Marc Ducey isn’t the typical entrepreneur. Entering the Navy when he was young, he quickly learned that a regimented schedule and clear-cut goals are key pathways to success. After his stint in the service, he decided to try his hand at sales. In the early 2000’s, Marc’s cousin came to him with an opportunity for a side project--he could get golf clubs at a wholesale price if Marc could sell them. So, the two started selling on eBay, shipping golf clubs out of--you guessed it--a garage. Within a couple of years the side project turned into a $100k-a-month business and it was time to go full time.
After a few years their company, GolfEtail altered course from a predominantly auction-style selling format to a hybrid of auction-style and fixed price. Two years ago, only 10-20% of their inventory was listed as fixed price. Today, GolfEtail lists almost half of their inventory at a fixed price. As a result, profits have increased and the two buying formats share an even split of the profits. To help boost sales even further, GolfEtail worked very closely with the eBay Deals program to promote their inventory.
Selling internationally through eBay’s Global Shipping program has also played a major part in expanding the business.
“It allows us the ability to draw international buyers and send the product to them, no problem,” said Ducey. “Additionally, the increased buyer protection allows us to sell to people who might otherwise not even consider us. That has been really, really important in growing our business.”
And as eBay evolves, so does GolfEtail. By optimizing their online store for the mobile customer while automating their brand new warehouse, Ducey’s growing business is positioned for continued success.