Cash on delivery

Cash on delivery, or COD, is a payment option where the customer pays when the parcel arrives rather than when they place the order. It is common in markets where card use is lower or trust in online stores is still building, such as parts of the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

For stores, COD usually lifts the conversion rate, because buying feels risk-free. The cost is a higher rate of refused or undelivered orders, which means paying shipping both ways for nothing. Many COD stores confirm orders by phone or message before shipping to cut that loss.

On Shopify, COD stores often use a dedicated order form app that replaces the standard cart with a short form on the product page. When you research a store, these signs suggest it sells on COD:

• a "Buy now, pay on delivery" form directly on the product page
• an order form app in its detected Shopify apps
• prices and language aimed at a COD-heavy country

Keep COD in mind when you compare estimated sales across countries, since conversion and return rates differ a lot.