Most returned and cancelled cash-on-delivery orders in Bangladesh are not fraud: the customer ordered on impulse, picked the wrong size, could not be reached, or waited too long and changed their mind. You can cut them with clear product pages, a quick confirmation call, faster dispatch, an advance on risky products and a look at each customer's history before you ship. Here is how, step by step.
First, measure your return rate
Return rate = parcels that came back ÷ parcels sent to the courier. Work it out per month, and per product. A product that comes back far more often than the rest usually has a photo, size or price problem you can fix. In Sellsull, Reports → Return Report and Cancel Report show these numbers without spreadsheets.
Why COD orders come back
- Impulse orders: one tap on a Facebook ad, forgotten by delivery day.
- Wrong size or colour: no size chart, or photos that don't match the product.
- Surprise at the door: the delivery charge or total was not clear.
- Slow delivery: after five days the customer has bought it elsewhere.
- Unreachable phone: the rider can't find the customer.
- Fake or prank orders: a smaller share, but costly. See how to stop fake COD orders.
1. Make the product page answer the questions
- Use real photos of the item you ship, from 3–4 angles, and one worn or in use.
- Add a size chart in centimetres or inches, and say how the size runs (small, regular, large).
- Show the delivery charge and delivery time before checkout, inside and outside Dhaka.
- Write the material, care and what is in the box.
2. Call every COD order quickly
A short call within a few hours confirms the address, size and total, and filters out people who have already lost interest. Keep track of the result on each order: in the Sellsull order list every order has a call status (no call, call sent, received, not received), so the team knows who still needs a call. A ready script in Bangla: order confirmation call script.
3. Dispatch the same or next day
Every extra day between order and delivery raises the chance of a refusal. Book parcels straight from the order list instead of typing them into the courier panel; with Steadfast, Pathao and Carrybee you can send up to 25 orders at once. Picking a courier: Steadfast vs Pathao vs RedX vs Carrybee.
4. Ask for an advance on products that often come back
For items with a high return rate, ask for the delivery charge (or a fixed amount) by bKash or Nagad before you ship. A customer who pays something first rarely refuses, and if they do, the delivery cost is covered. In Sellsull this is set per product and works on every plan; the cash to collect is reduced by the advance once you mark it received. Details: how to accept bKash and Nagad payments.
5. Check the customer before you ship
- Your own history: the order list shows how many orders the same phone number placed in your shop, how many were delivered and how many came back, and marks risky customers.
- Courier history: the fraud checker shows the number's delivery record across couriers (Professional and Platinum plans). Anyone can also try the free fraud check on sellsull.com.
- Block repeat offenders: block a phone number, IP address or device from ordering again, and limit repeated orders from the same IP within a time you choose.
6. Keep the customer informed
Send the tracking number once the parcel is booked and tell the customer the expected day. A customer who knows the rider is coming answers the phone. A public order tracking page also cuts down "where is my order" messages.
A simple weekly routine
- Every morning: call all new COD orders and update the call status.
- Book confirmed orders with the courier the same day.
- Every week: open the Return Report, find the top three returned products and fix their page, price or advance setting.
- Block numbers that refuse parcels again and again.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal return rate for COD in Bangladesh?
It varies a lot by category and by how orders come in. Rather than chasing an industry number, measure your own each month and work on the products that come back most.
Will asking for an advance lose me orders?
Some impulse buyers will drop off, which is the point. Use it on products with high return rates, not on everything.
Should I stop cash on delivery?
Not in most cases; it is still how most customers in Bangladesh prefer to pay. Keep COD and add advances and confirmation calls where they help.
Does Sellsull work with my courier?
Steadfast, Pathao, RedX and Carrybee connect with your own merchant account. See integrations.
