A mum who was inspired to join eBay after selling an unwanted Pearl Jam CD online in 2001, has revealed she's now on track to hit £1million - and even has a team of employees.
Roanna Korling, from Cobham, Surrey, recalls the moment she was inspired her to start her own business, years before she took the leap to quit her day job to start a family and become her own boss.
"I was working as a PA but my partner, Martin, and I, were ready to start a family when I quit the nine-to-five in 2015," Roanna told Mirror Money.
"I'd been on eBay since my twenties. I would set myself a £200 budget and go out hunting for things to buy and sell for a profit," she said.
"I'd go to TK Maxx and buy £30 designer handbags to sell on for £80. I started visiting markets - on one occasion I bought a bulk of belly dancing outfits which I then listed online.
"Things took off from there really - I was selling everything from perfumes to exchange store clothing. I'd visit brand warehouses and buy remnant stock to sell online. Before listing, I would cut the labels off and then sell them on for a small profit. Often, I'd fill entire suitcases with stock - but the thing is, it wasn't making me much money and the relisting process was becoming exhausting.
So Roanna continued to work, managing her project as a side hustle until 2015, when she decided she was ready to take the leap to start her family.
The end of the 9-5
"In 2015, I handed my notice in and walked out to pursue exactly this. I wanted flexibility and the freedom to start a family - and I knew it wouldn't be possible with my daily commute into London."
Roanna said she started visiting trade shows where she'd build relationships with suppliers - some of which she still uses.
That's when she started to focus her items on rockabilly, punk and 1950s fashion - which she says from personal experience she had discovered was hard to track down.
"I spotted a gap in the market - so I went for it.
From this initial concept, Ro Rox Boutique was born.
"I made a few contacts with suppliers and placed some minimum orders - which were around 8 items in different sizes each for around £250. All items were brand new.
"I then went on eBay, started looking at completed sales data and worked out how much I could sell each product on for to make a profit.
"Success took off and now we're selling around 1,300 items a week on eBay and through our website - we can't believe the success."
Four years later, Roanna and her partner, Martin, now have a warehouse in New Malden, South London, where they employ four people to manage their sales and transactions. The couple also have partnerships with factories around the world who manufacture their own designs.
And the response has been phenomenal. Their take on Michael Jackson's Parade Jacket has been their biggest hit to date, having been purchased by Ant & Dec, Strictly Come Dancing performers and X-Factor stars.
Roanna has just given birth to her second child, now six-months-old and she says not having to take maternity leave has been a huge help.
Her husband, Martin, currently runs the warehouse on a day-to-day basis - while she takes care of the children at home.
However, while pregnant last year, the couple hit their first million-pound mark - their biggest milestone to date.
"Last year, we turned over more than a million pounds and we just didn’t expect to grow that quickly, demand has been steady.
"Once you find something that works, it just needs time and dedication. As soon as I went full time with my eBay store, I could shift stock much more quickly. The more time you have, the more items you can get online and grow."
'The secret is in the sale'
Speaking on her advice for anyone else looking to cash in on eBay, Roanna says the secret is to "not be greedy".
"Don't be greedy with profits - start low and expect a small profit margin. It's that initial success that will keep you going.
"Sell in quantities - the more you can sell, the better," she says. "This can be anything from an old box of DVDs to a bundle of clothes or a new suitcase of branded items - the trick is to sell as much as possible.
"And be specific. The more competition you have, the lower your chances of a sale will be, so try and narrow it down to the items no one else has on offer.
"Start your auctions at 99p - at least to begin with. Ebay algorithms mean buyers are less likely to see items that have high starting prices, so aim low and watch the bids build up.
"Lastly, she says, a memorable name is always worth having - as shoppers will remember you and keep coming back for more."
Thinking of starting a business on eBay? Here's what you need to know.
