Community Highlights: Meet Gilbert Yi of Golf Around

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gilbert Yi.

Gilbert, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Around 2004, I moved to Chicago for my wife at that time. I didn’t have a job. I had no sense of what to do. I looked on Craigslist and found odd-end jobs like going to events to do surveys. I sold candy at concerts. I did telemarketing. Yes, I was one of those who called people to give them a trip if they went to a time-share program. I think I did rather well. Haha. I didn’t have much money but I would buy a golf club and then resell it on eBay. I played golf in high school so it was what I familiar with. I bought and sold more and more. One day I bought from someone who happened to be relatively locally. I asked him if I could pick up to save the shipping fees. I went to his house and he showed me around. He had clubs everywhere. I was like a kid in a candy store for the 1st time – eyes wide open, probably drooling. I asked him if I could buy from him. He said no problem. I went to his house again and I asked him if he would teach me to sell on eBay.

I think I was thinking I needed to be more professional, maybe just better. He said yes but I needed to work for him. He told me in his gruff voice that I would need to pack the clubs he sold and he would give me $2 per package. Excitedly I said yes, not even thinking it’s only $2. A 45 min drive to package up sometimes two packages or as many as 6 or 7. $4-14 or so. But it was so worth it. He introduced me to 2 of the stores he worked with. He allowed me to go to golf shows with him and be his assistant. It was great. Within 2-3 months, I was going to other stores and striking up deals to buy more inventory. I was off and running. I had already stopped the other odd-end jobs and started the eBay business full-time. I absolutely loved it. Like my mentor, Herb, my apartment was filled with clubs and accessories. Around 2006 I got divorced and in 2007 and took the leap of faith to go back home. I moved back to LA. My car was jam-packed with clubs in hopes I would be able to continue to the business.

Not long after, God placed another lifeline in front of me, literally. I was in line at the post office. A guy in front of me said “Looks like your shipping golf clubs.” He was doing the same. He gave me a name and number to call. I finally got in touch with them and they were basically all I needed to grow my business. They were huge and I was blessed to get introduced to them. 17 years after I started, God gave me a path and lifelines to start and continue my business. I’m sure I would be successful in Chicago had I stayed but possibly less happy. At some point, you’ll face the fork in the road. You have to have enough courage to step out onto the unfamiliar path and pray you took the right one. There are always lessons to be learned from every action you take. You don’t have to have a lot of courage but we all need some courage and just enough faith to act on that courage. You have to be blessed or lucky too. Who knows where I would be had I not met the person at the post office. Timing sure is everything.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
One huge obstacle for me was how lonely I was in Chicago after getting divorced. I had maybe a few people I knew but I never hung out with everyone. I was depressed and spent my whole time alone. The only social time I had was when I went to the golf shops. I’d always spend a little more time at any of them than needed since I had no one to go home to. The other social time I had was going to sushi restaurants and talking it up with the owner or sushi chef. I don’t remember going out once with people from when I was divorced to the time I left Chicago.

Another struggle has been all the other competitors jumping onto eBay. Internet shopping was getting big about ten years ago. A lot of stores realized they had to sell on eBay so competition became a thing. About 5 or 6 years ago, manufacturers realized they could get on eBay also. Why wholesale or closeout when you can do it yourself? Profit margins have shrunk. Available resell inventory has diminished. Trying to deal with growing competition has been one of the biggest hurdles.

Another struggle is ever-increasing selling fees and shipping costs. With profit margins diminishing, it is harder to keep up with the ever-increasing Ebay fees and shipping costs.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’ve had my eBay business for a little over 17 years now. I started with golf equipment and continue to sell golf equipment. I’m trying to expand into other things but it’s always tough until you find a reputable source with great pricing. It’s been a fun ride for sure. A bit more of a grind now but I still enjoy it. I guess that’s what keeps me going. When you’re on eBay, there isn’t much you can show to differentiate yourself other than the pictures you provide. So I do my best and pride myself on shipping items as quickly as possible. I also answer questions as quickly as possible. We’re all in a rush these days. Even myself, as a customer, am thankful when I get a quick response from a seller. We don’t want that item to get sold to someone else while we wait for an answer. Those two things is how I believe I separate myself from everyone else.

What makes you happy?
What makes me happy? Great question. If we’re talking about the business then it’s the simple comment of “Thank you so much. I love the golf club.” or “Thank you for the quick shipping.” Just a simple thing like that makes me so happy. Golf is not a necessity by any means like diapers or food but it is the appreciation and gratitude someone shares with me that makes me happy. If we’re talking about life in general, what makes me happy is going to be a similar answer. Someone who gives me their love and appreciates the things I do for them. A simple thank you warms my heart.