MICHELLE L. BOLDEN (SAYS)She began selling on eBay in 2007. Six years ago my husband and I turned our home into a homeless facility for older homeless women called the Good Samaritan Inn and ran a brick-and-mortar bookstore to help fund it. Because of the location, that bookstore failed, leaving us with unused inventory and struggling to afford to continue to provide housing for the ladies. We knew we had to do something because it was now taking half of our income to continue with the shelter.In 2007 we began to put our inventory on eBay. We fairly quickly became PowerSellers and have been ever since. While we are still growing, eBay has made a huge impact on our budget and helps us get the bills paid. In fact, this month we are in the process of getting ready to move our business out of the home and into a warehouse space, because we are ready to expand. We are so grateful that we have an option like eBay. The ladies we house are older ladies who have, for the most part, no income at all and have fallen through the cracks of the system. Working from home I can both raise funds for them, be available more readily to work with their programs, and still have time for my children. Thank you eBay for helping us help others.

JIM WATT (SAYS)
A little over 5 years ago I decided to clear out the garage. As most typical Americans we always seemed to acquire more than we got rid of so it was time to let go. One item was a military style stretcher I had purchased from an old factory for $10. I had proudly dragged this trophy home to my wife for her not so convincing nod-of-approval. It then took its place at the top-of-the-heap. After a couple of years there was no more room for such trophies so I contemplated setting it out at the road with a free sign on it. It then occurred to me to sell it on that "eBay thing" I had heard so much about. One week later it sold for $180, I was vindicated for my shrewd business sense, and I was irreversibly hooked as an eBay seller. Over the next few years the entire family helped Dad load up barns full of old car parts and process growing piles of treasure. The old cars parked in our neighbor's back forty acreage soon disappeared and strangers started knocking on the door asking us to help them turn their items into cash. 5 years later we have purchased an 8,000 square foot building dedicated to eBay sales. We have shipped to every state in the union and to 40 countries. eBay has been a very positive experience to help keep the family working together especially in these tough economic times.