GUIDE · CASH ON DELIVERY
What should you verify on a COD order before dispatch?
Before dispatching a cash-on-delivery order, verify that the address is complete, the pincode and locality agree, the building or house can be located, and a unit number is present when needed. Then confirm high-risk ambiguities with the customer. COD status alone neither proves fraud nor makes an address invalid; use it only as workflow context.
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Why do COD orders fail?
COD orders can return because of refusal, customer unavailability, changed intent, unreachable contact details, courier issues, or an unusable address. Address verification only addresses the last category and related ambiguity. Unicommerce’s 2022 report notes materially higher COD returns than prepaid returns.
Which address details should be checked?
Check the recipient’s house, flat, or shop number; building or street; locality; city; state; and six-digit pincode. Preserve useful landmarks, but do not substitute a landmark for a complete premise. DIGIPIN may locate an approximately four-metre cell, but it does not identify a person or flat; see India Post’s technical document.
| Check | Escalate when | Operator action |
|---|---|---|
| Completeness | Unit or building is missing | Ask for the missing detail |
| Pincode/locality | Details conflict | Confirm the pincode |
| Location evidence | Premise cannot be located | Request clearer directions |
| Customer confirmation | Material uncertainty remains | Call or message before dispatch |
How should automation treat a COD order?
Use the same address-quality rules as prepaid orders, then configure a human confirmation threshold appropriate to your economics. Do not auto-cancel solely because an order is COD or an address receives REVIEW. Record why an operator changed the dispatch decision.
How do you add Satik to the workflow?
Send the address to the verify endpoint after checkout and before label creation. Use the response’s verdict, flags, recommended action, and rule trace. Follow the quickstart, then report the real delivery outcome so later checks can use evidence rather than assumptions.
Who wrote this guide?
Prince Kumar, founder of Satik. This guide does not claim that address verification eliminates COD RTO.