How to Reduce RTO for COD Orders

Outlines practical methods to decrease non-delivery rates on Cash on Delivery orders, protecting your business from unnecessary two-way courier fees.

Before You Begin

• Analyze your store RTO metrics to identify problem regions or repeat non-delivery patterns.
• Formulate a pre-dispatch confirmation workflow for cash orders.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Confirm Orders Before Dispatch

Send an automated confirmation notification or make a brief phone call to verify that the customer placed the order and is expecting delivery.

Step 2: Validate Postal Addresses

Screen delivery addresses for missing house numbers, landmarks, or invalid postal codes before creating courier labels.

Step 3: Provide Real-Time Dispatch Alerts

Keep customers informed of shipping progress with regular tracking updates so they are prepared to receive the parcel and pay cash.

Step 4: Provide Incentives for Prepaid Orders

Offer promotional discounts or perks for buyers choosing online prepaid payment methods.

What You Should See

• The configured COD settings and verification steps are applied to incoming cash orders.

Common Problems & Troubleshooting

Problem: Customer Denies Placing the Order at Doorstep

Solution: Call buyer to confirm phone number and full street address. If unreachable, hold dispatch for 24 hours before proceeding.

Related Help Articles

• How Growing Businesses Should Manage Shipping
• How to Handle Return-to-Origin Orders

Complete Settings Reference

The table below details every configuration field, option, and toggle for this feature, explaining what each setting controls with practical merchant examples.

Setting / Option Name	What It Does (Platform Function)	Merchant Example / Use Case
Enable Partial Advance	Requires a small upfront token payment online before shipping a COD parcel.	Collecting ₹100 online helps confirm buyer intent before dispatch and reduces COD Return-to-Origin (RTO) rates.
COD Charges (Handling Surcharge)	Adds a fee (e.g. ₹50) when COD is chosen to offset return logistics costs.	Incentivizes shoppers to select online payment methods to ensure confirmed delivery.