- 32 innovative small businesses shortlisted across ten diverse categories
- eBay received over 1,200 entries for this year’s awards
- Winners will each receive £5,000 cash to boost their business, with one entrant set to win an additional £15,000 in the Grand Prize
25 September, London – eBay UK has today announced its shortlist for this year’s eBay for Business Awards. The nationwide annual event offers eBay entrepreneurs the chance to win up to £20,000 to invest in their business.
The eBay for Business Awards 2020 is eBay UK’s fourth annual competition to find and celebrate the most successful, innovative, and inspiring entrepreneurs from the platform’s 300,000-strong community of small businesses.
eBay received over 1,200 entries for this year’s awards, demonstrating the depth and breadth of small businesses on the platform. The ten prize winning categories reflect the diversity of eBay entrepreneurs, from those complementing their offline businesses with online avenues in the IRL to URL category, to the business leaders of the future on the shortlist for Young Upstart of the year. Those in the running for the top prizes include surprising and innovative new products, sustainable refurbished goods, and established family businesses.
Out of the shortlisted sellers, businesses in the Home & Garden category have proven to dominate entries, reflecting the aptitude of British entrepreneurs that have seized the opportunity to capitalise on the growing popularity of DIY and home improvement during the coronavirus lockdown.
Following an exceptionally challenging start to the year for many small businesses, each of the ten category prize winners will receive a £5,000 prize to invest in their business. With a combined value of over £15,000, a free one-year eBay Anchor Store Subscription and access to eBay’s Concierge, the gold-plated customer service team, will also be awarded to category prize winners to support them in growing their businesses over the next year.
This year’s Grand Prize winner will also receive an extra £15,000 cash sum, as well as a unique marketing bundle worth over £100,000, in recognition of their entrepreneurial success.
Winners will be chosen by a panel of expert judges, including Chris Dawson, Editor of Tamebay, and Victoria Bischoff, Money Editor at the Daily Mail, and will be announced on social media at the end of October.
Murray Lambell, General Manager of eBay UK commented: “The shortlist for this year’s eBay for Business Awards shines a light on a handful of the 300,000 incredible small businesses which trade on our platform. We all know that 2020 has been a year like no other, and hearing how these entrepreneurs have weathered the storm over recent months shows just how tenacious and resilient they are.
“We’ve had a huge number of entries this year, which is a testament to the wealth of entrepreneurial talent right across Britain.”
Mark Brown, owner of Editors Keys and winner of The Innovation Award at the 2019 eBay for Business Awards, commented: “This year’s nominees should all be incredibly proud of the unique and interesting businesses they have created. Winning The Innovation Award last year gave me the opportunity to reflect and see just how far my business had come. We used our prize money to develop new products and have seen sales increase 30% year-on-year. I wish this year’s finalists the best of luck and look forward to seeing who is awarded the Grand Prize.”
-Ends-
Notes to editors
The 32 shortlisted eBay entrepreneurs can be found below:
Be your own boss Award
- Patricia Otoa Ayo, OP Chic Boutique, Bedford
- Derek Plant, West Orange Records, Lancashire
- Elisabeth Smith, House of Oscar Limited, Staffordshire
- Nick Crosswaite, Stockportgolfonline, Stockport
The Specialist Award
- Judith Rowe, Judith Rowe Countryside Paintings, Bournemouth
- David Verney, Classic Trim (Essex) LTD, Essex
- Bozena Szubka, BSWmaterials, Leicestershire
- Maleka Harcharran, Lovemeafrohair Limited, Cambridgeshire
The Eco-Warrior Award
- Michael McLeod, Uni Green Scheme, Pontnewydd
- James Mather, Sustain furniture, Stockport
- Carol Rees, Wax Wraps, Mansfield
The Resilience Award
- Stephen Cloonan, Live for Tweed, Birmingham
- Matt Giles, Tradology, Shropshire
- Charlotte Slinger and Lydia Hyams, Head Over Heels, Bedford
The Family Business Award
- Shashi Aggarwal, Spice Kitchen, Cheshire
- Andrew Richards, Warwickshire Clothing, Birmingham
- Rachel McGill, McGill Motorsport, Fife
The Innovation Award
- Jack Sutcliffe, Powershed, Bradford
- Jennifer Arocha-Cornilliac, Arocor, Kent
- Danny Lezer, Seed Sloth, Hertfordshire
The Young Upstart
- Joseph Watchorn, Joejoejms, Kent
- Hazel Gilchrist, Wispease, Glasgow
- Samuel Langley, Loft Pens, London
From Little to Large Award
- Liam James, The iOutlet, Plymouth
- Nick Dunkley, Plumb World, Worcestershire
- Michael Powell, Neodirect, Leeds
The IRL to URL Award
- Jennie Crowhurst, Pennyworths Sweet Shop, Dorset
- Sophie Jessop, Jessop Jewellers, Glenrothes
- Sam Jackson, The Whitby Cobbler, Whitby
The Community Hero
- Jennifer Hewson, Emmaus Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire
- Kayley Taylor, Cope Marketing LTD / Rainbows Hospice Shop, Loughborough
- Ashleigh Trotter, Tynedale Hospice at Home, Northumberland
For media enquiries please contact: