Mother-Owned eBay Business Continues to Thrive in the Recession

When Linda began her company on eBay she didn't set out to hit sales of a million or so. That just seemed to happen along the way. 

At the time she hoped to rid her home of a few of her kids' old video games that were no longer in use. This year, Linda's Stuff boasts sales up over 65% from last, featuring 19,000 auctions daily on items such as designer handbags, clothes, and shoes.

Not too shabby for this mom, who began her career as a labor and employment attorney.   

While the economy has been detrimental to some companies, Linda feels that it has actually helped hers. People who once spent hundreds of dollars on a new Coach bag are now shopping around, hoping for better deals and greater price reductions. As Linda says, "Cheap is the new chic."

Linda believes that her success is two fold. "We are getting more merchandise because more people want to make money on things they are making money on," so they are turning to Linda to sell their items online. Secondly, shoppers want bargains. Why pay full price for a new item when you can purchase a similar item, slightly used, for half the cost? Plus, says Linda, her company is ". . . a marriage of people wanting to get money for these things, they are getting great prices, and people are coming to purchase (well priced items)."

How much has their company grown? Says Linda, "We have been continually growing every single year," which is what upsets her about eBay's sometimes bad press. For her, business has never been better, which shows: recently, Linda sold a handbag for $20K.   

Linda keeps her costs down by doing everything in house, from photography to copywriting. She uses only one free and simple marketing strategy to obtain new customers: Word of mouth.

Thinking of starting your own business? Linda's advice is simple: "Be passionate about whatever it is that you are doing." Life sometimes takes you on different paths, says Linda. For her, she went from attorney to clothes salesperson by a simple act of selling her son's video games.

"If you are passionate about what you are doing, you are going to be happy. I love coming to work, my good days far outweigh my bad days."

Linda says, "Just go for it. Feel passionate and don’t be afraid of the different path that life may lead you on."