COD

How to flag cash-on-delivery orders for collection prep in WooCommerce

Flag orders placed with cash on delivery payment

Automatically badges orders where the customer selected cash on delivery, so your team can prepare for payment collection at the door and reduce failed delivery attempts.

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The problem

Cash on delivery orders carry a higher risk of refusal at the door, which wastes driver time and return shipping costs. Without a visual flag, COD orders are processed identically to prepaid orders and the delivery team is not prepared for payment collection.

The solution

OrderBadger can automatically flag orders where the customer chose cash on delivery.

Who this is for

Stores that offer cash on delivery as a payment option, especially in regions where COD is common and refusal rates are a concern.

At a glance
Matches cash-on-delivery payment method Applies regardless of order value or customer type Badge: COD (orange) Helps delivery team prepare for payment collection
People also search for
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How it works

Checks the payment method on the order and adds a warning badge when it is set to cash on delivery. The badge appears on the orders list and order detail view so your team can prepare accordingly.

Confirm the order with the customer before dispatch to reduce refusal risk. Ensure the delivery driver has change available and knows to collect payment.

Rule template

Plain English rule Customer chose cash on delivery as their payment method

Write this (or something similar) in the OrderBadger rule builder. The AI compiler turns it into executable logic automatically.

Make it yours

Add or remove conditions
  • Add 'and order total is over £100' to focus COD alerts on higher-value orders where a door refusal is most costly. Customer chose cash on delivery as their payment method and order total is over £100
  • Add 'and customer has 0 previous paid orders' to flag first-time buyers paying COD, which carries the highest refusal risk. Customer chose cash on delivery as their payment method and customer has 0 previous paid orders
  • Add 'and shipping is international' to isolate international COD orders that are especially expensive to return on refusal. Customer chose cash on delivery as their payment method and shipping is international

Badge preview

Default: COD

When this rule matches

Cod Payment
Order payment method is COD, so the rule matches.

When this rule does not match

Stripe Payment
Order was paid via Stripe, not cash on delivery.
Paypal Payment
Order was paid via PayPal, not cash on delivery.

Good to know

  • This checks the WooCommerce payment method slug. If your COD gateway uses a non-standard slug, the rule text may need adjustment.
  • This does not assess the likelihood of refusal. Combine with customer history rules for a more complete picture.

Frequently asked questions

  • What if my COD payment gateway uses a custom slug like 'cash_on_delivery' instead of 'cod'?
    The rule checks the WooCommerce payment method slug. If your gateway registers a different slug, edit the rule text to match your gateway's slug and recompile.
  • Can I combine this with other rules to flag high-risk COD orders specifically?
    Yes. You can create a compound rule that checks for COD payment and another risk signal (such as guest checkout or new account) to flag only the highest-risk COD orders.
  • Does this rule distinguish between COD and 'pay by bank transfer on delivery'?
    No. It only checks the payment method slug. If your bank transfer gateway has a different slug, it will not be matched by this rule. Create a separate rule for other payment-at-delivery methods.

Related rules

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