During the last several months, eCommerce retailers from all over the country shared how their businesses boomed as part of our Thriving contest. After receiving dozens of submissions, Rakuten Super Logistics selected one grand prize winner to receive $2,021! Here is our winner’s story.
Rotor Ron
Ron of RotorRon.com saw extreme growth in 2020. He didn’t just survive the pandemic, he created a brand new business and thrived.
“March 15, 2020. The first date I will never forget. The day my boss called and told me I needed to go to my office by 7 am the next morning and take everything I would need to work from home for the next 6 months. COVID-19 was for real.
March 25, 2020. The date my life changed forever. That same boss called me at 4 pm and asked me to open an email from him and read it. It was my walking papers and I had 10 minutes to clear my desk for the final time.
I dedicated over 14 years of 60 plus hour workweeks and some weekends and millions of dollars of sales for the company and was not even given the chance to say goodbye to my colleagues. I ran a very profitable part of a company, we were a cash cow. I was a Top 100 seller at one point and was always in the Top 300 list year after year. All of that was gone with one phone call I took from my garage.
Let’s back up to Dec 26, 2006. I had been tuning RC Car motors in my garage in my spare time for the past few months and had good success. I had originally started doing it just to tinker and try to make myself and a couple of friends faster. I never intended on starting a business, but that is the real beauty of this business. I had no plan, I had no goals, I just let things happen.
Related Article: How Did eCommerce Grow in 2020?
That March morning I decided to start a Facebook page, named it Rotor Ron, and took my hobby-turned-business seriously. I was gaining trust from fellow racers who were, in turn, asking me for my recommendations on other products. It was then I saw an opportunity. Instead of sending business elsewhere, I decided to capture that business for me. A few months later I launched a website, and business really picked up. I had started a nice ‘side gig’ and I never set out to do it.
When COVID shutdowns happened, my online sales really started to pick up. At the same time, I was sending my resume out and getting nowhere. So, I decided to dedicate all my time to Rotor Ron.
The first thing I did was put my entire inventory on eBay that was on my website. As a result, my overall sales doubled almost overnight. My website and my eBay Store were firing on all 8! Instead of the couple hours after work each night I now had all day every day to invest in Rotor Ron. Now I could research more products, and within months my inventory almost doubled as well. By August, I was tripping over product in my garage! I needed more space, so I started looking for a place to move to. I finally found a place in November that will allow me to eventually open a retail store while still growing the eCommerce side of the business.
Related Article: How Jewelry and Wellness Brands Exploded in 2020
I am happy to say that in 2020 my sales increased 240% and my total orders shipped grew by a whopping 326%! With only several months in the books in 2021, I am on track to double my sales again this year.
I was able to turn around what I thought was the worst news ever into something very positive. Maybe I should have listened to all the people around me that kept saying quit your job and focus on your side business? I have no plans to ever go back to work for anyone again, and that is what keeps me driven to succeed with Rotor Ron.”
You can read more of our Thriving stories submissions on our blog!
At Rakuten Super Logistics, we understand how important your business is. We want to partner with you to help you reach your best potential. Our nationwide network features 15 fulfillment centers strategically placed close to your customers to cut down your shipping costs and deliver your orders faster. Get a quote today from one of our eCommerce experts and see how we can help scale your online business.
Rakuten Super Logistics (RSL) is the leader in eCommerce order fulfillment services and freight brokerage. RSL offers modern fulfillment solutions for leading eCommerce retailers focused on reducing shipping costs, improving order accuracy, decreasing shipping times, and increasing customer satisfaction. RSL provides national fulfillment services and a network of 15 US fulfillment centers located in Anaheim (CA), Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Houston (TX), Las Vegas (NV), Miami (FL), Olean (NY), Reno (NV), Salt Lake City (UT), and Scranton (PA). Their state-of-the-art technology allows for integration with popular shopping cart platforms and online marketplaces including Amazon, Big Commerce, Channel Advisor, eBay, Magento, ShipStation, Shopify, Volusion, Walmart Marketplace, and WooCommerce.
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