Thinking about selling your business but not sure what a broker will cost? Here's a straight answer on how business broker fees work in New Zealand — and why the model is designed to work in your favour.
Thinking about selling your business but not sure what a broker will cost? Here's a straight answer on how business broker fees work in New Zealand — and why the model is designed to work in your favour.
Most NZ business brokers, including Kakapo Business Sales, operate on a success-fee model. That means you don't pay a commission until your business actually sells — and only once an offer goes unconditional. If your business doesn't sell, you don't owe a success fee. Simple as that.
The one cost you may encounter upfront is a marketing fee. This covers the cost of listing your business across relevant platforms, preparing marketing materials, and getting your business in front of qualified buyers. It's a much smaller number than the commission, and it's invested regardless of outcome.
When a sale does go unconditional, the commission is calculated as either a minimum flat fee or a percentage of the total sale price — whichever is higher. The percentage-based model means your broker is directly incentivised to achieve the best possible price for you. The higher the sale price, the more they earn. Your goals are completely aligned.
This is one of the key reasons working with a specialist business broker pays for itself. A good broker doesn't just find a buyer — they manage competing offers, negotiate hard on your behalf, and guide the deal through due diligence and settlement. The difference between a well-managed sale and a poorly managed one can be worth far more than the commission.
The exact fee structure varies depending on the size and complexity of your business. If you'd like a no-obligation conversation about what selling your business could look like — including what the numbers might look like — reach out to one of the Kakapo team today.
Most NZ business brokers, including Kakapo Business Sales, operate on a success-fee model. That means you don't pay a commission until your business actually sells — and only once an offer goes unconditional. If your business doesn't sell, you don't owe a success fee. Simple as that.
The one cost you may encounter upfront is a marketing fee. This covers the cost of listing your business across relevant platforms, preparing marketing materials, and getting your business in front of qualified buyers. It's a much smaller number than the commission, and it's invested regardless of outcome.
When a sale does go unconditional, the commission is calculated as either a minimum flat fee or a percentage of the total sale price — whichever is higher. The percentage-based model means your broker is directly incentivised to achieve the best possible price for you. The higher the sale price, the more they earn. Your goals are completely aligned.
This is one of the key reasons working with a specialist business broker pays for itself. A good broker doesn't just find a buyer — they manage competing offers, negotiate hard on your behalf, and guide the deal through due diligence and settlement. The difference between a well-managed sale and a poorly managed one can be worth far more than the commission.
The exact fee structure varies depending on the size and complexity of your business. If you'd like a no-obligation conversation about what selling your business could look like — including what the numbers might look like — reach out to one of the Kakapo team today.
