For cash-on-delivery orders in India, separate dispatch, customer collection, carrier remittance and refused-parcel returns. An unpaid COD order can still be dispatched under the agreed delivery arrangement; do not mark it paid simply to release it. Shopify's manual-payment guidance says these orders remain unpaid until payment is received and marked as paid.
Verify the address and service coverage
Check the carrier's actual conditions for the destination, postal code, product and collection service. Confirm the address, contact details and payable amount with the customer. Send unverifiable addresses to support rather than extrapolating from a successful order in another region. Shopify India payment-method checks covers eligibility for UPI and other methods; this workflow starts after COD has been selected.
Assign owners for address confirmation, dispatch and customer contact. Cancellation before carrier handover differs from cancellation after it. Once handed over, check parcel status before promising interception.
Connect exceptions to order and carrier evidence
| Situation | Evidence to check | Next responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Incomplete address | Customer confirmation and carrier validation | Support completes it; warehouse waits for dispatch decision |
| Delivered but still unpaid | Carrier collection and remittance records | Finance checks funds rather than treating delivery as payment |
| Customer refusal | Reason, parcel state and collection state | Support confirms next steps; warehouse awaits return inspection |
| Return in transit | Return tracking linked to the original order | Logistics monitors it without restoring all stock early |
| Returned parcel has discrepancies | Quantity, packaging, condition and charges | Warehouse and finance resolve stock and fees separately |
This is an operating checklist. It does not mean Shopify automatically receives every carrier's collection or refusal data. For any logistics integration, distinguish synchronized states from records that still require manual entry.
Close funds and returned stock separately
Reconcile the customer's payable amount, carrier collection, deductions and actual remittance against the order. Update payment after funds are received using the manual-payment workflow. Delivered, collected and remitted are different pieces of evidence. Keep unexplained differences open for finance review.
For refusals, establish the return destination, inspection owner and stock-restoration decision. Record outward delivery, return transport and unrecoverable costs under the same order to compare refusal reasons. This process does not assume a particular refusal rate or profit outcome.
Rehearse an incorrect address, cancellation before handover, refusal, and delivery recorded before remittance. Expand the workflow only when customer messages, order states and warehouse actions agree.
FAQ
Can an unpaid COD order be dispatched?
Dispatch under the confirmed COD arrangement and carrier conditions. Unpaid describes collection state; marking it paid early is not the solution.
Does proof of delivery justify marking an order paid?
Check actual collection and remittance evidence first. Delivery alone does not establish that the merchant received the funds.
Should refused orders immediately restore stock?
Confirm return receipt and product condition before deciding the quantity to restore. A parcel in transit has not been inspected.