Green and sustainable delivery with Cycloon (bike couriers)

Research shows that consumers care about sustainability. If you want to give your webshop customers a green option, Cycloon (formerly Fietskoeriers.nl) is a great choice. Cycloon and Fietskoeriers.nl already delivered mail and packages together, but from now on they ride under one name, as one team: Cycloon. While other delivery options mainly focus on offsetting CO2 emissions, Cycloon actually reduces CO2 emissions. Their bike deliveries also mean less traffic congestion in the city, without sacrificing speed or efficiency.

In this article, we'll tell you everything about Cycloon and its integration with Sendcloud.

What is Cycloon fietskoeriers?

Every online retailer knows package delivery is a challenge. It needs to be fast, flexible, and customer-friendly. But that way of working takes a toll on the environment — a problem Fietskoeriers.nl wants to solve.

And what better way to do that than by bike? As the only delivery service that delivers by bike across the whole of the Netherlands, they want to make package delivery smarter and cleaner. Bike delivery means less traffic and less CO2 emissions, without sacrificing service, flexibility, or speed.

Fietskoeriers.nl is a platform run by Cycloon, now active in more than 75 cities across the Netherlands. In these cities, Fietskoeriers.nl delivers all your packages by bike, with a smile.

Fietskoeriers.nl is also active outside these cities. There, they don't (yet) deliver by bike, but through a car courier partner. Since these partners use existing routes, CO2 emissions are still lower than with a traditional delivery method. Below is a list of cities where Fietskoeriers.nl is active. Cities marked with an asterisk (*) have a Fietskoeriers.nl hub. A hub is a location on the edge of the city. From there, couriers also cycle to surrounding towns and villages.

Why should you use Fietskoeriers.nl for your webshop, how does delivery work, what are the requirements for shipping your packages, and how does this carrier work with Sendcloud?

Below, we'll explain it all so you can make the most of it!

Which webshops benefit from Cycloon?

Online shoppers care about having delivery options. Letting them choose how, where, when, and at what price they receive their order boosts conversion. So offer as many shipping options as possible at checkout.

Choosing Cycloon in the thirty bike cities makes sense if you already have a delivery partner but also want to offer a green alternative.

Choose this carrier for all your packages, and they'll deliver in bike cities as well as beyond. That gives you a single point of contact for all your packages.

That's a handy solution for smaller webshops or retailers with a physical store. Even with smaller volumes, Cycloon can still come by to pick up all your packages.

Cycloon fietskoeriers works for small and medium packages and doesn't require a minimum volume. If you process few orders per day, Cycloon may charge a fee for picking up your packages. You can also always drop off your packages at a hub yourself.

Want to connect Cycloon fietskoeriers to your webshop with ease? Try Sendcloud for free now!Open a free account

Benefits of shipping with Cycloon fietskoeriers

Every delivery service has its own unique selling points. What makes Cycloon stand out from the rest?

Green delivery

If sustainability is a priority for your webshop, Cycloon fietskoeriers is a great match. Its sustainable delivery fits well with your brand and customers.

You won't find a greener option than Cycloon. While most delivery services do their best to offset CO2 emissions, Cycloon actually reduces CO2 by delivering on bikes.

Research shows that cycling just the last leg to the recipient cuts CO2 emissions by 60% compared to delivery by diesel van.

Customer service comes first

A great customer experience matters to Cycloon. They see their service as an extension of your webshop and make sure every package is delivered in a friendly way, with a smile. They're also easy to reach by phone or WhatsApp, daily from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Competitive prices

Sustainable doesn't have to mean expensive. Cycloon offers competitive prices that let it compete with other, more traditional delivery services.

Flexible delivery and evening delivery

Flexibility is a key part of a good customer experience. Cycloon delivers in the evening, when most people are home. Customers can also easily change the delivery time or location through the tracking link they receive.

What does a shipment with Cycloon fietskoeriers cost?

Shipping costs depend on the contract you have with Cycloon fietskoeriers, so they can vary by retailer.

Extra services are also available for an additional fee, such as:

• Delivery with signature on receipt, € 0,57.

• Delivery to the delivery address only, no attempt at the neighbors, € 0,69.

• Surcharge if the package can't be sorted automatically due to its nature, shape, or packaging, € 4,13.

• Surcharge for printing a new address label for a nonexistent address or unscannable label, € 0,87.

• Surcharge if the recipient refuses delivery and the package is sent back, € 5,43.

Shipping and receiving with Cycloon fietskoeriers

Cycloon focuses on two shipping methods, so how your package is shipped and received depends on which one you choose:

For all your packages in bike cities

Is your package headed to one of the more than 75 bike cities? Then Cycloon fietskoeriers will deliver it by bike. It's the fastest and most flexible addition to your delivery options. And a green one too.

For all your packages

Cycloon fietskoeriers is the only bike delivery service with nationwide coverage. Choose this carrier for all your packages, and they'll be delivered by bike in bike cities and by a car courier partner elsewhere, who's already on the road anyway. This saves you time and helps the environment.

How does a shipment work with Cycloon fietskoeriers?

A bike courier picks up your packages from your warehouse or store. From there, your packages are taken to the nearest Cycloon hub.

Depending on where the package is delivered, it follows one of these two routes:

• Is your package headed to the city? Then it's taken by a green gas vehicle to Cycloon's sorting center, sorted there, and then taken by a green gas vehicle to the right city. From there, a bike courier delivers it straight to your customer's door.

• Is your package headed to an address outside the city, where Cycloon doesn't yet cycle? Then it's handed off to a car courier partner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAVRFn03x6s

How delivery works for your customer

On the day of delivery, your customer gets a message with the exact time the package will be delivered. On the day itself, the delivery time and location can still be changed until 2:00 PM. This can be done through Cycloon's tracking link.

Once one of Cycloon fietskoeriers' delivery partners is delivering the package to your customer, the delivery address can no longer be changed.

If your customer isn't home, the bike courier will try to deliver the package to a neighbor. If that doesn't work either, they'll try again the next day.

What's included by default with Cycloon

• (Mailbox) packages delivered by bike on weekdays in more than thirty cities.

• Same-day or next-day delivery. From Monday through Friday, packages are always delivered within 24 hours.

• Standard delivery window in the evening, between 18:00 and 22:00.

• Packages are delivered with a GPS stamp by default (proof of delivery location and time).

• The carrier makes 3 free delivery attempts. Didn't work out? Then the package is sent back to you free of charge.

Additional options with Cycloon

• An extra option for fast delivery via same-day shipping. Pickup from your warehouse or shop, with delivery on the same day.

• Extra insurance up to € 500 euro per shipment.

• Signature on receipt.

• Choose not to have your package delivered to a neighbor.

• Return process via Cycloon.

How do returns work with Cycloon fietskoeriers?

From specific postal codes, your customers can return their package with Cycloon. A bike courier simply comes to pick it up again, by bike.

If you live in a rural area, the return option through Fietskoerier.nl isn't available yet.

What are the requirements for Cycloon shipments?

If you ship your packages with Cycloon, they need to meet certain requirements. Your package can measure up to 60 × 60 × 40 cm, and weigh no more than 10 kilos.

If you occasionally have a larger package, that's not a problem. Just make sure the larger or heavier package doesn't make up more than 10% of your total volume.

If it does, you'll pay the following rates:

How does Cycloon (fietskoeriers) work with Sendcloud?

Cycloon fietskoeriers is now available through Sendcloud, in combination with your own contract. Already shipping with Cycloon under your own contract? Then you can easily load your contract into Sendcloud, and your own (pricing) agreements will apply. Do this under My Contracts.

Want to use Cycloon but don't have a contract with them yet? First, get in touch with them.

Still have questions about using Cycloon through Sendcloud? Feel free to leave a comment. We're happy to help!

P.S. Curious about all the flexible shipping options you can use through Sendcloud? Then check out our article on which carrier best fits your webshop.