Meeting in person for collection

For bigger / local items, in-person collection often beats courier costs. Here's how to do it safely.

Use TradeSafe even for in-person deals

The escrow flow protects both sides. The buyer pays into TradeSafe, meets the seller, inspects the bike, and only confirms delivery after seeing and testing the item. If the bike isn't as described, the buyer walks away and disputes — TradeSafe refunds.

Sellers: don't accept "I'll EFT you when I arrive" for an in-person deal. Use the platform.

Where to meet

• Public, well-lit places during daylight — coffee shops, mall parking lots with cameras
• Some SAPS stations have designated "safe trading" parking areas — ask at your local station
• Bike shops can sometimes host handovers (especially if you're going to want a service done anyway)
• Avoid: residential addresses (yours or theirs) for first meetings

What to bring

Buyer

• A way to inspect the bike: phone torch, multi-tool, your old bike shoes/pedals if needed
• Cash for incidentals (not for paying — pay via TradeSafe!)
• A friend if the item is high-value

Seller

• The actual bike + everything mentioned in the listing
• Original purchase receipt if you have it
• Pedals + cleats + spares as listed
• Your phone for the TradeSafe SMS confirmation

At the handover

1. Buyer inspects — gears shift, brakes work, no damage missed in photos, frame number matches if you specified one
2. Test ride if possible — 5 minutes is plenty
3. Buyer confirms delivery in CrankMart app/site — TradeSafe releases the funds
4. Seller hands over the bike, helmet, accessories, etc.

If the buyer wants to back out: that's fine — they cancel the order, TradeSafe refunds, both sides walk away.

Frame number / serial number check

For higher-value bikes, ask the seller in advance whether the listing includes the frame serial number. Many do. You can cross-check against:

• BikeIndex (bikeindex.org) — global stolen-bike registry
• SAPS — call the local station with the serial; they can check stolen-property lists

If the listing doesn't include a serial and the seller refuses to share one in advance, treat it as a red flag.

Paying in person without TradeSafe (NOT recommended)

If you absolutely must do a cash / EFT deal in person and skip TradeSafe:

• Inspect first, pay last
• For EFT: wait for the funds to clear in the seller's account (can take minutes to hours depending on banks)
• For cash: count it in front of the seller, get a written / WhatsApp receipt with the frame serial number

But really, just use TradeSafe. The fee is tiny relative to a bike's value, and the protection is real.