Cash on delivery is still how many Indian shoppers prefer to pay, especially with a brand they haven't tried. But COD orders are refused more often, and every refused parcel — return to origin, or RTO — costs you shipping both ways and blocks stock for days.
Why COD orders come back
- Impulse orders the buyer forgot about.
- Wrong or incomplete addresses and phone numbers.
- Buyers ordering the same thing from several shops and accepting the first.
- Delivery took longer than expected.
Fixes that work
- 1
Confirm COD orders
Send a quick WhatsApp confirmation before shipping. No reply in a day? Call once, then hold.
- 2
Add a small COD fee
₹30–₹50 covers courier COD charges and nudges many buyers to pay online.
- 3
Set a COD limit
Above a value (say ₹2,500), require online payment.
- 4
Make prepaid attractive
Free delivery or a small discount on online payment works better than penalties.
- 5
Ship fast
The longer a COD order waits, the more likely it's refused. Dispatch within a day.
Tip: In Shopersite, set the COD fee and COD limit in Settings → Payments and Checkout. See Cash on delivery.
Measure it
Track your COD share and RTO rate monthly. If RTO is high in a few pin codes, consider prepaid-only for those areas or verify those orders more carefully.
Ready to try it?
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