Gelb Music in Redwood City, California credits eBay for helping to keep its doors open when sales were down several years ago. With more than 75 years of history in this family owned business, Gelb sells products around the world with eBay’s Global Shipping Program. Store manager Don Frank says there are a number of new customers who live in the area and come in after discovering the store on eBay.
“eBay connects me to a lot of other musicians and people around the country that I might not normally come in contact with," said Don. "It gives me a unique perspective and it helps me learn."
Having an online presence with global reach as well as a business model that values community, Gelb has been able to survive while many of its competitors have not. According to eBay’s Commerce 3.0 study, technology-enabled businesses that export have a 60 to 80 percent higher rate of survivability than offline businesses. From its eBay store with a wide range of quality products to its brick and mortar shop with lessons from some of the industry’s most talented musicians, Gelb is proud to be one of the last independent music stores in the San Francisco Bay Area.