Jon-Luc’s eBay journey was born from his love of collecting, which he has done all his life. He collects and sells clothes, shoes, collectables and toys, and regularly shares video updates on how he goes about finding his stock and running his business on his YouTube channel.
Get to know Jon-Luc in his own words below (and check out his eBay Shop)
What’s the story behind your business?
I’ve always enjoyed collecting and selling - when I was younger my mum and dad would take me to car boot sales, and I’d have my own side stall next to theirs selling my old toys and games. When I was 18, I started selling on eBay part time alongside my studies, and my business has grown and grown since then. A year ago I reached the point where I was able to make this my full time job.
To find my stock I regularly visit car boot sales, charity shops, wholesale outlets and collectors, and I find all sorts of great items along the way. I collect and sell items from clothes to toys, collectables and trainers - you name it, I probably sell it. I’ve collected all my life and essentially, I find and sell what I enjoy - so it’s as much of a hobby for me as it is a business. I never set out with the intention to become a business owner, and I feel really lucky to be in this position, doing what I love everyday.
How does your typical week look as a full time eBay seller?
I run my business selling out of my garage in Plymouth, with the help of my girlfriend Charlotte. We actually met through the eBay community, and I moved down from my hometown of Manchester to live with her.
There’s lots to do throughout the week to keep the business running smoothly. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I pack orders, drop them off to be sent, and then call into a few charity shops to see if I can pick up any good finds. Alongside this I’m always listing new items, filming and editing videos, and managing my socials. It’s often pretty manic, but I really enjoy it.
Which of eBay’s programmes and services do you use?
I have the Global Shipping Programme (GSP) turned on for all of my listings, which allows me to reach customers all over the world. It’s really simple to use - I just get the items sent to eBay’s UK shipping centre, and they do the rest of the work in getting the items sent to the required destination.
Beyond this, I use Promoted Listings to boost my items and help with my sales. I often use Buy It Now with Best Offer, and I send my buyers offers as well.
I also schedule my listings. It means I can get 50 or so listings sorted at the start of the week and scheduled to go live spread out across the following days. This means I am always on the front foot with my listings and not playing catch up, which is really helpful.
Do you have any other tips for people who may be thinking about starting their own small business?
Don’t underestimate the power of social media. I’ve worked hard to build up quite a big following on YouTube, and both this channel and my other social media accounts have been really key to my business success.
I’m always learning from my subscribers - they teach me stuff, I teach them stuff - and I love the interactions we have. It definitely helps to have a social presence behind the business, and I really recommend making this a priority to anyone who is starting out.
What’s the most rewarding thing about running your own business?
The most rewarding thing I find about running my own business is that I’m in charge of my own time - if I need to take a day off here and there I can do that, because I’m my own boss.
I suffer with anxiety and depression, and I’ve had some really tough times in the last few years. However, running my eBay Shop keeps me busy and motivated, and I find filming my YouTube videos to be a great outlet for me. The YouTube and Instagram communities really help. I get a lot of messages from people who are struggling themselves and we support each other and gee each other on. It’s really nice to speak to other people who are going through similar things to yourself, and the reason that I have this community is all down to starting my business.
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