The Smokey Carter

How did you end up launching your own eBay shop?

I’ve always enjoyed cooking and in 2013 I was following a BBQ spice rub recipe, when I had an idea. The recipe used 12 different herbs and spices, which is a lot of individual pots you need to have in the cupboard! Plus, there was the cost of each one and time spent mixing a teaspoon of this and a teaspoon of that.

It struck me that I couldn’t be the only one who would find a readymade product appealing, so I decided to create some of my own ready blended BBQ rubs and seasonings.

My wife Samantha and I met when I was working as a photographer on a cruise ship. Travelling the world and sampling food from destinations around the Caribbean and Mediterranean has always inspired our home cooking and it ended up playing a big part in my new range of world-inspired BBQ rubs and sauces.

When did you sell your first item on eBay?

In the beginning, it was just a hobby and selling on eBay seemed a natural choice. It gave me the opportunity to test the market with virtually zero start-up costs and I was also familiar with the site, having used it to buy and sell a few things.

After going through the necessary Environmental Health inspection and registering as a food business, I started to sell 50gram bags on eBay. The very first item I listed was the Smokey Chipotle BBQ Rub – which remains the top seller today. The first one sold within three days and after that I began making sales every other day, then every day.

I started adding more products, including our Piri Piri BBQ Rub and Chipotle and Bourbon BBQ Sauce. The previous year I’d made some chilli jams as Christmas gifts, which had received great feedback, so I decided to start selling those too.

It was a fantastic feeling, seeing them sell and having people come back for more and leaving great feedback.
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Knowing other people were liking and enjoying what I had created, was just amazing and it wasn’t long before I released this could be more than just a hobby.

How did you grow the business?

As interest grew, I continued to expand the range, including starting to sell spices and other complimentary products alongside the bespoke rubs and sauces.

I also started attending a few farmers markets and approached independent shops, many of whom have gone on to become stockists. 
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I think one of the reasons I’ve been successful is that the flavours on offer are very different to what’s available from others in this space. They tend to stick to just the traditional flavours, while I have a wide variety of influences from all over the world, including Japanese and Mexican-inspired rubs. 

After three years of running the business alongside a full-time job, I decided it was time to go for it. I quit my job and the extra time I could then dedicate to the business has seen it grow substantially. It was a leap of faith, but it was definitely the right decision.

Providing exceptional customer service remains a key focus for the business. I aim for a quick turnaround on all orders and always send items out first class. Coupled with good quality products, this seems to be working as there are plenty of repeat customers on eBay and I have 100% positive feedback.

Things are going great and I certainly didn’t think I would get to the stage I’m at today.
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I now have 15 different rubs and 13 sauces, and the products are stocked in 49 deli’s, butchers and farm shops across the UK. They are also available in Belgium, Germany, Kuwait and Sweden. 

We’ve also won 12 industry awards to date, including nine Great Taste Awards (the Oscars of the food industry) and several National Chilli Awards. We have even gained some great recognition for the business, from former Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis.

What’s the best thing about running your own business?

The best thing about running my own business is definitely being my own boss. You make all the decisions and don’t have to answer to anyone else. The money you make and all the effort you put in is also for your own benefit, rather than just lining the pockets of someone else! 

I still run the business on my own, dealing with every aspect including; label design, producing the products, social media, accounting, sales….the list goes on! It can certainly be challenging at times trying to keep on top of everything, but there is no better reward than seeing my own business grow and do well. It takes a lot of time to get it right, but I’ve never been happier as I’m doing something I really enjoy, in a sector I’m passionate about.

What does the future hold?

Going forward, I’d like to start building relationships with even more independent stockists and farm shops.

I recently rebranded all our labelling and changed some of the packaging. I also invested in a professionally designed eBay shop front, to help drive more sales.

One of the big growth areas for the business is the gift options range, which are proving really popular with customers online, as well as with stockists. These are themed gift tubes, such as a bacon making kit, an American road trip inspired selection of rubs, a cheese-lovers gift set and even a botanical gin set.

I am now looking to expand on this range, and also the broader range of core rubs and sauces.
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Why did you enter the eBay for Business Awards?

I decided to enter the eBay for Business Awards as I thought the business was doing well and could be in with a chance of winning. It was an amazing feeling to hear it had actually won and the extra publicity has given us a boost.

Howard’s Top tips

1.

Provide great customer service

You can have a great product, but if your customer service is lacking, either before or after a sale, then this can soon escalate into something that can be detrimental to your business. 

2.

Keep customers informed

Strong communication is vital in business. Keep customers informed throughout the buying process, answer queries in a timely manner and don’t just ignore things if they do happen to go wrong. Mistakes happen, it’s how you deal with them that really counts.

3.

Invest in doing social media well

Social media is now a huge part of many people’s lives, so it’s important to have a presence on channels such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Shout about your products and brand and build relationships with your customers. It will help generate sales and loyal customers in the long run. 

4.

Deliver on your promises

If you are advertising a certain amount of days for delivery/dispatch, then stick to it. Be realistic about how it will take to process orders and don’t over promise. The last thing a customer wants is for an advertised delivery date to come and go, and for the item to turn up a week later! 

5.

Make sure you have a quality product

Be confident in the knowledge that you are offering a quality product. We produce all our own BBQ rubs and sauces and are confident that our products are the best that they can possibly be. Having a great product will bring customers back, again and again. They will also recommend you to family and friends, ultimately bring in more sales.

Want to be an eBay for Business award winner just like Howard? You could win an all-expenses-paid trip to the USA, as well as up to £5,000 in prize money, plus much more. You’ll find loads more information about the awards and how to enter, here.

Social post: Meet Howard – Turning a lifelong passion for cooking into an award-winning food business #ebayawardsuk via @eBayUK_News
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