Cash on delivery: how it works and when it doesn't

Cash on delivery is currently the payment method available at checkout on 1shop. You order online and pay the courier in cash when the parcel reaches you. Card and wallet payments are not live yet, and we would rather say so than show inactive logos.

How the flow works

1. You place the order; nothing is charged at that moment.
2. The seller dispatches and the courier carries the amount shown on your order.
3. You pay the courier the exact total — item price plus the delivery fee per seller.
4. The order moves to delivered and appears in your account order history.

What you can check at the door

Practice varies by courier. Most will let you confirm the parcel is addressed to you, that the packaging is intact and that the number of parcels matches. Few allow a full unboxing and functional test before payment. Assume you can check the outside, not the inside, and film the unboxing if the item is expensive — that footage is the most useful evidence in a dispute.

When cash on delivery is the wrong choice

• Nobody will be at the delivery address during the window — refused parcels cost everyone.
• You cannot hold the cash amount, in full, on the delivery day.
• The order is large and split across sellers, so several couriers arrive on different days, each expecting payment. See how delivery fees are split.

Before you order

Confirm the total in the cart, keep the phone number on the order reachable, and read the shipping policy. Lower-value categories such as Home & Garden and Fashion are a sensible place to try the flow for the first time.