The Good Life: On the Auction Block

Meet Philly's eBay Queen Extraordinaire

There's a reason why Linda Lightman is in the top one percent of consignment eBayers — worldwide — and why she's even been invited for dinner with eBay CEO Meg Whitman: The former attorney and Ambler resident

There's a reason why Linda Lightman is in the top one percent of consignment eBayers — worldwide — and why she's even been invited for dinner with eBay CEO Meg Whitman: The former attorney and Ambler resident works her butt off. Back in 2001, when Lightman first put her sons' video games up for sale, she had no idea that she'd someday do more than $2 million in business a year. But she took baby steps, and before she knew it (and without a single bit of advertising), she'd created a full-blown, high-end, international eBay store called Linda's Stuff that now employs 14 — including her husband. The way it works is simple: You call Linda when you have something to sell; she gets the most possible money for it, then keeps only 30 percent for sales under $1,000 and 20 percent for sales of $1,000 or more. “Anyone can do it,” Lightman concedes. “What you're paying for is the service — the photographing, researching, shipping, customer service.” You're also paying for her 24/7 accessibility and people-pleasing personality — Lightman includes handwritten notes with each check she sends (always signed “Hugs, Linda”), and she's forged intimate connections with her customers, including celebs and VIPs she'll only name off the record. Lightman already has an astounding 27,000-plus positive reviews on eBay. Now, she can add ours to the list.

215-654-9044 or maxjonman@aol.com; visit stores.ebay.com/Lindas-Stuff.