How do I sell a cell phone store?

Selling a store that sells for a carrier is partly selling a contract. Buyers will want to know the dealer relationship can continue, so most of your preparation is about showing that clearly and early. Work through the carrier’s role first, then your records, then your people. Selling a repair shop is a different job, covered in how to sell a phone repair shop.

Start with the carrier

Read your dealer agreement for what it says about a change of owner, and talk to your carrier contact before you list. Ask what the carrier needs from a buyer, how long approval usually takes and what it will let you disclose. A serious buyer will ask the same questions, and an answer in hand shortens the process. Your lawyer can tell you what the agreement requires of you.

Show commissions and margin separately

Buyers will want to see how much income comes from activation commissions, how much from accessories and how much from services. Put chargebacks on the same page as the commissions they offset. Have your accountant prepare the statements so each stream stands on its own and a buyer does not have to guess which one is reliable.

Keep the people who hold the customers

In a store like this, the sales reps often are the carrier relationship and the customer relationship. Think about who a buyer will want to keep, and whether those employees know a sale is possible. Discuss timing with your lawyer, and agree what will be said and when. Confidentiality matters here, since news of a sale can unsettle staff and carrier contacts alike.