A unique player in the market
La Bonne Voile is the first online platform entirely dedicated to the sale and purchase of new and used sails. Its aim is to simplify the sale, donation and purchase of sails for all types of sailboats and sailors, as founder Lorraine Le Jean explains:
" The right sail came from a personal need. In 2019, I was looking for a sail for our little sailboat. We were in a hurry, on a tight budget. It was our first sailing with this boat, and we didn't want to invest in new sails. But there are plenty of second-hand sails to be found all over the place: from private sellers, sailmakers and dealers. The idea is to make it easier to find what we're looking for, and to make the most of all this dormant stock."
And the young platform quickly became a success:
"At first, we confined ourselves to France, but the borders soon opened up to neighboring countries. We received requests from all over Europe, and the catalog expanded a little."
Making the most of dormant stock
The site is aimed at both private individuals and professionals:
" We cater for a variety of needs: those looking for a second-hand sail on short notice, those who need to save money, or those who want to try out a new sail. Our professional partners include small local sailmakers, as well as major names such as Incidence and All Purpose."
"We have around 1,000 ads, which are renewed regularly. We've also extended our catalog to include equipment. We benefit from a great diversity in our offer. You'll find everything from racing and cruising sails to old rigging. We promote searching by size, rather than by boat type. The whole point is to find sails that match other supports. It's the dimensions that count."
Easy access and attractive terms
La Bonne Voile is free to set up on line, and operates without advertising. The site earns a commission on each transaction, corresponding to 6.5% of the sale price.
Transport is handled by an external service provider, given that 95% of the sails sold on the site come in a box:
" Shipping a sail in France costs less than ?30, and around ?50 for neighboring countries. This rises to around a hundred euros for shipment to the Canaries or other European archipelagos. We follow up every order and manage any disagreements between sellers and customers. In general, everything goes smoothly. The seller is happy to get rid of a sail that's no longer in use, and the customer is pleased to have acquired a piece of equipment at a lower cost, as a second-hand sail is heavily devalued compared to its original price."
