Bob Shop


Bob Shop, formerly Bidorbuy or bidorbuy.co.za, is a South African e-commerce website based on an internet auction and online marketplace. Transactions on Bidorbuy are in South African Rand.
WWW Official Site

History

Bidorbuy 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, the platform expanded to India and Australia. In 2001, after the dotcom crash, the Australian site was closed and the Indian website was merged with Baazee.com.
Bidorbuy.co.za became the largest online marketplace in South Africa and Africa. In 2010, it invested into PayFast, a local online payment company, and 2014 into the e-commerce company uAfrica.com. It merged with UAfrica, in August 2022 to form Bob Group. In March 2023, UAfrica was rebranded as Bob Go and Bidorbuy as Bob Shop.

Concept

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.

Charity fund raising

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.
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. 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. In 2011, several South African celebrities participated in the Celebrity for Charity auctions benefiting charities including Reach for a Dream and Johannesburg Child Welfare.
In March 2016, the Vodacom Blue Bulls rugby team auctioned jerseys signed by the players on Bidorbuy. Samsung South Africa's The #SamsungHeroes online event, was organized on Bidorbuy in July 2016.

Entrepreneurship advancement activities

Bidorbuy and institutions of higher learning collaborated to encourage entrepreneurship among young South Africans. It is claimed that around 60 students of the University of Johannesburg, and Raymond Ackerman Academy of Entrepreneurial Development participated in January 2010 and around 50 students of the Investment Society at the University of Cape Town participated in March 2010.
According to Biztech Africa, Bidorbuy claims 20% of the people selling on its site make a living though the use of the platform.

Notable and controversial listings

Awards

  • Public's Favorite E-Commerce Website and Best E-Commerce Services Website in the 2011 Jump Shopping South African E-Commerce Awards.
  • The winner in the Enterprise category of the 2011 Clickatell Personalized Priority Messaging Awards
  • Best eCommerce Services Website in the 2012 South African E-Commerce Awards.
  • Best Customer Service Website in the 2013 South African E-Commerce Awards.
  • Best App for Africa on Africacom 2013 - the Bidorbuy Android app.
  • Nominee in the MTN business app of the year 2014 - the Bidorbuy Android app.
  • Finalist in the App Circus 2014 - the Bidorbuy Android app.
  • Best eCommerce Services Platform in the 2014 South African E-Commerce Awards.
  • Best eCommerce Services Platform in the 2015 South African E-Commerce Awards.
  • Best Online Market Platform in 2016 South African E-Commerce Awards.
  • Best Online Market Platform in 2017 South African E-Commerce Awards.