Over the next few weeks, we are going to revist some of the 2020 eBay for Business Awards winners to discover what difference winning has made to their businesses and how the pandemic has impacted them. Today we look at McGill Motorsport.
Entries for this year’s eBay for Business awards are open with a deadline of midnight on the 2nd of August. You can enter here.
Small Business Power
The eBay for Business Awards highlight many of the small businesses that rely on eBay for their living but it doesn’t end there. For a quarter of a century, eBay have always been a small business champion and this month they have launched the Small Business Power campaign, as part of their commitment to helping entrepreneurs survive and thrive beyond the pandemic. The new package of support includes:
- A series of new seller offers, including reducing fees by 5%, as well as 75% off new listing costs for existing and new business sellers to help them make the most of selling online
- Coupons and discounts for eBay shoppers to incentivise purchasing from small businesses
- Investment in training programmes to help sellers make the most of the eBay platform
- Greater investment in marketing our small business sellers across TV, social, print and online media
McGill Motorsport – 2020 Family Business Award Winner
Rachel McGill’s family has a deep passion for motorsports. Combined with her strong sales and customer service skills, developed through her 30+ years in banking it gave Rachel the confidence she needed to set up her business, McGill Motorsport.
The business began in 2005, after Rachel’s husband’s hobby of racing stock cars led to him buying parts abroad for himself and other drivers. The couple started to source these products and sell them to subsidise his racing expenses and turned to eBay as the natural avenue to do so.
Despite the relatively niche market, eBay provided access to a huge customer base and McGill’s competitive pricing meant they gained loyal customers quickly.
Over a decade later, the McGill’s three sons have left their engineering careers to join the business and take it to the next level. Together, they’ve designed some revolutionary products.
How did you use the prize money from your award?
We’ve used the majority of the funds on research and development of new products, but part of the prize money has been set aside for a special team celebration. Unfortunately, due to Covid, this hasn’t yet taken place, but we’ll be celebrating together as soon as we’re allowed to!
How has your business grown in the past year since the awards?
We’ve seen great growth in our sales numbers over the past year, and more importantly we’ve also taken on a lot of new customers. Given the niche nature of our business , many of our customers return again and again, so gaining new ones is extremely valuable to us.
Did the pandemic impact your business?
Yes, but we’re very grateful that this has mainly been in a positive way. For example, we’ve gained new customers as more people have been buying online. We expected to see a downturn due to motor racing being put on pause due to Covid restrictions but racing drivers and race car builders have continued to improve their cars and have also invested in personal safety products whilst they eagerly await the return of their sport.
Was eBay a helpful lifeline during the pandemic?
We’ve always received fantastic support from eBay’s concierge service. They were particularly supportive when postage times were delayed and customer queries increased significantly during the height of the pandemic.
What are your future plans for your business?
We want to keep going from strength to strength, increase our product range and continue to innovate by designing new products and bringing them to market.
Do you have any tips for this year’s contestants?
Definitely apply! It doesn’t take too long to sort your application and the potential rewards are truly immense. This year has been an experience we will never forget and will always appreciate it.
