How does cash on delivery work in Algeria?
Cash on delivery means the customer pays nothing when ordering: they pay the courier in cash when the parcel arrives. The carrier collects for you, keeps its fee, then remits the amount for parcels actually delivered. Refused parcels come back, and the return is billed to you.
Updated
Why COD dominates in Algeria
Because it moves the risk from the buyer to the seller. A customer who doesn't know you risks nothing: they see the parcel, they pay, or they refuse. That is exactly what lets them order from a seller they discovered on Instagram yesterday.
For you the trade-off is plain: you front the product, the packaging and sometimes the shipping, and you're paid afterwards. Which is why orders need to be organised, not endured.
The money trail, step by step
- The customer ordersThey pick their items, their wilaya and commune, and leave a phone number. Nothing is charged. The order lands in your dashboard as "ordered".
- You confirm by phoneYou call, you check the item, the size and the address. It is the only filter between an order and a parcel that comes back.
- You create the parcelFrom the order, with the carrier you choose. The amount to collect is computed server-side: item total plus your delivery fee. You never type it by hand.
- The courier collectsThe customer pays cash on receipt. The order moves to "delivered" and the money now sits with the carrier, not yet with you.
- The carrier remits to youOn whatever payout rhythm you agreed with them, they pay you the collected amount minus their delivery and return fees. That rhythm and those fees are set by the carrier, not by Woven.
What COD really costs you
- The carrier's delivery fee, whether or not you pass it on to the customer.
- The return fee on every refused parcel — you pay both legs and sold nothing.
- Your cash tied up: the goods are gone, the money hasn't come back yet.
- The time spent on the phone, which is the real job of a COD seller.
COD or online payment?
Both live side by side on Woven. Cash on delivery is the default; online payment is enabled per seller, with your own Chargily account, and collects before shipping.
| Criterion | Cash on delivery | Online payment (Chargily) |
|---|---|---|
| When you get paid | After delivery, via the carrier | Before shipping, into your account |
| Refusal risk | Real: you pay both legs | None: the order is already paid |
| Trust required from the buyer | Low — they pay for what they see | High — they pay up front |
| Basket from several sellers | Supported | No: one seller per payment |
| Woven's commission | None | None — the money goes straight to you |
Organise your orders so you don't lose money
A COD order moves through statuses: ordered, processing, shipped, delivered — or cancelled, returned, refunded. Keep them current through the day: it is your only reliable ledger of what shipped, what got paid and what came back.
A buyer can also cancel an order themselves as long as you haven't processed it. That's good news: a cancellation before shipping costs you nothing, unlike a refusal at the door. To bring the latter down, read our guide on returned parcels.
Frequently asked questions
Who collects the money with cash on delivery?
The carrier's courier collects cash from the customer, then the carrier remits the amount for delivered parcels after deducting its fees. Woven never sits in that money flow and takes no cut of it.
What happens if the customer refuses the parcel?
The parcel comes back and the carrier bills you for the return at its own rate. You get the goods back, but you paid for shipping and got nothing. That's why the confirmation call before shipping is the most profitable habit in this business.
Can I ask for a deposit before shipping?
Woven doesn't handle partial deposits. The supported way to be paid before shipping is online payment: you enable Chargily with your own keys, and the customer pays the full order before you pack it.
Does online payment replace cash on delivery?
No, it's additive. Cash on delivery stays the default and is offered to every customer. Online payment shows up on top of it, once you've configured it and when the basket holds a single seller.