eBay.co.uk has found the street with the savviest online traders in the country. Luscombe Way in Rackheath, Norfolk, is officially the UK’s busiest “eBay street,” topping a league table of “eBay streets” across the land. A higher percentage of the residents there trade more items online on eBay.co.uk than any other in the UK.
At first glance, the sleepy village street in the Norfolk backwater looks like one in any other picturesque English village. But behind closed doors, there is a hive of hi-tech activity as residents of over two-thirds of the 48 homes are busy buying and selling on the UK’s favourite marketplace. The thirty-two eBay-registered households on the street have between them racked up 2,000 eBay transactions on eBay.co.uk in the past year.
From classic cars to Portakabins and from baby clothes to biker’s leathers, the residents of Luscombe Way are a diverse bunch: the street’s savvy eBayers have an average feedback score of 92, and, in the last year each household has sold an average of 58 items and has bought 33 bargains each on eBay.co.uk.
Working five-to-nine
Whilst for some of the Luscombe Way residents, online trading is their nine-to-five job as they run businesses on eBay.co.uk, the majority use it outside their working hours, whether to clear out clutter, feed their hobbies and interests, bag a bargain or simply to raise some extra cash:
Fashionista, Tracy Storey, loves the idea that her old clothes will find new homes and her favourite thing about eBay.co.uk trading is collecting glowing feedback after selling a well-loved item she no longer wants.
Car-lover James Sadler is a car obsessive and spends his free time restoring clapped-out classics in his garage. He trawls eBay.co.uk in search of the parts he needs to fuel his motoring passion, often buying items from far-flung Australia and America.
Colin Hall is self employed and runs part of his business on eBay.co.uk, selling Portakabins and storage containers. Since getting the eBay bug, he also buys all manner of items for himself, his most recent purchase being a bottle of aftershave.
Biker Simon Stevens turned to eBay.co.uk after he out-grew his beloved biking leathers. Keen to refresh his look, he sold the old leathers to fund the purchase of new ones and has been hooked ever since.
Around the corner from Luscombe Way is the leader of the street’s eBay pack, Paula Lowe. She runs the local corner shop and gives eBay lessons to those that need help. Paula is the fountain of all eBay knowledge for beginners in the village and is often to be found dispensing pearls of eBay wisdom across the counter. She loves rummaging through car boot sales for collectable items to sell online on eBay.co.uk.
eBay spokesperson Richard Kanareck said:
“Savvy Brits now buy and sell more on eBay.co.uk that any other nationality, creating a new wave of cottage industries across the country.
“Although the pavements may be quiet, the go-getter residents of Luscombe Way are now reaching thousands of shoppers every day from their living rooms, bedrooms and home offices.”
The ten busiest “eBay streets” in the UK are:
1. Luscombe Way, Rackheath, Norfolk
2. Kinlet Road, Wigan
3. Camford Close, Hampshire
4. Victoria Park, Leyland, Lancashire
5. Willow Bank drive, Pontefract, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
6. Gurnard Close, Coppice Farm, Willenhall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
7. Gorse Cover Road, Severn Beach, Bristol
8. Old Brompton Road, London
9. Bridgend Park, Bathgate, West Lothian
10. Middle Street Trallwn, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff
RAF to PHD
When hunting for the busiest streets, eBay found that universities and RAF bases were both hives of activity on the site and showed some of the most intensive trading.
Of these, the University of Warwick claimed more savvy students registered on the site than any other University whilst RAF Inglis, in Mill Hill, north London was the busiest barracks.
About the research: eBay analysed postcode data for its 15 million registered users, combining buying and selling traffic figures to arrive at the final list of busiest streets.