Last week, I talked about consignment selling and how it’s one of the smartest, lowest-risk ways to start or expand an online business.

After that email went out, I was contacted by Andy – a WRMM reader – who shared their incredible personal story.

It was so moving – and so full of practical lessons – that I wanted to share it with you here.

Because it perfectly illustrates how anyone can do this kind of business (or any online business) no matter what their situation in life.

So let’s start at the beginning…

When Andy first logged into eBay in 1999, his only goal was to declutter.

“I started selling on eBay back in 1999 – mainly to just get rid of video tapes and cassette tapes I had,” he recalls. “To my amazement, they sold. I was hooked on this income stream.”

That simple success opened his eyes to the possibilities of online selling.

Before long, Andy was experimenting with buying and selling more intentionally.

He began sourcing items from retail stores and charity shops, building up knowledge of which types of goods attracted attention and which didn’t. “Yes,” he laughs, “I was doing Retail and later Wholesale Arbitrage years before it became a trend.”

Working from his bedroom, Andy learned how to run an international product-based business without a warehouse or staff – long before eCommerce automation tools became mainstream.

He built his business through intuition, curiosity, and persistence.

Each sale brought a new lesson about markets, pricing, and the psychology of buyers.

A Life-Altering Setback

Everything changed for Andy in 2016.

He suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paraplegic.

The transition from an active, independent lifestyle to one defined by mobility challenges was profound. “It was a total mindset and physical change,” he told me. “I went from being physically active from the moment I got up to someone for whom just getting dressed in the morning took an hour – and then I’d have to rest.”

Before his injury, Andy maintained a storage unit a few miles from home, visiting three or four times a week to sort stock, process orders, and manage new inventory.

After the accident, those visits dropped to just twice a month.

Since he didn’t drive, he had always walked along the canal to the unit or caught the local bus.

Post-injury, he had to rely on taxis and a walker for balance.

Yet even as he faced immense physical limitations, Andy found support in unexpected places.

“The storage unit people were fantastic,” he says. “They helped move stuff around, gave me a chair and table to use. I would make up bags of stock to list, take them home, and when they sold, bring the items back to ship out.”

That spirit of adaptation would soon define the next chapter of his entrepreneurial journey…

Redesigning the Business for a New Life

The biggest challenge came in adapting the business model to fit his new circumstances.

Sourcing products in person was no longer practical, so Andy transitioned almost entirely to online sourcing – using eBay itself, wholesale platforms, and online auction sites.

He even found creative ways to handle logistics.

“I learnt how to pack IKEA bags so they could go on the back of my powerchair,” he explains. “That way I could take parcels to the Post Office or Evri myself. For larger boxes, friends helped by picking them up and taking them to the newsagent or parcel shop. UPS sometimes collects from my home.”

Eventually, Andy gave up his storage unit completely, relocating his entire inventory back to his home.

But this setback led to a breakthrough:

He realised he could expand his consignment selling – selling items on behalf of others for a commission – which allowed him to continue growing his inventory without any upfront cost.

Rebuilding with Systems and Smart Routines

Running an eBay business with limited mobility required not just determination but systems thinking.

Andy restructured every process – sourcing, listing, storage, and shipping – around efficiency and independence.

• Sourcing and Stock: Today, 95% of his sourcing is done online – through retail arbitrage, wholesale suppliers, and eCommerce flips. On days when his health allows, he still enjoys visiting stores in person for the remaining 5%.
• Shipping: He focuses on small, lightweight items that fit in his powerchair bags. For bulkier items, friends or couriers step in.
• Listing: Andy uses his smartphone for photography, taking product photos and automatically syncing them to Dropbox. He uses templates to speed up repetitive listings – for example, when listing postcards or collector’s plates, he duplicates and edits existing drafts.

“I always keep at least two weeks’ worth of draft listings with images ready to go,” Andy explains. “That way, if I have hospital appointments or health issues, I can still launch listings from my phone and keep the business running.”

Consignment Selling: A Community Approach

Andy’s consignment service has become a cornerstone of his business model.

He promotes it through Facebook groups, flyers, and word of mouth. Flyers go out with every parcel, and he speaks openly about his service online: “I just talk about my business 24/7,” he says. “People either send me boxes via UPS or Evri, or I collect them when possible.”

To manage sales and track consignors’ items, he uses Google Sheets and a simple but effective system within eBay: each client’s name goes into the custom SKU field. Once a week, Andy sorts his sales by SKU, instantly seeing which sales belong to which client and calculating their share of the profits.

This approach not only saves time but builds trust with clients, who appreciate the transparency and reliability of his reporting system.

Support and Friendship

While technology and systems are crucial, Andy’s real lifeline has been the network of friends who step in when needed.

“Having a few good friends who will help me sort boxes and, on days when I can’t get out due to weather, take parcels to the post office – that’s been invaluable,” he says.

His circle of support allows him to maintain independence and run his business day-to-day, even when faced with physical setbacks or fatigue.

“I’ve learned my health is more important than my business,” Andy says. “It used to be the other way around. Now, if I need rest during the day, I take it.”

Lessons in Resilience and Adaptation

After months in hospital and rehabilitation – including four months in a spinal rehab unit – Andy learned powerful lessons about resilience.

“You just need to find a solution or a workaround to achieve what you need to do,” he says. That mindset now underpins his entire approach to business and life.

His advice to others facing similar obstacles?

• “Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
• “Take small baby steps.”
• “Your health comes first – the business will wait.”

Sourcing, Pricing, and the Art of the Deal

Despite his physical limitations, Andy remains a keen and strategic buyer.

He sources items through charity shops, online auctions, and Facebook Marketplace, using the eBay app and Google Lens to assess profitability before making purchases. “If it’s unique or discontinued, I’ll usually buy it – as long as the price is right,” he says.

His instincts have paid off time and again.

One of his best flips was a diving helmet he bought for £5 and sold within minutes for several hundred pounds. “I later realised I could have got over £1,000 for it – but I was happy with what I got,” he laughs.

Another example: a batch of enamel pin badges bought on Gumtree for £15. “There were around 40 of them, so about 38p each. I sold three within a month at £7.99 each – instant profit! I still sell one or two a month, years later.”

He also sells high-end items like vintage Louis Vuitton luggage, often on consignment. For these, he cross-checks eBay’s Terapeak data and auction records to set fair prices that satisfy both the seller and himself.

Customer Service and Repeat Buyers

Andy’s customer service philosophy is rooted in respect. “The buyer has paid – that’s their part of the deal done. So I automatically leave them positive feedback as soon as they pay.”

He doesn’t chase reviews but sends discount coupons with each order to encourage repeat purchases. “I leave the feedback choice to the customer – I just focus on making sure their experience is good.”

His listings are carefully crafted with keyword-rich titles and high-quality photos, often checking what competitors are doing to stay ahead. He follows eBay’s announcements and policy updates daily to keep his store compliant and competitive.

Keeping It Simple, Staying in Control

Technology plays a vital role, but Andy keeps things deliberately simple.

His main tools are his smartphone and laptop, supported by Terapeak, Google Sheets, Google Lens, and eBay’s native dashboard. His inventory is meticulously organised in labelled plastic crates and drawers, with colour-coded SKU codes that allow him to find any item in seconds.

For example:

“If a badge is stored under ‘Pink 1, Box 2,’ it means it’s in the top pink drawer, small box two. Bigger items are in larger crates. It’s simple but effective.”

Looking Ahead: Growth and Giving Back

Andy’s goals now go beyond profit…

He wants to expand his consignment network, continually bringing in new clients, and explore new niches to keep his business fresh.

He’s also planning to launch charity auctions with well-known personalities to raise funds for causes close to his heart.

Longer term, he hopes to offer consulting and coaching to help others – especially people with disabilities – start their own eBay businesses.

“Each one of us has a story to tell,” he says. “If I can tell my story enough times – written, spoken, or on video – maybe it will inspire someone else to see that no matter their circumstances, they too can run an eBay business as big or small as they want.”

I think you’ll agree – Andy’s story is quite extraordinary.

He’s proof that with determination, adaptability, and a willingness to learn, it’s possible to build a thriving online business from almost any situation in life.

What struck me most is how practical his approach is – simple tools, clear systems, and a focus on steady, consistent action rather than complexity or hype.

It’s exactly the kind of business anyone can start from home – even part-time – and build up at their own pace.

So, here’s a quick question for you…

Would you be interested in learning directly from Andy how you could set up and run your own online selling business – just like he has?

If enough readers say yes, I’ll arrange a special session or interview with him where he can walk you through the exact steps, tools, and techniques he uses – and how to get started even if you’ve never sold online before.

If that’s something you’d like me to set up, just hit reply and say “Yes, I’m interested!” – and I’ll keep you posted.