Flipping Web Sites

A few days ago, I read a fascinating article in the New York Times, about people who are flipping web sites for a living. They find  poorly designed or poorly marketed sites, buy, update, and resell them for a small profit. Not long ago I read a similar article, about guys who find under-performing web sites, and upgrade them for a share of the site's profits.

The article uses the house metaphor - buying, renovating and selling fixer-uppers for a profit. But I think such activities are more in line with the business specialty of 'turnaround artists'. And I think this is one trend that will stay with us for a while, providing an opportunity to people who can design, market or otherwise make web sites more visible and profitable.

Here is why:

1. The US and EU economies are in a slowdown. Business income is suffering, and site proprietors will be looking to get out or improve performance.

2. With unemployment rising and incomes dropping, hobbyists will also have less money to spend on sites and follow the same path.

3. Web businesses with shrinking cash flow are more willing to engage in profit sharing, instead of simple contracting or hiring to get the job done.

4. Technical people will have more time for such ventures, because slowing economy means lower employment, fewer working hours, less work during working hours and greater urgency to find source of additional income.

So if you have the skills, maybe this is the time to start hitting the virtual pavement for such opportunities.