How Long Does It Take to Sell an Online Business?
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The Short Answer
How long it takes to sell an online business depends on the route you take. Sold directly to us, an Amazon seller account usually goes from the first call to the transfer call, where you are paid, in one to three weeks.
We have bought 1,600+ seller accounts from their original owners since 2020. Our clock stops at the transfer call; the bank days come after.
How long does each route take?
A direct sale to a buyer like us usually closes in one to three weeks from the first call. A public marketplace has no fixed date, and deals there can drag. A broker's timeline is the broker's to give, not ours. Walking away and closing the account takes at least 90 days after your last sale, and pays you nothing.
There are four ways out of an online business, and they run on very different clocks:
| Route | How long | When the clock starts | What can stall it | When you are paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct sale to us | Usually one to three weeks | The first call | Paperwork signed late, a handover booked late | On the transfer call, through Escrow.com |
| Broker | Not a figure we can give | The day you sign with the broker | Ask the broker | On the terms of that deal |
| Public marketplace | No fixed date, can drag | The day you list | Finding a buyer, then the buyer's own checks | On whatever terms the deal sets |
| Close the account | At least 90 days after your last sale | After your last sale | Open claims, a balance above zero | Never, for the account itself |
A broker is an agent who markets your business to buyers for you. A public marketplace is a site where you list the business and buyers come to you.
Closing the account instead has its own clock. Amazon's own words: "Accounts cannot be closed within 90 days of your last sale." The balance must also be zero first. Amazon's close your seller account page gives no processing time once you file. And it cannot be undone: "If you choose to close your account, Amazon can't reactivate or reinstate it."
The full comparison is in the four ways to sell an ecommerce business.
Thinking of selling? Two-minute form, a 45-minute call, your offer within 24 hours.
What does "sold" actually mean in a timeline?
"Sold" should mean the day you are paid, not the day someone makes an offer. An offer can fall apart. A signed contract still has checks and a handover ahead of it. When you compare timelines, ask every buyer, broker or marketplace which finish line their number counts to.
Here are the finish lines, in order:
- First offer. Someone names a number. Nothing is signed.
- Signed contract. For us that is the Asset Purchase Agreement, or APA: the written contract that records the sale as a business asset sale.
- Funds held. The buyer's money sits with a neutral escrow agent. For us that is Escrow.com, which holds the money until the handover is done. Escrow.com is a licensed escrow agent: it holds California licence 9631867 with the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.
- Funds released. Escrow.com releases the money to you on the transfer call. This is the line we count to.
How fast can I sell my Amazon account to Cash For Stores?
A deal with us usually closes in one to three weeks from the first call. The offer comes on a 45-minute call or within 24 hours. The transfer call is booked within 10 business days of escrow being funded, and you are paid on that call. What moves the date most is how fast the paperwork gets signed.
Here is every stage, with its clock:
Step by step:
- The form. Two minutes. Account age, categories, standing.
- The evaluation call. 45 minutes on a screen share. We open the account together and look at its age, approved categories, account health, brand approvals and Brand Registry. More on that in what to expect on your evaluation call.
- The offer. Usually a number on the call, sometimes within 24 hours if we need to check a few things internally. You are never obliged to accept it.
- The Asset Purchase Agreement. It arrives as a link on our own agreements page and you sign it yourself.
- Escrow. We send the purchase price to Escrow.com by bank transfer. You can log in and see the money there before you hand over anything.
- Clear your stock. We buy the account, not the inventory. Before the transfer call, clear your stock off the account at your own cost, down to under about 100 units.
- The transfer call. One guided screen-share call. You hand over access, and Escrow.com releases the money to you at that moment.
The full walkthrough is in how to sell your Amazon seller account for cash.
How long until the money is in my bank?
From the transfer call, the money reaches your bank in about 1 business day by US wire, 3 to 5 business days by international wire, or about 3 business days by the free electronic transfer. You pick the method. We pay the Escrow.com fee whichever you choose.
How Escrow.com protects you is in how escrow protects you when selling your Amazon account.
Does Amazon's check of the new owner delay my payment?
No. You are paid on the transfer call, the moment you hand over access. Amazon may check the new owner after that, and it does on some transfers, but that wait belongs to the buyer, not to you. Your money does not sit waiting for it. Stay reachable and forward any marketplace emails or codes that reach you.
If you ask for a date on the marketplace side, we give 90 days. That is how long to stay reachable for marketplace emails and codes, not a wait for your money.
What slows a sale down?
Four things slow a sale down: paperwork signed late, a transfer call booked late, an account that is not in good standing, and stock still on the account. The first is in your hands; the second we book together. A suspension that can be fixed postpones the sale, and a few suspensions stop it. Good standing means no current suspension, deactivation or unresolved appeal on the account.
- A suspended account. We buy accounts in good standing, so a suspension that can be fixed postpones the sale rather than ending it: you come back to us once Amazon reinstates the account. A suspension for fraud, counterfeit or a related-account ban is one we cannot buy at all. We do not offer reinstatement. Details are in can you sell a suspended Amazon seller account.
- Stock still on the account. We buy the account, not the inventory. You keep your stock and clear it off before the transfer, at your own cost, down to under about 100 units.
FAQ
How long does a business broker take to sell a business?
A broker sale still has to pass every finish line above: an offer, a signed contract, the money held and the money released to you. Before any of those, the business is listed and has to wait for a buyer, so nobody can give you a fixed figure in advance. We are the buyer, so ours runs one to three weeks from the first call.
How long does it take to sell an Amazon FBA business?
If you are selling the seller account to us, usually one to three weeks from the first call. Your inventory does not move, only the account changes hands. Download your reports and tax forms before the transfer call: we can usually request a 1099 afterwards, but it is easier beforehand.
What is the average time to sell an ecommerce business?
We can only speak for our own deals: one to three weeks from the first call to the transfer call, where you are paid, is usual. Where a deal lands in that range depends most on how fast the paperwork gets signed and the transfer gets booked.
Can I get an offer before the call?
No. What an account is worth depends on its history, so we look at it with you first. The offer comes on the call or within 24 hours, and you are never obliged to accept it.
I want to buy an account, not sell one. Where do I go?
That is our sister brand, Seller Accounts, which sells aged seller accounts. Cash For Stores only buys.
Ready to find out what your account would fetch? Send us the form and we will go through it with you on the call, or check first with can I sell my Amazon seller account.
Related pages
How to Sell Your Amazon Seller Account for Cash (Step by Step)
The Four Ways to Sell an Ecommerce Business
What to Expect on Your CashForStores Evaluation Call
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