Been lurking here for a while, first time posting. We're getting ready to list our HVAC company (about $1.2M revenue) and I keep going back and forth on where to list it. BizBuySell seems like the default, but the fees and the tire-kickers are making me hesitiate. Has anyone used alternatives like BusinessBroker.net or even just sold through their industry network? What actually worked for you? Not looking for broker recommendations, just real experiences with the marketplaces themselves.
Marketplaces
BizBuySell vs alternative business marketplaces
I listed on BizBuySell for 6 months. Got a ton of views but 90% were other brokers or people who clearly couldn't afford a food truck, let alone a business. Did get one serious buyer through it though so it wasn't a total waste.
BusinessBroker.net felt like the Wild West compared to BizBuySell. Fewer listings but way less nose. YMMV depending on your industry.
Honestly, for HVAC you might do better just talking to competitors or your supplier reps. Marketplaces are fine for e-commerce or restaurants but tradees businesses move through relationships. Just my 2 cents.
BizBuySell is the Craigslist of business sales. Massive reach, zero curation. If you want maximum exposure, go for it. If you want sanity, hire a broker who has their own buyer list. But you said no broker recs, so...
Wait, why no broker recs? A good broker does exactly what you're asking about—weeds out the tire kickers before they ever see your listing. Just saying.
I used BizBuySell to sell a landscaping business two years ago. The dashboard and messaging system are clunky but fucntional. The real pain was the flood of "what's your bottom dollar" emails within the first hour. I eventually just stopped responding to anyone who didn't fill out the NDA form.
^^ This. The NDA filter is your best friend on any public marketplace.
Has anyone tried the newer ones like Flippa for brick-and-mortar? I know they started as a website marketplace but they've expanded. Curious if it's worth the effort for a service business.
Flippa felt like it was designed for 22-year-olds selling Shopify dropshipping stores. Not saying it can't woxrk for an HVAC company but you'd be a zebra at a horse show.
That metaphor is doing a lot of heavy lifting. But yeah, I agree.
OP, if you do go the marketplce route, spring for the featured listing. The difference in serious inquiries was noticeable when I upgraded. Still had tire kickers but they at least knew what EBITDA meant.