Two great ways to buy and sell used e-bikes are The Pro's Closet (that’s us) and Upway. We’ve been studying our competition and this post aims to compare and contrast how we each approach buying and selling used bikes. Here’s the basic gist:
- The Pro's Closet (TPC) offers a streamlined, Certified Pre-Owned bike buying experience, plus a low-hassle way to sell or trade-in used bikes.
- Upway also buys and sells used bikes, however they are focused exclusively on e-bikes. Offering a platform for you to buy and sell
Understanding the differences between us will empower you to choose the used bike business that suits your needs.
[button]Shop Bikes[/button]
Overview of What TPC Offers:
- Certified Pre-Owned Bikes: A comprehensive certification process ensures quality.
- Detailed listings: All bikes are listed with thorough descriptions and high-quality images.
- Trade-in options: Sellers are financially optimized (10% bump on their offer) to trade in their old bikes for store credit vs. cash offer.
- Generous Return policy: 30-day returns with no questions asked.
- Customer service: A dedicated support team to assist customers.
Overview of What Upway Offers:
- E-Bikes certified by a team of professional mechanics.
- Detailed listings: All bikes are listed with thorough descriptions and high-quality images.
- $150 incentive for sellers to purchase their next bike with Upway.
- Two Shipping Options: "5 Min Build" & "15 Min Build" for most bikes.
- Customer Service: chat, email, or scheduled phone calls.
- 14-Day Limited Return Policy.
Buying from The Pro's Closet vs Upway
The Pro’s Closet
- Certified Pre-Owned bikes inspected and serviced by professional mechanics
- 30-day no questions asked returns
- Detailed listings and photographs
The Pro's Closet provides a curated selection of Certified Pre-Owned bikes. Our Certified Pre-Owned bikes all undergo a thorough inspection process and are serviced by a team of professional mechanics to ensure quality, reliability, and safety. This provides buyers with more peace of mind. Detailed listings and photographs that document all components, repairs, and cosmetic blemishes so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Upway
- Immediate offers
- Multiple shipping options
- Professionally refurbished e-bike options with a one-year warranty
Upway is a used bike sell/trade platform that gives buyers peace of mind with serviced bikes that come with a one-year warranty and 14-day returns. Upway will buy most e-bike brands and has a significantly lower threshold for their entry level options (sub $500 bikes available) as well as larger cargo e-bikes.
[button]Shop Bikes[/button]
[newsletter]
Return Policy
Returning a bike that doesn’t suit your needs isn’t commonly accepted when buying privately. A big advantage of services like The Pro’s Closet and Upway is the ability to return a bike.
- The Pro’s Closet Return Window: 30 days
- Upway Return Window: 14 days
At TPC, we stand behind our service, inventory, and shipping processes with a 30-day money back guarantee. If your bike doesn’t meet your expectations, or the fit isn’t quite right, we'll take it back. We gladly issue a full refund or store credit for purchases made in the last 30 days. Shipping costs will be deducted from your refund.
At Upway, you have 2 weeks (14 days) from delivery date to evaluate your purchase and decide if the bike is right for you. To initiate a return, you must notify Upway by 8:00pm ET on the 14th day.
Shipping Internationally
Currently, TPC will ship bikes domestically to the 50 United States and all Canadian Provinces. We are unable to ship to other international locations at this time. Shipping charges outside of the contiguous US will incur additional charges.
Upway currently ships only within the contiguous 48 states.
Selling with The Pro's Closet vs. Upway
The Pro's Closet
- Sellers submit 2 or more photos and details to get a bike valuation
- Sellers receive an offer within 48 hours
- We provide shipping labels but no packing materials
- We don’t buy everything
- Sellers might get less
TPC tries to streamline the process for sellers, offering a straightforward path from valuation to sale, with the platform handling many of the logistics. Submitting a bike is quick and easy, and if we’re interested in buying your bike, you’ll receive an offer for instant cash or store credit (paid upon receiving the bike) within 48 hours. There’s no pressure to accept. Store credit offers are generally higher, to incentivize trading in your bike.
The downside is, because of our Certified Pre-Owned service, offers tend to be lower than what sellers can expect to get selling privately. The upside is selling your bike is quicker, easier, and less stressful when you don’t have to interact with private buyers. Also, because all our used bikes are Certified Pre-Owned, we tend to be a bit pickier about what we buy and there’s a chance we won’t be interested in your used bike. Visit our Sell/Trade page to see what we’re looking for.
Upway
- Sellers submit 2 or more photos and details to get a bike valuation
- Seller receives an offer within 48 hours
- Seller pays $50 for Upway to send them an e-bike box, which is refunded to the customer when Upway receives the sellers e-bike. Shipping costs are covered by Upway
- Narrow focus on e-bikes allows Upway to make offers on a wider variety of e-bikes including cargo e-bikes, e-trikes, and e-bikes under $1000
Upway caters to buyers and sellers who are solely looking for e-bikes. Because of this, they don't stock or buy bikes that aren't electric. Cyclists looking to trade in their traditional bike for an e-bike won't be able to buy and sell all in one place.s
[button]Sell Your Bike[/button]
Customer Service and Support
At The Pro's Closet, we are super proud of our Ride Guide team. They provide a responsive support system, aimed at ensuring customer satisfaction throughout the buying or selling process. TPC has been around for over 17 years and our team includes several members who have been here since the beginning. The rest of us are industry veterans all with 10+ years in the cycling industry. This team also includes retired professional road cyclists, Kona qualifiers, downhill die-hards, bike-packers, all-weather commuters, and more - long story short, we're all super passionate about bikes. We not only ensure that any issues are resolved efficiently, but they also have extensive knowledge of all aspects of cycling and can offer detailed guidance and assistance to buyers who need help deciding on their next purchase. You can reach a TPC Ride Guide either via phone, chat, email, or by visiting our retail showroom in Thornton Colorado where you can drop off your submission, test ride every bike on our site, or pick up your previously purchased bike.
Upway was founded in 2021 and expanded into the United States in 2023. They have a global presence, however, customers in geographic regions can only buy/sell within their respective regions. You can reach out to a customer service rep via chat, email, or by scheduling a phone appointment. They also have a physical presence in both Los Angeles and New York.
Conclusion
Choosing between The Pro's Closet and Upway depends on your priorities. If you are selling and buying and want to accomplish it all in one easy transaction, The Pro's Closet purchases a wider variety of bikes than Upway making it easier to move from a traditional bike to an e-bike. Even if upgrading your current e-bike to a different e-bike, The Pro's Closet's 10% Trade-In credit bump on top of your original offer is more incentivizing for most offers than Upway's $150 flat incentive.
[button]Shop Bikes[/button]
