Bob Shop (bidorbuy) Review 2026: Legit & Safe?
Trust Score: 56/100 (C — Caution Advised)
Disclosure: This review contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. This does not affect our Trust Score or editorial opinion. Learn more.
Quick Verdict
Bob Shop — the South African marketplace founded in 1999 as bidorbuy and rebranded in 2023 — is a legitimate, long-running platform, not a scam. Africa’s largest online marketplace of its kind, it lets retailers and individuals sell almost anything in both auction and fixed-price formats (today around 80% new, fixed-price goods), and it is part of the Bob Group with its own Bob Pay and logistics. Because it is an open, eBay-style marketplace, the trust risk sits with individual sellers: reviewers report sellers taking payment without sending items, counterfeit goods and fraudulent listings left live after being reported, refunds refused, and a buyer-protection programme that some say only offers partial refunds and is slow to act. It is legit and useful for deals and collectables — but vet each seller carefully and lean on buyer protection.
Trust Score Breakdown
| Dimension | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure & Security | 14/20 | Operating since 1999 (as bidorbuy), now part of the Bob Group; secure; own Bob Pay and logistics. |
| Business Legitimacy | 16/20 | A real, long-running platform — Africa’s largest open marketplace (auctions and fixed-price). |
| User Feedback | 9/20 | Mixed-to-low scores (HelloPeter ~2.5); non-delivery, counterfeit and refund-refusal complaints. |
| Data Protection | 11/20 | Standard privacy and secure payments; no notable breach. |
| Marketplace Factors | 6/20 | Open seller marketplace with huge selection; but sellers taking payment without shipping, counterfeit listings left live, and buyer protection offering only partial refunds. |
Pros
- Africa’s largest open marketplace; operating since 1999
- Both auction and fixed-price formats; huge, varied selection
- Part of the Bob Group, with Bob Pay and logistics
- Good for collectables, deals and hard-to-find items
- An established, genuinely operating platform
Cons
- Open marketplace means seller-dependent risk
- Reports of sellers taking payment without sending items
- Counterfeit goods and fraudulent listings left live after reports
- Refunds refused; buyer protection said to offer only partial refunds
- Customer service hard to reach and slow to resolve
How We Assessed Bob Shop
Rather than rely on a single order, we assessed Bob Shop across all five Trust Score dimensions using verifiable evidence: we verified the company behind it — founded in 1999 as bidorbuy, rebranded Bob Shop in 2023, part of the Bob Group, and Africa’s largest auction-and-fixed-price marketplace — and aggregated independent feedback from HelloPeter (~2.5), ScamAdviser and ComplaintsBoard. For Bob Shop, we examined non-delivery, counterfeit, refund-refusal and buyer-protection complaints against its long-running, open-marketplace model. The Trust Score and breakdown above reflect this combined evidence; see our Trust Score methodology for the full rubric and sources.
Is Bob Shop (bidorbuy) Legit or Safe?
Yes — Bob Shop (formerly bidorbuy) is legit, not a scam; it is a real, long-running platform and Africa’s largest open marketplace. But because anyone can sell, “safe” depends on the seller: buy from sellers with strong ratings and history, use Bob Pay and the buyer-protection programme, never pay outside the platform, and treat unusually cheap listings with suspicion. For other South African and auction options, compare our Takealot review and eBay review.
See where Bob Shop ranks in Best Online Marketplaces 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bob Shop legit?
Yes. Bob Shop is a legitimate, operating marketplace — not a scam. Atop Legal rates it 56/100 (Grade C, to be used with caution) using our five-dimension Trust Score methodology covering infrastructure security, business legitimacy, user feedback, data protection and marketplace-specific safeguards.
Is Bob Shop safe to buy from?
Bob Shop is usable with caution, mainly for low-value, non-critical purchases. Use the platform's built-in buyer protection, pay on-platform, and check seller ratings before ordering. Our full Trust Score breakdown above explains the rating in detail.
Is Bob Shop a scam?
No. Bob Shop is a real, registered business, not a scam. Like any marketplace it has strengths and weaknesses — which our review documents — but you can shop on it and obtain refunds through its buyer-protection process.
What is Bob Shop's Atop Legal Trust Score?
Bob Shop scores 56 out of 100 (Grade C) in Atop Legal's 2026 assessment. The score is the sum of five 0–20 dimension scores; see the breakdown above and our methodology for how it is calculated.
