Emily Benton, 34, from Bewdley, Worcestershire, has achieved a turnover of £100,000 in just six months by reselling pre-loved clothing on eBay. The former pub manager, who previously worked on minimum wage, now runs a successful online business called The Fluffy Cow.
From Hospitality to Entrepreneurship
After leaving college at 18, Benton spent years in the hospitality sector, working as a waitress, hotel receptionist, and eventually a pub manager. Despite considering running her own pub, she realized she was 'done' with the industry. In 2018, she opened a consignment-based shop, The Fluffy Cow, in Bewdley with a £10,000 loan from her mother.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced her shop to close in 2020, Benton turned to eBay, where she had previously sold clothing and shoes as a hobby. She began reselling full-time, focusing on pre-loved items, retail returns, and end-of-line pieces.
Early Success and Key Sales
Benton's reselling journey began when she bought Marc Jacobs snow boots from a Mega Value shop for £5 and sold them on eBay for £35 the same night. She has since made significant profits, including buying a Laura Ashley dress for £35 at a car boot sale and selling it for £350, and finding a Saint Laurent dress for £5 that sold for around £500.
According to Benton, "All the pieces just came together at once because I had never bought clothes to sell for profit." She describes the process as "a treasure hunt every day."
eBay Live Streams Boost Sales
Benton now uses eBay Live streams to sell items in real time, conducting three to four streams per week and selling 100 to 150 items per session. She once completed a 24-hour live stream, staying awake for 36 hours and selling 750 pieces. She credits the live streams with boosting her business to an unexpected level.
"I'm now on eBay Live and it has boosted, absolutely boosted, my business to a level that I didn't even see coming," she said. Last year, she turned over £86,000 on eBay; her goal for this year was £100,000, which she has already reached.
Sustainability and Future Plans
Benton emphasizes the sustainability aspect of her business, noting that buying retail returns and end-of-line items saves them from landfill. She buys up to 300 items at a time and photographs and lists each one herself. Looking ahead, she hopes to employ staff and work directly with brands to resell their surplus stock. She also dreams of starting her own knitwear business, inspired by her love of knitting.
Benton advises others: "Literally anybody can do this job. It's saving clothes from landfill and it's a sustainable career."
