A $15K Site With Unlimited Upside—Would You Buy?

What we'll cover this week

• Dream Business - Lawyer Up for massive upsell opportunities

• Don’t Buy - Oral hygiene brand with fake Trustpilot badge

• Auctions - How to get the maximum out of one

This Week’s Pro Tip

Market trend > market size.

When you’re deciding between different acquisition targets you should go for the one with a growing (or at least stable) market.

Go to trends.google.com and check the trajectory of your target market over the maximum of time. If you see a growing market then that’s great. The worst is investing in a declining market since you’re basically battling against time to see your business crumble. You might as well burn a stack of cash and at least you’d be warm.

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 might be the first time I’ve ever been excited about reading about lawyers.

Next City Lawyer (listing on Flippa) could be a hidden goldmine—one the current owner doesn’t seem to fully grasp.

Think of it like connecting with a future high-net-worth lawyer before they make it big. If you build that relationship early—helping them land their first job—they’ll remember you when they’re climbing the ranks, making partner, or launching their own firm.

Fifteen years from now, they won’t just trust you with career advice—they’ll turn to you for business, financial, and even investment decisions. And when your network is filled with top-tier legal professionals, the earning potential is limitless.

All it takes? Patience.

The site helps law students secure their first jobs at major UK & US law firms for $15 per application—a simple, scalable business model that’s being underutilized.

TL;DR

• Established legal job placement site with 20K page views/month

• Huge untapped potential for upsells and advertising partnerships

• Hands-off operations—but could use a proper funnel & expansion strategy

• Owner is open to negotiation on the $15K asking price

• Red flags: Unverified seller, missing revenue updates, and team dependency

Why This Listing Stands Out

This could be a powerful niche brand—combining cash flow with real influence in the legal industry.

• Riches in the niches - A highly specific audience with money to spend.

• Easy upsell potential - The $15 application fee is a perfect foot in the door for higher-tier services.

• Advertising goldmine - Law firms would pay 4-figure monthly contracts to get in front of this audience.

• Strong organic traffic - 20K page views/month in a small but valuable market.

• Hands-off operation - Systems are already in place, meaning minimal work required.

The current owner doesn’t seem to grasp the full potential of what they’ve built. If you’re in the legal space, this is a rare opportunity to step into a high-value niche at a bargain.

What Could Be Improved

Funnel & Upsells

The biggest weakness? No funnel. No structured upsells.

Right now, the homepage rushes for a sale without demonstrating value first. A simple tweak—like a stronger headline and lead magnet—could skyrocket conversions.

Suggested Fix:

• Lead with a powerful hook - Instead of a generic intro, try:
  "Secrets to landing a top law firm job."

• Drive sign-ups first - Offer a free PDF or email course on legal hiring secrets.

• Use an evergreen email sequence - Mix value-driven content with light sales pitches, building trust over time.

• Upsell high-value services - Once engaged, pitch application optimization ($100) or personal coaching ($499).

Expand Beyond the UK

This service isn’t limited to the UK—but the current owner is treating it like it is. A simple rebrand could expand globally, multiplying its potential.

Paid Ads Could Work Instantly

Unlike many content sites, this business is primed for immediate PPC results. Targeting law students on Instagram & Google Ads could drive highly qualified leads at low costs.

Track Real Success, Not Just Revenue

A key metric for word-of-mouth growth? "Application Success"—how many students actually land jobs. If that KPI improves, so will everything else.

What to Watch Out For

• Unverified Seller - No confirmed identity yet. Proceed with caution.

• Traffic Spread - Is it from one strong post or the whole site?

• Revenue Transparency - Jan-Feb 2025 numbers are missing from the listing.

• Will the Team Transfer? - If you’re not a lawyer, you’ll need the team’s expertise. Confirm they’re staying on.

• Quality of Team - Are they actually good? If not, consider bringing in a legal HR consultant to review the application templates.

Due Diligence Checklist

Before making an offer, verify everything:

• Seller Identity - Ask for:

  • Verified Flippa profile

  • LinkedIn connection (real profile)

  • Video call to confirm professionalism

• Team Stability - Will they stay on? For how long?

• Team Costs - Are they included in the P&L, and are they realistic?

• Revenue Verification - Video call to check Stripe & PayPal transactions for the past 30 days.

• Traffic Quality - Request Google Search Console access to confirm organic traffic legitimacy.

• Tech Stack - Can this site run without deep technical skills?

Don’t Buy and Why

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

Undisclosed Oral Hygiene Brand

Due to an NDA, I can’t share the actual brand name—but this is still a great cautionary tale.

ALWAYS Check Trustpilot Before Buying a Brand.

At first, this listing seemed decent. The numbers weren’t amazing, but they were workable. The seller was a verified broker with 7 transactions totaling $600K+ and 100% positive feedback—a solid sign I was dealing with a professional.

So, I signed the NDA and started digging.

• Traffic was dropping—could be from cutting paid ads, not great, but not a deal-breaker.

• Website looked off—low-res product images and a weak USP.

• Then I saw 1,237 "positive" reviews… except the Trustpilot badge wasn’t clickable.

That raised a red flag.

A quick Google search later, I found the real Trustpilot page—and it looked nothing like the website claimed.

At that point, I stopped my research.

Bad Trustpilot reviews are one thing. Faking thousands of positive reviews? That’s a whole different level of shady. What else is wrong with the business if they’re willing to fake credibility?

I’m still wondering why a broker with such a solid reputation would risk it on a listing like this.

Lessons Learned

• Always verify customer reviews—fake testimonials are a major red flag.

• Trustpilot is your friend—if a brand has bad reviews and lies about them, walk away.

• A broker’s past deals don’t guarantee quality—always do your own due diligence.

This listing is a Hard pass.

The Art of Auctioning (a website)

Pricing a website for sale is tricky. You need a number that makes you happy—but also one that’s enticing for buyers. Their goal? Find an undervalued asset that meets their revenue and profit targets.

The Pricing Trap

When you list your business on platforms like Flippa, Empire Flippers, or Acquire.com, they often suggest a price based on similar past sales. But here’s the catch:
I’m convinced these suggestions are inflated—probably to lure sellers into listing.

The problem? Overpricing slows down sales. Time is money, and if your listing lingers for months, you’re burning both.

Why Auctions Can Work—Or Fail

Some sellers under pressure turn to auctions, hoping for a quick deal. But to protect their asset, they set a reserve price—the minimum they’re willing to accept.

Here’s the issue:

• If your reserve price is too high, buyers won’t bite.

• If your starting bid is too low, you risk underselling.

• Auctions only work when there’s a bidding frenzy.

Without one, your auction dies before it starts.

What I Learned Selling My Websites

I tested a $1 starting bid with no reserve price. The result?

• Hundreds of watchers

• Thousands of views

• Massive auction engagement

But—my starting price was too low, and I could’ve achieved a higher auction price.

A better strategy is to start at 10 - 20% of your target selling price. Start at something like $ 2-5,000 with no reserve price to drive urgency while avoiding lowball bids. The benefit is that it’ll make your auction look more legit and you’ll achieve a better end price.

Final Takeaway

If you’re auctioning a website, focus on momentum. A high reserve price kills interest, while a well-placed starting bid creates competition. Find the balance, and you’ll have a much better shot at a great sale.

Final Words

That’s it for this week. This week’s dream business is about lawyers… yeah…. but still, I feel like if someone wanted to build a brand within that space, this would be the PERFECT stepping stone to build an empire around servicing lawyers’ needs.

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

See you next time,
Tim