Website Closers® presents a high-growth online business for sale that has been pre-vetted by our lending partners for SBAPrequalification, which is achieved with flying colors. The company designs, publishes, markets, and sells children’s books on various platforms, with sales driven by Amazon.
It has demonstrated 64% year-over-year growth and an outstanding 44% Seller
Discretionary Earnings and boasts an extensive catalog in an evergreen niche.
Business Broker Takeaway
Our analysis of this business shows that the value propositions present are strong for a first-time buyer looking to get into the online space. We are excited about this business for three important reasons:
- Expansive Portfolio: The catalog includes 49 titles and one box set of 5 books. Thirteen books are in English, and the other 36 are translations into Spanish, French, Italian, and German. New books and a new box set are in the process of creation.
- Intellectual Property: All books are published under a recognized pen name, and all texts were written by two ghostwriters, with whom beneficial contracts are in place. Under each agreement, ghostwriters are subject to no royalties or commissions on the sales of the written work. The business owns all copyrights for the works, including, but not limited to, all royalties, sales, and distribution rights, rights to transfer copyright for the written work to any third party, and the right to publish the written work under any name. The ghostwriters are paid a one-time upfront fee. All main contractors, including the author and illustrator, desire to remain with a buyer post-acquisition.
- Diverse Revenue: The entire catalog is profitable, and revenue is well-diversified across different titles. A print-on-demand model is used for all products except the box set, reducing working capital costs significantly and contributing to healthy cash flow and straightforward operations.
Reputation & Production
Many of the titles are Best Sellers on different Amazon marketplaces. The books are of exceptional quality, which is demonstrated by glowing ratings. The brand’s first book has already received more than 3,700 reviews. This positive online reputation drives organic sales, which now account for 64%.
Management has dedicated translators for each market. They translate the books that are typically written in English initially. After their work is complete, texts are sent to independent proofreaders who edit and finalize them. From there, a layout designer prepares files in accordance with Amazon and Lightning Source requirements for publication on these platforms.
Similarly to ghostwriters, translators sign agreements under which they are subject to no royalties, and all copyrights belong to the company.
Inventory & Logistics
The process for POD books is uncomplicated. The owner uploads files electronically on Amazon and Lightning Source, after which these two companies print the books once a customer places an order. Books are sold and printed in the US, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain.
The box set is manufactured in Asia and shipped to a domestic 3PL warehouse that replenishes Amazon FBA stock as necessary. It is available exclusively in the US marketplace and accounts for 3% of net profit.
The owner has negotiated favorable payment terms with production partners and enjoys a reliable and established working relationship.
Workload & Transition
No employees are required to assist with business operations, and the seller’s workload varies from 4 to 20 hours weekly, depending on whether new books are in development.
His primary duties include niche research, preparation of technical tasks for authors and illustrators, overseeing their work, and communicating with proofreaders, translators, and layout designers.
Third-party contractors are used for several tasks, including content creation, SEO, PPC, and inventory management.
In contrast to many other KDP niches on Amazon, children’s books have unlimited longevity, enabling a buyer to maintain the same level of profitability and growth without publishing new titles. However, they can quickly develop new books at little cost by utilizing the current blueprint and team.
No special skills are necessary to run and grow this business, which is organized in a straightforward structure. Additionally, the seller is motivated to ensure continued success by offering sufficient support to ensure a smooth transition.
