For classified sales, the buyer pays you directly and the listing fee is charged to your card. For Buyer Protection sales, Stripe releases payment to your connected Stripe account once the buyer confirms the bike matches.
When You Will Get Paid as a Cyclesite Seller
Your payout lands in your bank account 1 to 2 business days after the buyer's 48-hour inspection window ends. In plain terms: roughly 3 to 4 days after the bike is delivered for most sales.
The Full Timeline
| Step | Timing | |---|---| | Buyer pays at checkout | Day 0, funds held in escrow by Cyclesite | | Courier collects the bike | Within 1 to 3 working days of payment | | Bike in transit | 3 to 7 working days (depending on zone) | | Delivery confirmed | 48-hour inspection window starts | | Inspection window ends | 48 hours after delivery | | Stripe transfer initiated | Immediately after inspection window ends | | Funds land in your bank account | 1 to 2 business days after transfer |
Worked example: buyer pays Monday, bike collected Tuesday, delivered Thursday, inspection window ends Saturday evening, Stripe transfer initiated Monday, funds in your account by Tuesday or Wednesday.
How You Get Paid
Cyclesite uses Stripe Connect to handle all seller payouts. On your first sale, you will be prompted to set up a Stripe Connect account, it takes about 5 minutes and requires:
- UK bank account details (sort code and account number)
- A photo of your ID (passport or driving licence)
- Your address and date of birth
This is required by UK financial regulations, the Know Your Customer (KYC) rules apply to anyone receiving payments through a regulated payment processor. Cyclesite never sees or stores your bank account information, it goes directly to Stripe.
What You Receive
Your payout is the sale price minus:
- Platform transaction fee, a small percentage of the sale price, only applied when the buyer opts into Buyer Protection at checkout. The amount is shown on your payout breakdown in the seller dashboard.
- Any refund, if a dispute is upheld in the buyer's favour during the inspection window.
Private classified sales with in-person collection have no percentage deducted. You keep the full sale price, your only cost was the one-off listing fee paid when you published. Either way, the full fee breakdown for the sale appears in your seller dashboard before the payout is released.
What Happens if a Buyer Opens a Dispute
Your payout is paused while the dispute is investigated. We aim to review disputes within one working day. Possible outcomes:
- Dispute rejected, evidence supports you. Payout resumes immediately on its normal schedule.
- Dispute upheld, evidence supports the buyer. The sale is refunded at our cost, the bike is returned, and no payout is issued.
- Partial settlement, in some cases (for example, a minor undisclosed issue), we may facilitate a partial refund and release the remainder to you.
To give yourself the best chance of a dispute going in your favour: keep your listing photos current, describe the bike honestly, include the frame number, and respond quickly when we ask for information.
Why Is There a Delay At All?
Two things combine to create the 3 to 4 day wait:
1. The 48-hour inspection window is there to protect both sides. It gives the buyer time to confirm the bike is as described before the sale completes, and it gives you time to respond if there is a problem. 2. Stripe's payout schedule, Stripe, like every major card payment processor, takes 1 to 2 business days to move funds from their system to your bank account. This is industry standard and applies to every Stripe-powered marketplace.
We cannot override either timeline. What we can do is keep the inspection window as short as practical (48 hours, many marketplaces hold funds for 14 days or more) and release the Stripe transfer the instant the window closes.
If a Payout Seems Delayed
Check your Stripe Connect dashboard first. Payouts can pause if:
- Stripe needs to verify additional information (occasionally triggered on higher-value transactions)
- Your bank details have a typo or the account has been closed
- Your Stripe account has an outstanding KYC step (a prompt to upload an additional document)
Most issues show in the Stripe Connect dashboard with a clear action. If everything looks fine and the payout still has not arrived within the expected window, [contact support](/help/contact) with your order reference and we will investigate.
Frequently asked questions
How long until I get paid after a sale on Cyclesite?
Roughly 3 to 4 days after the buyer receives the bike. The 48-hour inspection window ends, then Stripe takes 1 to 2 business days to transfer the funds to your bank account under their standard payout schedule.
Why is the payout not instant?
The 48-hour inspection window is there to protect both sides, it gives the buyer time to confirm the bike matches the listing and you time to respond to any dispute. After that, Stripe's standard 1 to 2 business day payout schedule applies to move funds into your bank account.
Who handles my bank account details?
Stripe Connect. Cyclesite never sees or stores your bank account number, it goes directly to Stripe when you set up your Connect account on your first sale. Stripe is the regulated payment processor behind every major online marketplace.
What do I need to set up a Stripe Connect account?
A UK bank account (sort code and account number), a photo of your ID (passport or driving licence), and your address and date of birth. This is required under UK Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. Setup takes about 5 minutes on your first sale.
What happens to my payout if a buyer disputes the sale?
The payout is paused until the dispute is resolved. We aim to resolve disputes within one working day. If the evidence supports you, the payout resumes on its normal schedule. If the dispute is upheld in the buyer's favour, the sale is refunded and no payout is issued.