About to purchase website? How to Evaluate its Legitimacy

I am about to buy a website from someone that seems very legitimate. However, is there a service or person that can do an independent review of the website to make sure everything is in order before I purchase?

 

So I'm assuming you are buying through someone privately? There are websites like flippa that make evaluations before people can sell their sites. So you may consider looking for a website there before buying through someone private.

On another note I wouldn't mind taking a look at the website for you and let you know what I think. Just trying to help out.

Thanks

 

What is it exactly that you wish to have reviewed? It's code? It's traffic? It's financials? You need a different "expert" depending upon what you are worried about.

 

Traffic and whether it is organic.

 

You could ask for access to their cpanel to see the awstats or whatever server logs they have. Though I suppose that they could be doctored somehow.

 

The best way of course is to get access to accounts themselves such as analytics and stuff or you could also do a screencast. Just make sure the proofs or whatever that are included with the site are legit.

When in doubt contact DP'ers! I'm sure many are ready to lend a hand

 

A check their alexa rank. Its not accurate but can reviel something. Analyse the Alexa data and if the bounce rate is too low and page stay is longer than the site is not legit.

 

Best thing to look into is the analytics. have a look at where the traffic comes from. Is it SEO traffic? If so, find out the keywords and make sure when you do a search the site is there.

Best thing to do is ask for read-only access to analytics, whenever I buy a site with a lot of money trading hands I ALWAYS ask for read-only access to analytics that way I can see everything about the traffic and then do my own checks at my end.

If they don't give you access or insist on just providing screenshots then stay well away.

 

You need a professional help in appraisal. There are many factors and data need to be considered before buying a site. Each site is different, each seller is different, each buyer is different. It's hard to say something general on a particular deal.