $79) could improve conversions.

What to Watch Out For

• Personal brand dependency - If the business is closely tied to the current owner’s identity, transitioning could be tricky. Introducing a new face alongside the brand would be key.

• Traffic concerns - The audience is international, so it's essential to check Google Analytics to confirm traffic quality.

• Stagnating visits - Revenue is steady, but the site isn’t seeing strong growth.

Due Diligence Checklist

Before pulling the trigger, verify everything:

• Revenue - Get on a video call and check Stripe & PayPal transactions for the past 30 days.

• Traffic - Ask for Google Search Console access to confirm organic search traffic quality.

• Tech stack - How complicated is it? Can it be run without deep technical skills?

What’s a Fair Price?

Given that the price was recently cut from $90,000 to $51,776, there may be room for negotiation—especially if the seller is looking for a quick exit. The current multiple makes for an attractive valuation, but confirming the stability of revenue and traffic is key before making a move.

Don’t Buy and Why

This is where we look at listings that aren’t worth your money—but still offer valuable lessons about online businesses.

BaixarFreeCine.com

At first glance, you might notice that big traffic spike—followed by a steady decline. That’s a clear sign of unsustainable traffic, possibly even bot-driven.

Even more concerning:

• Revenue hasn’t budged. If traffic skyrockets but revenue stays the same, something isn’t adding up.

• The niche is risky. This site provides guides for streaming and downloading movies and TV shows—which sounds like a DMCA takedown waiting to happen.

This one’s a hard pass. Don’t buy it.

Seller Financing

When I sold a few of my websites, seller financing was a constant topic. At first, I was curious, but by the end, I couldn’t hear it anymore.

What Is Seller Financing?

Instead of paying the full price upfront, the seller acts as the lender, letting the buyer pay in installments—usually from the business’s profits.

I’ve read those stories where someone lands a seller-financed deal, skyrockets revenue, and pays off the loan in weeks. Sounds great, right? Yeah…

Why It Usually Doesn’t Work

The real question is: what’s in it for the seller?

• The buyer takes over and could completely screw things up.

• If the business tanks, I’m stuck with something worth nothing (as the seller).

• Maybe the buyer files for bankruptcy, and I’m left chasing payments that will never come.

• Even if they don’t go bankrupt, I’d have to fight to get my money—not exactly a clean exit.

At the end of the day, seller financing shifts all the risk onto the seller—which is exactly why most serious sellers don’t do it.

When Could It Work?

If a buyer puts down 30-50% upfront, has a rock-solid contract, and can prove they are qualified, then maybe.

But they’d also need answers to:

• What happens if the business fails?

• Will you keep paying, or just walk away?

• Are you willing to pay interest + admin fees?

• Why are you actually qualified to run this business?

• What’s your detailed plan to improve the business?

The Reality of Seller Financing Requests

Most people who asked me for seller financing were complete online rookies—and they wanted to finance 100% of the deal.

They had the same influencer-scripted approach:

• “Are you open to unconventional ways to make a deal happen?”

• “I’d need to check with my business partner about funding after we agree on a price.”

Translation? They had no money and wanted me to take all the risk.

The Truth About Seller Financing Deals

The only sellers who seriously consider seller financing are desperate sellers. You might find a good deal from someone who’s in a tough spot (which feels a little exploitative, to be honest), but more often, you’ll end up:

• Buying a dud of a business

• Fighting against a declining trend instead of setting yourself up for success

Could it work? Maybe. Most of the time, it won’t.

Final Verdict

In theory, seller financing sounds like a dream for buyers. In reality, it’s usually a nightmare for sellers. Unless you can alleviate risk and prove you’re the right buyer, don’t even ask.

Oh, and at least have some cash for a significant down payment…

Final Words

That’s it for this week. This week’s dream business is definitely intriguing—the price is really good, and if the metrics check out, it could be a hidden gem.

Got something on your mind? Hit reply and let me know—I’ll get back to you ASAP.

See you next time,
Tim