Example: how we assist bicycle buyers and sellers
Connecting buyers and sellers with bicycles. Buyer wants the bike. Seller wants to purchase price. And we want the boxed bicycle for collection and delivery. See how we make this happen. Every single weekday. All across the country. Example below. A real-life client conversation between all three parties. And the bike shop. *Why the Muizenberg featured image for this article? Because that’s where we collect. At Caledonian cycles. Instantly recognizable in the area. An institution. And the seller in this case immediately knew where to go.
N+1: Removing barriers for both buyer & seller of the bicycle
A spot of bragging rights are in order. As the buyer of the bicycle in this example has a gardening service business in JHB and they do stellar work. Of which he is very proud. Check out linbrogardens.co.za/. Website created by spiltmilkcreations.co.za/. Anyway, back to business. He asked me if we can collect his new bicycle from a chap in CPT. But the bicycle wasn’t yet boxed. And it wasn’t yet paid for.
So now we need to bring together a few things: (A) the seller doesn’t know the buyer and is scared he won’t get paid so doesn’t want to release the bike without the purchase price. (B) the buyer doesn’t know the seller and doesn’t want to pay without the reassurance that he will get the bicycle. And (C) we want a boxed bicycle to collect. Because it is more cost effective than sending a fully assembled bicycle. And safer for transport. Just like all the brand-new boxed bicycles being sent across the country. NOW that is how we are Connecting buyers and sellers with bicycles – and bike shops.
Enter the bike shop
Bicycle couriers love collecting from local bike shops. Because they are open during office hours. And they have all the tools and parts and expertise to box the bicycle. Including the box itself. Because they get in new stock all the time. So we can refer the seller directly to the bike shop. In this example the seller is in Retreat. And immediately I though of the following bike shops close by who can assist. All of them we use quite often. Here they are. In no particular order:
- Marwaan at Caledonian cycles in Muizenberg
- Oscar at Crown cycles where we collect tomorrow
- Ila Stow at the Bike Park Constantia Uitsig
- Team at Olympic cycles in Claremont and Kenilworth
- Mark at Freewheel Cycology Specialized near Cavendish
- CE cycles near the Blue Route mall is permanently closed
And so on and so forth. These were all mention off the top of my head while chatting to the buyer and seller on the phone. Which goes to show why we love sending boxed bicycles across SA. We know this space extremely well. Because we are doing what we love. And it shows. I hope. But the reviews confirm our sentiments. Anyway, moving on.
To complete the transaction
Seller takes the bike to the bike shop. Bike shop boxes the bike. And if need be they can do a quick inspection and give the buyer a OK thumbs up before he parts with the purchase price. Then buyer is happy because the bike has been checked and professionally boxed. Seller is happy because he gave in the bike for boxing with the least amount of effort. Plus he got the purchase price. And we are happy. Because bicycle couriers can now collect the boxed bicycle and send it to the recipient. Even the bike shop is happy because they got paid for their services and turned a cardboard box from potential recycling into an income for the workshop. Connecting bicycle buyers and sellers. Isn’t this grand?
