Payments and Shipping for Sellers

Overview

Selling on the Bicycle Blue Book Marketplace is designed to be secure, straightforward, and transparent. All transactions are handled through Stripe Connect Escrow, which holds the buyer's payment safely until the bike is received and confirmed — protecting both parties every step of the way.

Before you can list, you'll verify your identity and link a bank account (see Verifying your identity before you sell). Your payouts go to that linked account. Once a sale is made, you fulfill the bike, the buyer confirms receipt, and your payout is released automatically.

How Payments Work

Every Marketplace sale is protected by escrow, meaning payment is secured before the bike changes hands.

Payment Flow

• The buyer submits payment at checkout.
• Funds are held securely in escrow via Stripe Connect — not sent to you yet.
• You fulfill the bike using your chosen method.
• The buyer confirms receipt and condition.
• Funds are released to your connected account.

You can fulfill with confidence, knowing payment is guaranteed once the buyer confirms receipt (or automatically after the inspection window expires).

Choosing Your Fulfillment Method

BBB offers two fulfillment methods. ShopDrop is set up when you create your listing, so the buyer sees the pickup location and fee before they buy; self-shipping is handled after the sale.

Option 1: Ship It Yourself

• Disassemble and package the bike securely.
• Open your seller dashboard and click Print Label to get your prepaid Bikeflights shipping label — shipping runs on Bicycle Blue Book's Bikeflights account, so you don't pay for or arrange shipping yourself.
• Hand the package to UPS. Bikeflights ships through UPS, so your order is tracked automatically from pickup to delivery.

⚙️ Pro Tip: Use a bike-specific box and protect delicate components like derailleurs and rotors during packing.

Option 2: ShopDrop

• ShopDrop lets you hand the bike off at a participating BBB partner shop instead of shipping. The buyer picks it up there with a secure PIN — a convenient, neutral option for local sales.
• Select a participating shop when you create your listing, so the buyer knows the pickup location before purchase.
• After the sale, drop the bike at that shop. The shop confirms drop-off and the order moves to "ready for pickup."
• The buyer collects the bike and provides their pickup PIN. The shop verifies it and releases the bike.
• Escrow releases and your payout begins once pickup is confirmed.

A $25 ShopDrop fee is deducted from your payout to cover the shop's handling. The buyer pays a matching $25 fee at checkout.

💡 Even with ShopDrop, your sale is protected by escrow and covered under the Blue Book Promise.

After Fulfillment

If you shipped the bike:

• Mark the order as Shipped and add tracking details.
• The buyer receives automatic updates and tracking notifications.
• After delivery, the buyer has a short inspection window to confirm condition.
• When the buyer confirms (or the window expires), escrow is released and your payout begins processing.

If you used ShopDrop:

• Drop the bike at your selected shop. Escrow releases once the buyer completes pickup with their PIN.

Payouts

Payments are issued automatically to the bank account you linked during identity verification, processed through Stripe Connect once escrow is released. Typical payout times:

• 1-5 business days for Stripe to transfer funds to your bank.
• Delays may occur if banking info is incomplete or newly verified.

View your payout history anytime from your Seller Dashboard under "Transactions."

Refunds and Returns

If a buyer reports an issue, funds remain in escrow while the claim is reviewed under the Blue Book Promise. If the claim is approved and a return is required:

• You'll receive instructions for the return.
• Once the bike is received and verified, funds are released accordingly.
• You'll be notified by email throughout the process.

Best Practices

• Ship within 3 business days of sale confirmation, or drop your bike at the ShopDrop shop promptly so it's ready when the buyer arrives.
• Always provide valid tracking details when shipping.
• Keep communication within the Marketplace messaging system.
• Package bikes securely to prevent damage — especially carbon frames and components.

FAQ

• When do I get paid? 
  After the buyer confirms receipt, completes ShopDrop pickup, or the inspection period expires, funds are released from escrow. Stripe then transfers them to your bank account within 1-5 business days.
• Can I offer local pickup instead of shipping? 
  Yes. Turn on ShopDrop when you create your listing to hand the bike off at a participating shop for local buyers.
• Can a shop pack and ship for me? 
  No. Sellers now handle their own packing and shipping. However, you can reach out to your local bike shop - some shops will help with packing and shipping for a fee. 
• What if the buyer doesn't confirm delivery? 
  For shipped bikes, funds release automatically after the inspection window (48 hours from delivery). For ShopDrop, the sale completes when the buyer picks up with their PIN.