First eBay Millionaire in the UK: How He Did It
First eBay Millionaire in the UK
His tiny eBay shop grew to became a major success in the UK, selling everything from mobile phone accessories to protein supplements. Mark Radcliffe, 30, has made history by becoming the UK's first eBay millionaire.
His ten-year rise as a tycoon started in his parent's garden shed in 1999, where he invested a little over $200. to start. At that time he was working as a trainee manager for Tesco, the supermarket chain.
How it Began
He says it began innocently enough; all his friends had mobile phones and needed accessories; he thought it would be a good way to make money. He then started selling computer accessories and it all just escalated.
In 2003, Mr. Radcliffe moved from the garden shed to a 10,000 square foot warehouse and set up his own brand, in 2005, known as First2save. Now he sells a range of more than 3,700 items and employs a staff of 19.
Progress
Today, Mr. Radcliffe processes about 36,000 orders per month, and has sold 472,966 items as of March 15th, 2009. His business offers 6,000 different product lines including protein supplements, mobile phone chargers, computer cables, racing kits and train sets. His monthly orders make him the largest eBay trader in Britain, based on sales, and the 6th largest in the world.
He remains ambitious. His next goal is to expand from his 10,000 square foot site to a 50,000 square foot site. He will increase his workforce from 19 to 34.
Why did he decide to open an eBay store? Mr. Radcliffe says it's because eBay offered a low-risk opportunity to set up a business.
He gives credit to the people in his life who have been helpful; he says he could not have got where he is today without them. He also said it is important to be aware of the latest in technology.
His Advice
His advice? He says that the internet means that virtually anyone can succeed in business with a low start-up point. All it takes is a lot of hard work and determination.
Mr. Radcliffe is married with one daughter. He owns a home valued at over a million dollars and in his driveway is parked a Ferrari and an Aston Martin.
Some eBay statistics:
1.5 million people make all or part of their living on eBay
There are 212 million eBay users worldwide
1 billion pages are viewed every day
3 mobile phones are sold on eBay each minute
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This article was reported in the Daily Mail, Monday, March 16th, 2009
Meanwhile, if you are looking for other ways to make money or save money, see the links below:
Big Money
Making and Saving Some Cash
- Is It Time For Your Dog to Get a Job?
Is it time for your dog to earn its keep? Well, every time you see a dog in an ad, that is someone's lovely pup earning good money. - Money Saving Ideas That Are Cheap But Not Degrading
Don't you love those financial advice columns that tell you how to save money when you buy your second Maserati? Or they go to the other extreme and tell you how to reuse toilet paper? Money saving ideas don't have to be unrealistic and they don't ha - How We Make Extra Money in NYC
Here in NYC, where the cost of everything is so expensive, we often become entrepreneurs out of sheer necessity. Sometimes, those ideas turn into full time businesses. Need extra income? Try some of these ideas.
