COD Order Verification Simplified for Shopify Sellers

Another Wednesday, another Wati Insights edition!?

Today, we’re spilling the beans on a little trick that’s turning heads in the e-commerce world: using WhatsApp to make handling those Cash-on-Delivery (COD) orders a breeze.?

Yes, you heard it right.?

WhatsApp isn’t just for sharing memes and making weekend plans anymore (but you know that).?

We have some super reviting insights (as usual) lined up today. If you’re a Shopify seller, you don’t want to miss today’s newsletter.?

Let’s get chatting!?

Cash on Delivery: Boon or Bane??

COD orders are like the double-edged sword of e-commerce, right? On one hand, they can drive sales through the roof.?

As per a 2022 study by Rakuten Insight on online shopping behavior in India, over 60% of consumers prefer Cash on Delivery for their orders.?

Conversely, they can be a real headache to manage.?

Based on the data from 2022, nearly 15% of COD orders experienced impacts from a phishing scheme, resulting in significant profit losses for renowned brands and erosion of customer trust.

Let’s break it down.?

The Benefits of COD

• Instant Gratification: Customers love the convenience of paying when they receive their goodies at the doorstep. It’s like Christmas morning every time!

• Widening Customer Base: COD opens the doors to customers who prefer to use something other than online payment methods, expanding your potential market.

• Trust Building: Offering COD can instill trust in skeptical customers, reassuring them that they’ll only pay when they have the product in hand.

The Demerits of COD?

• Risk of Fraud: Without upfront payment, there’s always a risk of fraudulent orders or customers who disappear into thin air after receiving the product.

• Cash Handling Hassles: Managing cash payments can be a logistical nightmare, especially when dealing with large orders.

• Increased Returns: With COD orders, the chances of customers rejecting or returning products upon delivery are higher, leading to additional costs and headaches.

What’s the Solution??

Well, verification can be a good start.?

By putting in place verification steps, you can lower the risks mentioned above. This way, your business can keep growing while making sure customers have easy payment choices.?

How Does COD Order Verification Work??

Cash on Delivery order verification involves confirming the validity of a COD order before arranging its delivery. This usually means reaching out to the customer to double-check their order information and make sure they plan to pay for the product upon delivery.?

Option 1: Call/Message Verification?

One method for confirming cash-on-delivery (COD) orders involves contacting the customer via phone call or text message.?

A representative from the e-commerce company can contact the customer to validate the order and gather any additional information for shipping.?

This approach can be time-intensive and might not be practical for businesses dealing with a large volume of COD orders.?

Option 2: Verification via WhatsApp-Shopify Integration?

An alternative approach to confirming COD orders entails integrating WhatsApp with the Shopify platform. Upon a customer placing a COD order on the website, an automated message is dispatched to their WhatsApp account, prompting them to verify the order.?

On the customer’s response with a confirmation message, the order is deemed verified, and the delivery process commences.?

This method offers swiftness, convenience, and efficiency, particularly for businesses grappling with a substantial influx of COD orders.

Once the customer confirms or cancels their order via a WhatsApp message, the Shopify store owner can review the COD order status by navigating to the “Orders” tab on the Shopify Admin Dashboard.

Our pick? Go with Option 2. Here’s why.?

How Does It Help??

• It helps you identify instances where customers provide invalid phone numbers, thereby distinguishing genuine orders from fraudulent ones.

• Offers customers the ability to cancel orders placed in error.

• Eliminates the need for phone calls to verify orders with customers.

Setting Up COD Verification on Shopify Orders?

Follow these simple steps to set up COD verification on your Shopify orders.?

1. Install the Wati App on the Shopify Store. Alternatively, you can register for a Wati account and link your Shopify store through the Wati dashboard.

2. After installing the app, navigate to the App dashboard and select the Cash On Delivery menu option.?

3. This will lead you to the Message Setup page, where you can activate the COD verification message template and adjust message settings, such as:?

• Enabling follow-up COD verification messages.
• Setting up order tags.
• Configuring cancellation status rules.
• Selecting countries for sending COD order verification messages.

4. Once you’ve configured the message, click “Save Changes,” and the COD verification message will be activated for your Shopify store.?

On a side note, Wati paid plan users have the option to create their own customized COD verification message template (just saying).?

5. Upon receiving the verification message, customers can click the confirm button to update the tag status in Shopify, facilitating store owners in tracking the status of COD orders.?

If the customer clicks the cancellation link or neither confirms nor cancels the order, the canceled tag or unconfirmed tag will be added accordingly.?

Here’s What We’re Saying

• Utilizing WhatsApp for COD verification streamlines the process, offering speed and efficiency.?

• Integration for the above via the Wati app simplifies setup, allowing businesses to mitigate risks and enhance customer experience.

• Embracing modern solutions like WhatsApp integration fosters trust, ensuring smoother operations in the Shopify Store.?

Want to learn more about COD verification and the benefits of Shopify-WhatsApp integration? You can go through our wholesome guide here.?

If you have any thoughts, please comment below and share them with us. We’d love to hear from you.?

Until next week!