COD in Europe: the complete community guide
Hugo Andrade · 2026-10-07
Complete Guide to COD in Europe — Everything You Need to Know Before Spending Your First dollar
Table of contents
1. introduction to COD in europe
2. countries with COD potential
3. logistics and carriers
4. effective COD form
5. reducing undelivered orders
6. pricing and cash flow
7. legal and regulatory challenges
8. final checklist
1. introduction to COD in europe
Cash on delivery (COD) is on the rise in Europe, especially in countries like Portugal, Spain, and Poland. In 2026, COD is expected to account for a significant share of e-commerce, with Portugal seeing 11.500 new ads in its database.
2. countries with COD potential
- Portugal and Spain: High COD acceptance, with delivery rates ranging from 70% to 80%.
- Poland: Exponential growth, with a target of 200 orders/day in 8 weeks.
- Germany: Strategies to increase COD acceptance include promotions and money-back guarantees.
- France and Italy: Challenges with high undelivered-order rates, requiring special attention.
3. logistics and carriers
Logistics are essential to COD success. Here are the main points to consider:
- Carriers:
- Portugal: CTT, DPD, Chronopost.
- Spain: SEUR, MRW.
- Poland: InPost, DPD.
- Delivery times: An average of 2 to 5 business days.
- Returns: Setting up a clear returns process can reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction.
4. effective COD form
A well-structured form increases the conversion rate. Consider:
- Required fields: Name, address, phone number.
- Phone number formatting: Makes it easier to enter and validate phone numbers.
- Data validation: Set up a webhook to ensure the information is accurate.
5. reducing undelivered orders
Undelivered-order rates can reach 40%. To bring that number down to 25%, consider these levers:
- Order confirmation: Use a script that boosts the delivery rate by up to 10 points.
- Proactive communication: Send reminders via SMS or email.
- Clear return policy: Make sure customers know how to return their order.
- Attractive offers: Discounts on the first order or free shipping.
- Behavior analysis: Monitor purchase history to adjust your approach.
- Team training: Train your support team to handle questions.
- Customer feedback: Collect data about the user experience.
6. pricing and cash flow
Pricing in the COD model needs to be strategic. Consider:
- Price anchoring: Use reference prices to influence the customer’s decision.
- Bundles: Offer product combinations to increase average order value.
- Actual costs: For every 1.000 € in ad spend, you need between 2.000 € and 3.000 € in cash to support the operation.
7. legal and regulatory challenges
COD operations in Europe face regulatory challenges. Keep an eye on:
- Right of withdrawal: Consumers have up to 14 days to cancel a purchase.
- Omnibus Regulation: Sets stricter rules for returns and refunds.
- Labeling: Products must be labeled correctly to avoid penalties.
8. final checklist
- Analyze COD potential in your target countries.
- Select reliable carriers.
- Create an optimized order form.
- Implement strategies to reduce undelivered orders.
- Set a clear return policy.
- Define an effective pricing strategy.
- Monitor cash flow monthly.
- Stay up to date on local regulations.
- Test different marketing approaches.
- Evaluate sales performance regularly.
How’s your COD operation in Europe going? What numbers are you seeing?