How cash on delivery works
- The buyer orders on your store and pays nothing online.
- You confirm the order by phone or WhatsApp.
- A courier delivers the parcel and collects the cash.
- The courier pays you back, minus its fee — usually weekly or after each batch.
The order form: short and on the product page
A COD buyer decides fast. Put the order form on the product page, or as a pop-up from the buy button, and ask only what the courier needs.
- Full name
- Phone number (checked against your country’s format)
- City — so the delivery fee shows at once
- Address, with a landmark if addresses are unclear where you sell
On CODOS Store, the COD order form does this out of the box, with quantity offers inside the form and an optional upsell right after the order.
Show the full price before the form
The most common reason a buyer refuses a parcel is a price that surprised them. Show the product price, the delivery fee for their city and the total before they press “Order”.
Confirm every order before shipping
Call or message every order within the hour. It catches wrong addresses, fake orders and buyers who changed their mind before you pay for a parcel. Use the call script and the WhatsApp messages.
In your orders list, move each order from Pending to Confirmed or Cancelled, then Shipped, Delivered or Returned — so you always know your real delivery rate.
The three numbers of a COD store
| Number | What it measures | What to do if it drops |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation rate | Orders confirmed ÷ orders received | Call faster; check fake or duplicate orders; show the total earlier |
| Delivery rate | Parcels delivered ÷ parcels shipped | Ship faster; send a “shipped” message; check courier quality by city |
| Cost per delivered order | Ad spend ÷ delivered orders | Fix the two rates above before you raise the budget |
See what these rates do to your profit in the profit calculator, and read twelve ways to reduce refused orders.
Add other payments when you are ready
Bank transfer can sit next to cash on delivery from day one: the buyer sees your transfer details after ordering. Some sellers also write a mobile money number there.
Profit calculator
Your real profit per order after delivery, refused parcels and ads — and the most you can pay per order.
Questions people ask first
Is cash on delivery risky for the seller?
It moves the risk to you: a refused parcel costs a return fee. Confirmation, clear prices and fast delivery keep that risk small.
Can I offer COD only in some cities or countries?
Yes. Payment methods are set per market, so you can offer cash on delivery where your courier works and bank transfer elsewhere.
Do I need a courier contract to start?
Many couriers take small sellers without a long contract. Compare their prices by city and their refusal fee before choosing.
