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Bob Shop

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Bob Shop
Type of businessPrivate company
Founded1999
HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
Key peopleAndy Higgins, Managing Director; Craig Lubbe, Head of Marketplace
IndustryOnline Shopping marketplace
ProductsOnline auction hosting
ParentBob Group
URLwww.bobshop.co.za
Launched1999

Bob Shop, formerly Bidorbuy or bidorbuy.co.za (officially written as one word, all-lowercase; variations: bid or buy, Bidorbuy and Bid or Buy), is a South African e-commerce website based on an internet auction and online marketplace. Transactions on Bidorbuy are in South African Rand.

History

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Bidorbuy (Bob Shop) was launched by Andy Higgins in August 1999 at the height of the dotcom boom, in South Africa. Initial funding and support was provided by Professor Yair Tauman, Professor Abraham Neyman, Mr. Danny Barnea, and Mr. Zohar Gilon. In 2000, it was made available in India and Australia. In 2001, after the dotcom crash, the Australian site was closed and the Indian website was merged with Baazee.com (which was sold to eBay in 2004[1]).

Bidorbuy.co.za became the largest online marketplace South Africa and Africa.[2] In 2010, it invested into PayFast,[3] a local online payment company, and 2014 into the e-commerce company uAfrica.com.[4] It merged with UAfrica, in August 2022 to form Bob Group.[5] In March 2023, UAfrica was rebranded as Bob Go and Bidorbuy as Bob Shop.[6]

Basic concept

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Bob Shop's business model is described to be similar to eBay. Listings on the platform are either live auction or listed at a fixed price.

Items traded on the site

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Collectible items were the popular listings on Bidorbuy before it became Bob Shop, notably South African coins, stamps, antiques were listed on the platform. In 2008, Bidorbuy introduced auto listings, which attracted car dealerships to list on the site, making it one of the biggest online car shop windows in South Africa at the time. In the same year of 2008 Bid or Buy introduced property listing. Both were removed around 2022 and 2023.

Trading formats

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  • Auctions. In the beginning, Bidorbuy featured only online auctions.
  • Buy Now. In 2001, Bidorbuy introduced the buy now format for selling items at fixed prices.
  • Classifieds. In 2005, Bidorbuy introduced a classifieds section where sellers can display items that may not lend themselves easily for sale on the internet, like second-hand cars, property and services.
  • Buy Now and Auctions with Make an Offer. In May 2015, Bidorbuy introduced a Make an Offer functionality, first for Buy Now and later on for Auctions, which allows buyers and sellers to negotiate the price.
  • Auctions with Buy Now. In November 2015, Bidorbuy gave sellers the option to include a Buy Now price in their auction listings.

Payment Methods

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On April 20, 2010, It was reported that Bidorbuy launched BobPay-EFT an internet payment method that works with major South African banks: Absa, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank.[7]

Charity fund raising

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Bidorbuy allowed registered charities and non-profit organizations to raise funds on the site. In 2009, charities raised over R425,000 through sales on this platform.[8] The biggest amount, R300,100 was raised for the Ubuntu Education Fund through the sale of the last VW Citi Golf ever made for the general public by the seller Volkswagen South Africa.[9][10] In the same year, the Celebrities for Charities Auctions event was held on the site, in which 39 celebrities, most notably the archbishop Desmond Tutu, auctioned their time to raise funds for charities.[11] In 2011, several South African celebrities participated in the Celebrity for Charity auctions benefiting charities including Reach for a Dream and Johannesburg Child Welfare.[12]

In March 2016, the Vodacom Blue Bulls rugby team auctioned jerseys signed by the players on Bidorbuy.[citation needed] Samsung South Africa's The #SamsungHeroes online event, was organized on Bidorbuy in July 2016.[13]

Entrepreneurship advancement activities

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Bidorbuy and institutions of higher learning collaborated to encourage entrepreneurship among young South Africans. Is claimed round 60 students of the University of Johannesburg, and Raymond Ackerman Academy of Entrepreneurial Development participated in January 2010[14] and around 50 students of the Investment Society at the University of Cape Town (InvestSoc) participated in March 2010.[15]

According to Biztech Africa, Bidorbuy claims 20% of the people selling on its site makes a living though the use of the platform.[16]

Notable and controversial listings

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  • Plastic surgery procedures auctioned on Bidorbuy (July 2000).[17][18]
  • The R5 circulation Mandela coins controversy (July 2008)[19]
  • Unreleased stamps marking the tenure of the President of South Africa President Kgalema Motlanthe (March 2009)[20]
  • A voter tried to auction his vote on Bidorbuy (April 2009)[21]
  • Rare ZAR Veldpond coin sold for R450,000 (July 2010)[22]
  • An attempt to sell rough diamonds on Bidorbuy (August 2010)[23]
  • A dress worn by DA leader Helen Zille auctioned on Bidorbuy for charity (March 2010)[24]
  • An attempt to auction toilet paper with the image of ANCYL leader Julius Malema (November 2010)[25]
  • First Afrikaans vampire film memorabilia auctioned on Bidorbuy (June 2011)[26]
  • ANC centenary gold coins listed for sale on Bidorbuy (October 2011)[27]
  • Simultaneous chess game with Garry Kasparov auctioned on Bidorbuy (October 2011)[28]
  • Vest worn by Justin Bieber auctioned on Bidorbuy (June 2013)[29]
  • Edible chocolate painting auctioned on Bidorbuy (April 2014).[30]
  • SAHA auctions Shifty Records memorabilia on Bidorbuy (September 2014).[31]
  • Dress made out of loom bands auctioned on Bidorbuy (December 2014).[32]
  • A Half-a-Million Coin: Bidorbuy (April 2015).[33]
  • Rare coin set to break record in online auction (February 2017).[34]
  • Demand for water related items spikes on Bidorbuy as #DayZero draws closer (February 2018).[35]
  • FIFA World Cup sparks interest in soccer memorabilia (June 2018).[36]

Awards

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  • Public's Favorite E-Commerce Website and Best E-Commerce Services Website in the 2011 Jump Shopping South African E-Commerce Awards.[37]
  • The winner in the Enterprise category of the 2011 Clickatell Personalized Priority Messaging (PPM)Awards[38]
  • Best eCommerce Services Website in the 2012 South African E-Commerce Awards.[39]
  • Best Customer Service Website in the 2013 South African E-Commerce Awards.[40]
  • Best App for Africa on Africacom 2013 - the Bidorbuy Android app.[41]
  • Nominee in the MTN business app of the year 2014 - the Bidorbuy Android app.[42]
  • Finalist in the App Circus 2014 - the Bidorbuy Android app.[43]
  • Best eCommerce Services Platform in the 2014 South African E-Commerce Awards.[44]
  • Best eCommerce Services Platform in the 2015 South African E-Commerce Awards.[45]
  • Best Online Market Platform in 2016 South African E-Commerce Awards.[46]
  • Best Online Market Platform in 2017 South African E-Commerce Awards.[47]

References

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  1. ^ eBay India Management Archived 25 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Your Guide to Buying and Selling on bidorbuy, Zebra Press, 2009 Archived 19 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine ISBN 978-1-77022-052-2
  3. ^ "Bidorbuy acquires stake in PayFast". Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  4. ^ Staff Writer. "Cloud e-commerce service uAfrica.com raises $1.5mn in funding - ITWeb Africa". ITWeb Africa. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  5. ^ "The evolution of bidorbuy and uAfrica". My Broadband. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Much more than a new name". My Broadband. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  7. ^ "BidorBuy adds Paypal payments". Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  8. ^ Barnard, David (6 January 2010). "Bidorbuy users raise over R425 000 for NGOs in 2009". NGO Pulse. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Citi Mk1 and Goodbye Citi Tour" (PDF). 2 November 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Last Citi Golf goes for R300 000". 8 December 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  11. ^ NickyR. "Celebrities on sale for charity". www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Date a celebrity for charity". Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  13. ^ "SA celebrities battle it out for charity on bidorbuy". Media Update. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  14. ^ bidorbuy.co.za Crazy Auction Challenge Video
  15. ^ "Bidorbuy auction challenge for students". www.bizcommunity.com. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  16. ^ "SA auction site turns sellers into business owners". BiztechAfrica. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  17. ^ "BBC News | AFRICA | SA plastic surgery web auction". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  18. ^ "South Africa: Bidorbuy To Auction Plastic Surgery in Kwazulu-Natal". article.wn.com. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  19. ^ Stevic, Lana. "Mandela money: Spend it or keep it?". The M&G Online. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  20. ^ Rossouw, Mandy. "Motlanthe's stamps of approval". The M&G Online. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  21. ^ "My DigitalLife: Vote for sale". Archived from the original on 10 November 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  22. ^ "The Good News South Africa Rare South African coin sells for 450,000 on bidorbuy". Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  23. ^ "Enabling all Africans to invest in stock markets". Moneyweb. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  24. ^ The Times Live Helen’s going, going gown Archived 13 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ "News iAfrica com: Website pulls loo paper". Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  26. ^ "Screen Africa: Fangs auctioned from Afrikaans vampire film". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  27. ^ "Business Day". Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  28. ^ "Online auction site gives bidders chance to play chess grandmaster - Memeburn". Memeburn. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  29. ^ "Bieber's sweaty vest worth thousands". Channel24. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  30. ^ "TechFinancials - Reliable Tech News". TechFinancials. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  31. ^ "SAHA - South African History Archive - Shifty memorabilia on BidorBuy". saha.org.za. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  32. ^ "TimesLIVE". www.timeslive.co.za. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  33. ^ "A Half-a-Million Coin: Bidorbuy | TechFinancials". TechFinancials. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  34. ^ "Rare coin set to break record in online auction | IT News Africa – Africa's Technology News Leader". www.itnewsafrica.com. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  35. ^ "Demand for water related items spikes on bidorbuy as #DayZero draws closer | IT News Africa – Africa's Technology News Leader". www.itnewsafrica.com.
  36. ^ "Fifa World Cup sparks interest in soccer memorabilia - Times Live".
  37. ^ Jump Shopping 2011 South African E-Commerce Awards Archived 22 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  38. ^ "SA's bidorbuy wins international award | The Media Online". themediaonline.co.za. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  39. ^ "2012 Winners | eCommerce Awards". www.ecommerceawards.co.za. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  40. ^ "2013 Winners | eCommerce Awards". www.ecommerceawards.co.za. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  41. ^ "Africacom 2013 award winners". Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  42. ^ "Vote for your favourite app in MTN Business App of the Year Awards - htxt.africa". htxt.africa. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  43. ^ "AppCircus developers' competition announces South African finalists - htxt.africa". htxt.africa. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  44. ^ "South Africa's Best eCommerce Retailers Announced at uAfrica.com's eCommerce Awards - uAfrica.com Articles". uAfrica.com Articles. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  45. ^ "Best e-commerce stores in South Africa". Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  46. ^ "All the e-commerce winners … | IT-Online". it-online.co.za. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  47. ^ "These companies won big at the 2017 PriceCheck Awards - Memeburn". Memeburn. 15 September 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2018.

Further reading

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