How to reduce cash-on-delivery (COD) return rates in Morocco

In Morocco, most online orders are paid cash on delivery. It's what customers trust — but it comes with a hidden tax: 20–40% of COD orders are returned or refused, and every refused parcel still costs you shipping. Lowering that return rate is the single fastest way to protect your margin.

Why COD orders get returned

• Fake or impulse orders placed with no real intent to pay.
• Wrong or unreachable phone numbers.
• Customers who change their mind before delivery.
• Repeat “returners” who order across many stores and rarely take delivery.
• Slow delivery, so the customer no longer wants the product.

1. Confirm every order before you ship

The highest-impact change is to confirm each order with the customer — usually a quick WhatsApp message — before it ever leaves your stock. A confirmed order is far more likely to be delivered, and you stop paying shipping on ghost orders. Only ship orders the customer has actually said yes to.

2. Score your customers by return history

A small group of repeat-returners quietly eats your margin. Track each customer's history — how many orders they placed, delivered, and returned — and flag high-risk numbers. For risky customers, require confirmation (or a deposit) before shipping again.

3. Choose couriers by real delivery rate

Not all couriers perform equally. Two carriers in the same city can deliver 84% vs 71% of parcels. Measure the delivery rate of each courier on your own orders and route more shipments to the ones that actually deliver.

4. Fix the basics

• Validate phone numbers at checkout.
• Ship fast — the longer the wait, the higher the refusal.
• Set clear product expectations (photos, sizes, price) to avoid regret returns.

Do these consistently and a 30% return rate can realistically drop into the teens. getakid brings confirmation, customer risk scoring, and per-courier delivery rates into one dashboard so you can act on all four.