This Week in M&A Issue #200
September 1, 2025
Hip hip hooray!
This is the 200th edition of the This Week in M&A newsletter. Shout out to all of you wonderful readers who support us every week.
We look forward to sharing many more breaking news stories and industry insights with you in the future.
Here’s to 200 more! 🥂
Today’s trend of the week is “AI learning tools”.
You’ve probably heard the saying, “First you learn, then you earn.” Well, in this case of this trend, helping others learn could be the key to earning big.
Teaching and studying aids are among the most searched topics on Google in August.
Searches for tools like AI tutors, AI lesson planners, AI learning assistants, and AI solutions for teachers have skyrocketed, with each of these search terms growing over 200% in the last two years.
For SaaS and other digital entrepreneurs, this opens doors to creating products, services, or content that leverage AI to enhance education. From subscription-based AI tutoring platforms to digital lesson planning tools, the possibilities are vast. Even supporting content, guides, tutorials, or courses on how to integrate AI into teaching can attract highly engaged audiences.
The market is hungry for smarter, faster, and more personalized learning. Businesses that tap into this trend now can not only help teachers and students but also build a thriving business while doing so.
Today we have for you:
- DHL integrates directly with Shopify
- Google’s August Spam Update rolls out
And:
- The rise of faceless YouTube channels and why buyers want them
- How to buy profitable online businesses in 2025
- Non-Profit launches free open-source domain names
Alright, let’s dive in.
Shopify
Image Source: Giphy (StickerGiant)
DHL Makes International Shipping Easier for U.S. Shopify Merchants
Shopify sellers in the U.S. now have a powerful new way to reach international customers thanks to DHL’s expanded integration with the platform.
Announced this week, the partnership brings DHL eCommerce’s Parcel International Direct and Parcel International Standard services, plus DHL Express Worldwide, directly into Shopify. The result: faster, more affordable, and more reliable cross-border shipping designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses.
With this integration, you can now manage international shipping without leaving Shopify. Merchants get the option to collect duties and taxes at checkout (Delivered Duty Paid) or let customers pay them on delivery (Delivered Duty Unpaid). This flexibility makes it easier for businesses to manage costs while giving customers more clarity on their orders.
Parcel International Direct offers deliveries to 37 key markets in five to 12 business days, with tracking, estimated delivery dates, and up to $100 in shipment protection. Parcel International Standard covers more than 220 countries and territories, also with tracking and protection. For sellers who need speed, DHL Express Worldwide delivers to 220+ destinations in just one to three days, complete with customs clearance, paperless trade, and electronic proof of delivery.
Initially available for U.S. and German merchants, the service will expand to Canada in September 2025, with more markets coming through 2026.
In addition to DHL, Shopify has upgraded its overall shipping and fulfillment capabilities to support merchants with more complex needs. The platform now allows shipping with major carriers like FedEx, DHL Express, UPS, and USPS at discounted rates, printing unlimited labels, and managing the full shipping process in one place.
The Shopify Fulfillment Network has also broadened its third-party logistics (3PL) partnerships with global providers such as Amazon MCF, BigBlue, DHL Fulfillment Network, GoBolt, Mayple, and Stord. This “partner-centric” approach connects merchants to logistics partners that fit their scale and needs, while making it easier for Shopify to add new partners worldwide.
Together, these updates simplify international shipping, expand global reach, and provide merchants with the tools to scale efficiently and confidently.
YouTube
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Behind the Sales: 8 YouTube Channels That Sold for Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars
What if you could sell your faceless YouTube channel for hundreds of thousands of dollars?
It’s not just a dream, we’ve seen it happen!
In our latest video, Greg breaks down 8 faceless YouTube channels that recently sold on our marketplace.
You’ll learn why buyers are eager to acquire these businesses and how faceless YouTube channels are quickly replacing traditional niche websites.
Your channel could be the next success story. Watch now to see what’s possible.
Google’s August Spam Update Sparks Debate Over AI Overviews
Google has rolled out its latest spam update, officially launched on August 26, 2025, at 9:00 AM Pacific Time. The update is global, applies to all languages, and is expected to take a few weeks to complete.
Announced on X and LinkedIn, Google confirmed that the August spam update will penalize certain spam tactics that violate its search policies. However, it does not specifically target link spam or site reputation abuse, areas that have been the focus of previous updates.
Unlike the December 2024 spam update, which took just seven days to finish and disrupted sites right before the holidays, this rollout is expected to be three times longer, giving Google more time to monitor and refine its impact.
As with past updates, Google hasn’t shared exactly how much of search will be affected or which specific spam tactics are in its crosshairs. What we do know is that recovery for sites impacted could take months, often requiring Google’s next refresh of the spam system. The best way forward is to double down on clean, policy-compliant practices and avoid quick fixes that may backfire.
The update has brought additional issues with spam to light. Soon after the update was announced, digital marketer Nate Hake went viral on X after accusing Google’s AI Overviews of breaking the same spam rules it enforces on everyone else. He pointed out issues like no first-hand experience, heavy reliance on automation, lack of expertise, and simply summarizing others’ work, attaching screenshots of Google’s own policies to underscore the irony.
This highlights a bigger question: while Google cracks down on spam to improve search quality, are its own AI-driven answers playing by the same rules?
For now, website owners will need to stay patient, stay compliant, and let the rollout play out. Track your site’s performance in Google Search Console to separate short-term volatility from lasting changes.
Read All About It!
đź›’Â 7 Steps to optimize your eCommerce store for AI Search: boost your visibility
🦄 How I built a billion-dollar company in 18 months: Eric Glyman interview
⏱️ Use AI agents to save 20+ Hours a week: tips from Zapier CEO
📦 Amazon rolls out extra FBA fee for holiday season: UK & German sellers only
Podcast
The Biggest Opportunities in Buying and Selling Businesses Right Now
2025 is shaping up to be one of the best times ever to buy online businesses, and Greg Elfrink explains why in this must-listen interview.
On the Digital Investor Show, Greg joins Matt and Liz Raad to share lessons from helping create over 100 millionaires through Empire Flippers. He breaks down where the biggest opportunities are right now, what’s changed in the market, and how smart investors are buying and scaling profitable online businesses in 2025.
From negotiating better deals to renovating old affiliate sites and diversifying traffic sources, Greg’s insights are packed with actionable strategies, whether you’re new to online business or already a seasoned investor.
Your roadmap to buying smarter in 2025 starts here.
Domains
Open-Source Domains Now Available Through Cloudflare-Backed Non-Profit
A new initiative is making it easier than ever for entrepreneurs to launch online projects without upfront costs.
DigitalPlat, a non-profit backed by Cloudflare, GitHub, Twilio, 1Password, and The Hack Foundation, is offering free, open-source domain names. These domains give founders, developers, and digital creators a no-cost way to build websites, test ideas, or launch side projects.
The aim is not to replace traditional commercial domains. Instead, the project provides a practical, risk-free option for entrepreneurs who want to experiment, validate business concepts, or build hobby projects without the financial barrier of domain registration. By offering these domains, DigitalPlat is helping make the Internet more open and accessible, allowing anyone to publish and promote their ideas online.
DigitalPlat operates as a global non-profit, with funds managed under U.S. nonprofit regulations by The Hack Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that has supported hundreds of community projects, hackathons, and student initiatives since 2016. This partnership ensures the project is sustainable, transparent, and fully compliant with legal standards.
Available domain extensions include DPDNS.ORG, US.KG, QZZ.IO, and XX.KG. While technically subdomains, they function just like traditional domains, giving entrepreneurs full flexibility to create websites or landing pages. Recommended DNS management tools, all free, include Cloudflare, FreeDNS by Afraid.org, and Hostry.
These free domains offer an opportunity to experiment with new ideas, create landing pages for products, or test niche websites at no cost.
Money Nomad
Looking for a side hustle?
Try Money Nomad, our sister marketplace built specifically for profitable side hustles and micro-businesses that are too small for Empire Flippers.
Check out this recent listing available on the Money Nomad Marketplace:
Listing M20116 – Open to Offers
ecommerce | gaming
This eCommerce brand sells performance eyewear designed to reduce digital eye strain—especially popular among gamers, streamers, and content creators who spend long hours in front of screens. The business has collaborated with hundreds of creators across YouTube and Twitch, generating over 100 million cumulative views through sponsored content. The brand has sold over $4.5M worth of gaming glasses over the last 6 years, and earned a reputation for quality and customer satisfaction, supported by excellent online reviews. It operates lean—with no full-time employees—and leverages third-party warehouses across multiple continents to fulfill orders globally within days. Learn More
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