If you sell online in Sri Lanka, most of your customers will want to pay when the parcel reaches their door. Our data from about 5,000 orders shows that 90–100% of orders are cash on delivery (COD). So it is worth understanding exactly how COD works, and what you can do to make each COD parcel end in a happy customer, not a return.
How COD works on MyKade
- You share a product and a customer says they want it.
- You confirm the details and place the order in the MyKade app.
- MyKade packs the parcel and sends it island-wide with a courier.
- The courier hands over the parcel and collects the cash from the customer.
- When the parcel is marked delivered, your profit goes to your MyKade wallet.
- You withdraw from your wallet to the bank account you verified (the smallest payout is Rs 1,000).
Notice what is missing: you never touch the customer's money. On MyKade, customers always pay MyKade, never the seller. That protects you and the customer. You never have to chase cash or explain where a payment went.
The one weakness of COD
With COD, the customer pays nothing until the parcel arrives. That makes ordering easy, but it also makes saying "no" at the door easy.
In real Sri Lankan online shops, when selling to strangers, 30–37% of parcels came back. The biggest reasons were:
- 42%: no answer. The customer did not pick up when the courier called.
- 19%: refused at the door.
- 8%: changed their mind.
A returned parcel earns you nothing. So COD selling is really about one thing: making sure the person who orders is ready to receive and pay.
Five habits for better COD orders
1. Say the full amount before you order. Not just the item price. Include delivery (usually around Rs 450, paid by the customer). For example: "The item is Rs 1,950 and delivery is about Rs 450, so please keep about Rs 2,400 ready." A surprise at the door often becomes a refusal.
2. Tell them when to expect it. Most parcels arrive within 2 days of dispatch, and order to door is about 3 days on average. Tell the customer to expect a call from the courier in the next few days.
3. Ask them to keep their phone on. "No answer" is the top reason parcels come back. A simple reminder helps.
4. Check the address and number. A wrong number or a half address means the courier cannot find them. Read it back to the customer.
5. Confirm before you place the order. A quick call or message confirms they really want it. See how to confirm every order.
A ready-to-send COD message
Hi! Your order is ready to go: [item], Rs [price] + delivery about Rs [delivery] = Rs [total], cash on delivery. It should reach you in about 2–3 days. The courier will call this number before delivery, so please keep your phone with you. Shall I place it?
Only place the order after they reply "yes".
When COD is not the best choice
Sometimes a customer has a history of refusing parcels, or something about the order looks risky. On MyKade, risky orders may need a deposit or a confirmation before they go out. You can also offer the customer a secure payment link that MyKade texts to them, so they can pay in full or pay an advance. Read more in online payment links explained.
What COD means for your level
Every return counts towards your return rate, and your return rate decides your seller level (Green, Amber or Red). Careful COD selling keeps you in Green. See how seller levels work.
Start selling with COD
COD is what Sri Lankan shoppers trust, and on MyKade the money side is handled for you. Your job is to find the right customer and make sure they are ready at the door. Download the MyKade app and place your first COD order the careful way.