Who still pays on delivery in the Gulf
- Buyers ordering from a store they discovered in an ad, for the first time.
- Buyers outside the biggest cities, and older buyers.
- Buyers of fashion and beauty who want to check size, colour and smell before paying.
- Many couriers let the buyer pay by card at the door too — “payment on delivery” is not always cash.
What cash on delivery costs you
| Cost | What to ask the courier |
|---|---|
| Delivery fee | Per parcel, by city or zone |
| Cash collection fee | Fixed amount or a percentage of the order? |
| Refused parcel | Do you charge the return trip? How many attempts first? |
| Payout | How often do you transfer the collected money? |
Put these numbers in the profit calculator before you set your price: in the Gulf, ads are often the biggest cost per order, and a refused parcel wastes both the ad and the delivery.
Keep refusals low
- Confirm every order on WhatsApp or by phone within the hour — in Arabic, politely, with the total. See the confirmation messages.
- Ask for a precise address: district, street, building and a map pin or the National Address in Saudi Arabia.
- Show the total early: price, delivery fee and VAT before the order form.
- Deliver fast: in big cities, buyers expect one to three days.
VAT and registration
The standard VAT rate is 15% in Saudi Arabia and 5% in the UAE. Registration rules for online sellers depend on your activity and turnover — check with the Ministry of Commerce and ZATCA in Saudi Arabia, or your emirate’s economic department and the Federal Tax Authority in the UAE. Freelance licences exist in both countries for individuals.
On CODOS Store you set the tax rate per country in Settings › Taxes and duties, and the tax is kept on each order.
Set up a Gulf store on CODOS Store
- Choose Saudi Arabia (SAR) or the UAE (AED) as your store country, and add the other Gulf countries as markets with their own prices and delivery fees.
- Write the store in Arabic, right to left, with English as a second language if you want — see Arabic online store.
- Turn on cash on delivery, and bank transfer for buyers who prefer it.
- Install your Snapchat, TikTok and Facebook pixels — most Gulf traffic comes from these apps. See Snapchat ads.
Country pages: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain.
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 still used in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, especially for first orders from stores found in ads. Card payments grow fast, but many buyers still prefer to pay at the door — often by card on the courier’s machine.
Do couriers charge extra for cash on delivery in the UAE?
Most charge a collection fee on top of delivery. Ask each courier for the fee, the return cost of a refused parcel and how often they pay you.
Can I sell in Saudi Arabia from another country?
Yes, with a courier that delivers and collects there, and prices in SAR. Check the rules for foreign sellers with the Ministry of Commerce and ZATCA.
Does CODOS Store work in Arabic?
Yes: Arabic right to left on the store, the order form and the checkout, with prices in SAR, AED and every Gulf currency.
