There aren’t many people who were registered on eBay.co.uk the day the site launched. There was only one PowerSeller. That was Graham.
Exactly 20 years ago today Graham registered on eBay.com and he went on to became the UK’s first ever PowerSeller.
Graham signed up to eBay before eBay.co.uk existed, in his own words his eBay account was “transitioned” to the UK when eBay launched this side of the Atlantic. Graham wasn’t quite the first member of eBay UK, records from 20 years ago are a bit sketchy but we believe the first eBay UK member to have been cheshirecat but that eBay ID no longer exists today.
Other eBay Users from that period, joining Graham’s gf-attic eBay User ID, include suezeeq2, moondust, stephenfrye, roballsopp and baah55, all of whom are still active on eBay today. We do know that Graham was definitively eBay.co.uk’s first ever PowerSeller and thus as Dan affectionately describes him, Graham is Patient Zero.
Graham has retired now from regular work but still sells on eBay and he is currently a Top Rated Seller. When I spoke to Graham we couldn’t help talking about the old days and he reminisced saying “The thing works now a damn sight better than it used to. It doesn’t go offline an hour before your item ends, that really was a big problem. It was very common to put a little rider in your item description reserving the right to end your item if eBay went down for more than half an hour in the two hours before the auction was due to end“.
Graham points out that back in 1996 eBay and Internet itself was cranky but 20 years on says that “eBay, for all it’s failings, is still the only show in town“.
20 years of doing anything is an achievement. I’ve done 10 years of Tamebay and that seems like a lifetime but Graham has completed two decades as an eBay seller. Dan and I would like to invite you to add your congratulations to ours. Anyone that can put up with selling on eBay for two decades is a true super star!
9 Responses
yeah we remember when we were dragged screaming and kicking from the US site even though got 6 months totally free listings including FVF when ebay uk first kicked off
nearly fell off our perch when a large bottle of Champagne was delivered to us compliments of ebay to celebrate the millennium
we remember Dan as secret agent Henry knutsford
Congratulations, Graham, that’s a tremendous history on eBay, and a wonderful story!
WOW, I thought everyone was barred / banned / ‘Ooops we’re sorry we didn’t actually mean to delete your account’ by Ebay at least once every 10 years as part of Ebays’ rules ?!! We were on right at the start, but were banned following a long dispute with Paypal US in 2004 when we started afresh. My opinion is still that eBay is a nightmare for serious business sellers, but a necessary evil. In their credit they do seem to be doing some solid improvements in many areas this past year. Congratulations Graham, that is an Ebay lifetime achievement award and no mistake !!
Well done to Graham. I remember him from the powerseller boards back when it was a fun place to hang out.
Yep, congrats to you, Graham.
True testimony to the power of human endurance in the face of adversity.
You get the award for most conspicuous bravery, daring and valour, with extreme devotion to selling in the presence of the enemy (Ebay)
Graham, congrats to you. Quite an achievement.
Bravo, Golden Graham….
Thanks guys.
Ebay actually sent me a cake
Also asked a lot of questions for an interview story …..that’s going to take a lot of editing.