4th annual eBay for Business Awards shortlist

32 innovative small businesses have reached the eBay for Business Awards shortlist across ten diverse categories for the 4th annual Awards.

From these 32 businesses on the eBay for Business Awards shortlist, ten category prize winners will be chosen who will each 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.

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.

“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.”
– Murray Lambell, General Manager, eBay UK

eBay for Business Awards shortlist by category

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 Seller 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