Results
How Adding an Email Field to
COD Form Reduced RTO Rates by 8%
Overview
For COD sellers, getting an order is only half the job. The next challenge is making sure the customer is available when the courier arrives.
One seller was facing a familiar problem: some customers were missing their deliveries because they hadn’t seen the courier’s SMS or weren’t expecting the package that day. The result? Failed delivery attempts, more returns, and lost revenue.
The solution didn’t involve changing the entire checkout process. Instead, we recommended a simple addition: an email field on the COD order form.
The idea: Give customers another way to stay informed
The seller was already using a simple order form on the landing page. Keeping it easy to complete was important, but there was an opportunity to improve the information collected from customers.
Adding an email address meant the seller could communicate with customers through two channels instead of relying on SMS alone.
The goal was straightforward: make order confirmations and delivery updates easier to access, help customers know when their packages were arriving, and reduce the number of missed deliveries.
What Changed?
- The COD form was updated to include an email field. The seller then connected the CRM with carrier integrations, including DPD and FedEx, to automate email notifications throughout the delivery process.
- Customers could receive updates when their order was confirmed and processed, when it was in transit with tracking information, and when it was out for delivery.
- The COD form was updated to include an email field. The seller then connected the CRM with carrier integrations, including DPD and FedEx, to automate email notifications throughout the delivery process.
- Customers could receive updates when their order was confirmed and processed, when it was in transit with tracking information, and when it was out for delivery.
The change was implemented in September 2026, and the results showed improvements across delivery performance, returns, and customer support.First-time delivery success increased from 64% to 78%, while the RTO rate fell from 21% to 13%. Customer support also saw 25% fewer inquiries from customers asking where their orders were.
These results highlight an important part of COD operations: the customer experience doesn’t end when an order is placed. What happens between checkout and delivery can make a real difference.
Why this matters for COD sellers and affiliates ?
A simple checkout form is valuable because it makes ordering easy. But collecting the right information can make the delivery process smoother, too.
In this case, adding an email field gave the seller another way to share tracking details and delivery updates. Customers had better access to information, while the business saw fewer missed deliveries and fewer order-related questions.
Of course, an email field alone won’t solve every RTO problem. Delivery outcomes also depend on factors such as customer confirmation, product expectations, courier performance, and local market conditions. But when missed deliveries are linked to poor communication, adding another notification channel is a practical place to start.
The takeaway
Sometimes, improving COD performance doesn’t require a complete landing page redesign or a complicated new system. It starts with identifying where customers are getting lost in the process and making that step easier.
For this seller, the change was simple: collect an email address and use it to keep customers informed.
The result was a 14-percentage-point increase in first-time delivery success, an 8-percentage-point reduction in RTO, and 25% fewer customer support inquiries.
What's next?
Getting the order is only the beginning. Better communication after checkout can help more customers receive their orders and help sellers avoid preventable returns… To be continued.
