Rosalia Villa has fond memories of going thrifting with her mother and continued that tradition with her own daughter. She started thrifting items to sell on eBay as a side hustle and soon realized that this was her passion. She took a chance on herself and through trial and error, learned the ropes of reselling. Today, she’s a successful reseller with an 1800 square foot warehouse and a thriving business.
Check out her store of stylish finds, https://www.ebay.com/str/uggqueen.
7 Questions with Rosalia Villa of Ugg Queen
- How did you start selling on eBay?
A few years back, I was in a car accident and was off work for a while. I was raising my daughter as a single mom and finances were tight, which was frustrating, so I decided to visit my favorite thrift store. I came across a sweater that I really liked and thought my daughter would too. I bought it and it turned out, she didn’t like it. That’s when I saw an eBay commercial and decided to give it a shot. I listed the sweater and it sold within 24 hours for a hundred dollars—I paid $6 for it. I thought, well, what else can I sell?
- What’s your process for sourcing or producing merchandise?
Finding that one sweater and flipping it so quickly sparked a fire in me. I rummaged through my closet and started frequenting thrift stores. I like the thrill of the hunt and finding those special pieces is always fun—plus it’s good for the environment.
My business started growing rapidly after people saw the quality of stuff that I could find. I couldn't keep up with the demand and had to rethink my business model. While a lot of people like to buy secondhand, there are several who prefer new items—especially during back to school and the holidays. I started going to stores and finding items on markdowns to flip them. When I tracked my inventory and noticed that shoes are my top sellers, I focused on buying and selling them. We also included home goods to add some diversity to my collection. However, buying thrifted items is still one of the most important parts of my business—it’s what I love to do the most.
- What does a typical day look like for you?
Reselling on eBay has helped me be my own boss and have a better work-life balance. My day starts the night before at my warehouse where I prepare items to ship. We’re back the next morning and I do a quality check before packaging, labeling, and dropping products off at the post office. I then go sourcing before heading home for dinner. Family is very important for me and it’s a blessing to be able to make time in my day for them—whether it’s grabbing lunch or picking up the kids from school.
- What does community mean to you and your business?
The eBay community has been very important in my growth. I’ve met a lot of people who’ve been selling on eBay, and I've learned so much from them. They’re all so friendly and bring something different to the table—tips and tricks, which brands are in style, what to do, and what not to do. Most importantly, everyone is so supportive and always helping each other out. I’ve not only become friends with other resellers but also with customers.
- What’s your top productivity hack?
Hiring a good employee and training them the best you can. My employee is always one step ahead of me, open-minded, and gives me feedback. To grow your business, it’s essential that you keep your employees happy. It’s a 50-50 relationship and having the right staff is important.
- What eBay tool do you find most useful? Why?
I find the Review Your Traffic page very beneficial. It helps me track when people are shopping—whether it’s on the weekends or on holidays—and I can send them offers and coupons. I also target potential customers by sending offers on days with slow traffic, just to try and entice them.
- Where do you see your business in one year? five years? ten years?
I want my business to grow and get to the point where my employees are running it for me, and I'm doing all the backstage investments. Instead of pallets of inventory, I hope to buy truckloads of inventory to resell.
I'm very proud to say that in my family, I'm the first female entrepreneur with a business of this scale. I want to break the thought process that you must work a 9-to-5 job. No, you don't, and I'm setting that example for my family and for anyone out there who thinks they can’t—because you can!
Check back for more seller stories and tips throughout the year on our Announcements board, the eBay for Business Podcast, and our eBay for Business Facebook and YouTube.
This interview has been edited for concision and clarity.
`
