CASH ON DELIVERY - Mode of Payment for Convenience in India
India is a cash-led economy, making the Cash on Delivery [where the customer pays for the order at the time of delivery] mode of payment the most preferred option for a majority of online shoppers. This is true even more so for high involvement category like fashion and accessories. Ciceroni, being a curated multi-designer platform with over 85+ emerging designers from all over India, offers this mode of payment as a convenience for our customer base in India.
Cash on Delivery has become synonymous with Trustworthiness in this E-commerce milieu, especially for a curated platform like Ciceroni. Let us take a deep dive into what Cash on Delivery (henceforth referred to as COD) signifies for our customers as well as us, who offer this convenience.
COD undoubtedly increases credibility in the eyes of the consumer and hence helps build trustworthiness of the platform. Customers can shop from the safety of their homes from an eclectic assemblage of designers filtered and curated specifically to suit someone whose style is experimental and edgy. COD offers an uncanny sense of familiarity when one is buying products online.
When we say Cash on Delivery is a preferred mode of payment for Indian customers, what we mean is - even now with the development of UPI, e-wallets, incentives for Prepaid Orders and so on - COD preference is as high as 72%. It is a phenomenon that Indian retailers cannot ignore if they want to stay in the game.
We conducted a brief survey with 100+ consumers from India to understand why customers opt for COD mode of payment. These are the recurring themes of hesitation:
1. Unfamiliar with using digital modes of payment – For many, a phone that is enabled with banking and transaction services is very new. Issues of privacy and access to personal data is another reason to not adapt to digital modes of payment.
At Ciceroni, we only associate with the best and verified online payment gateway.
2. When you are worried about online fraud – Online frauds and scams are quite prevalent with the increase in online retail business. Either customers don’t receive products only or are given inferior quality products. Many a times, brands stop responding to customers after the payment is received and orders aren’t dispatched at all. No one likes to burn their hands like this.
It is important to check the authenticity of any website that you are shopping from. Check their website thoroughly for address, email address and phone number. Do check their Instagram and other social handles to see how customers are interacting with the brand.
At Ciceroni, our prompt customer sales team and support team will assist you with any of your queries. Do visit our Instagram page- a community of 50000+ patrons who can vouch for us.
3. When the brand is new and trust isn’t established as yet – India is known for design, craft and storytelling. It is then obvious that fashion business in India is thriving in such an environment. Digital boom has created many labels starting and also folding up pretty soon. Shopping via Instagram page only can be a tricky affair as you may not know if you will get the order or not.
Ciceroni vets every single designer before onboarding them to ensure that none of our customer face any quality issues nor do they have to keep waiting for their order beyond the scheduled time frame.
4. When you don’t want to use any other digital mode of payment – It is as simple as that – customers do not want to use online mode as they want to pay for the order in cash. To help you use only cash as the mode of payment, Ciceroni has enabled COD for orders up to Rs 15,000. We however are unable to process COD orders beyond that limit. The only limitations are for some pin codes in India that are not serviceable by our Logistics partner.
You can always reach out to us on WhatsApp (+91-9904045564) or email (hello@ciceroni.in), if you have any of these hesitations or are in need for any assistance with placing an order
COD is the cause of high RTO in India leading to financial losses for businesses.
Did you know that 34-40% of these COD Orders get returned? Yes, it is a very high percentage of people dropping out and refusing to honour the order that they placed in the first place.
These are termed as RTO (Return to Origin) orders.
Here are some tips to avoid your order from becoming RTO and support businesses, not just financially but also for the environment.
1. Accepting the Order– Order only if you really want it. We always implore our customers to make a conscious and mindful decision, as our products are impeccably made by hand and a lot of resources have gone into making them.
Each product is made only after the order is placed. Be very sure of the order, considering the timelines involved in made-to-order products, and share the required OTP at the time of delivery. Your decision to refuse the order after 72 hours or wanting to cancel it right before dispatch because you have changed your mind causes a dent in resources, both financially and environmentally.
2. Complete and accurate address – Always double-check the address your auto-fill provides when you make a purchase from us. When we reach out to you to confirm your order details, make sure to let us know if any details have been missed. Orders come back due to irregularities in address and phone numbers.
Make sure that you fill in correct address, landmark if any, email address and phone number so that it is easy for logistics partner.
3. Be available to receive the package – At Ciceroni, we always give a call before dispatching any COD Order. It gives you approximate arrival date. The Logistics Partner also sends you regular updates on the movement of your order. In case you are stepping out or have an engagement that you can’t avoid, co-ordinate with us, the logistics service or have someone collect the order on your behalf.
4. Respond to calls from Ciceroni or courier company – If you have ordered a product and have received email communication from the website, always pick up the call. Many customers do not pick up calls from unknow number despite delivery agents and company trying to reach the customer. That again leads to RTO if the delivery agent is unable to communicate with you. Best way is to pick the calls :)
How to ensure COD works for all parties?
- Confirming details of the Order: At Ciceroni, we always give a call to verify details of the COD order. It helps us filter out fraudulent orders and verify the legitimacy of the order. Remember, we are a made-to-order platform.
- Double check address and Phone number: Always make sure you provide with accurate contact details and complete address to avoid constant follow ups or any mishaps by the third party logistics partner. It saves time for everyone.
- Understanding the Made-To-Order Business Model: In today’s time and age of overconsumption and fashion led wastage, all our designers on Ciceroni follow made-to-order model. It means a product is made only after the order is placed. This is to ensure that the product adheres to slow consumption principles, is design-forward and is a mindful choice for the customer.
- Double checking for sizes: Every designer follows a different size chart. Its important to tally your body measurements with the size chart provided by the designer. At Ciceroni, we have a special feature called “ Calculate Size” which helps you map your body measurements and suggest correct size for any given product on Ciceroni. Alternatively, you can reach out to our Stylists for assistance in sizing.
- Clarity on Delivery timelines: Since majority products are made-to-order, it is advisable to check on delivery timeline before placing an order. If you need an order urgently, or have any travel plans or change of address, you must let us know right away on Email, WhatsApp or Call to avoid last minute hassles.
- Pre-dispatch confirmation: Once the product is ready to be dispatched, Ciceroni team always gives pre-dispatch call to confirm the availability
We hope this article helps understanding the nuances of COD for both customers and designers and help you navigate online purchases without hassle.
