// E-commerce in Egypt
How do you reduce cash-on-delivery returns (RTO)?
The biggest problem with cash on delivery isn't the payment itself — it's return-to-origin (RTO): an order ships, the customer refuses it at the door, and the merchant absorbs the shipping cost both ways with no sale. The fix isn't dropping cash on delivery — it's reducing the refusal rate with specific, practical steps.
Why a customer refuses delivery in the first place
Refusal usually isn't a random decision — it has recurring causes: the customer ordered on impulse and changed their mind, the product arrived different from the photo or description they saw, the customer forgot they'd ordered by the time the shipment arrived after a long delay, or they simply can't pay the amount at the door for a temporary financial reason.
Each of those causes has a different fix, which is why handling RTO isn't just "reduce cash on delivery" — it's addressing each cause individually.
Confirming the order before it ships
The simplest and most effective step: a short phone call or WhatsApp message before shipping, confirming the address, the product, and the price with the customer. That immediately eliminates "I forgot I ordered" or "I ordered on impulse and changed my mind" cases, because the customer confirms for themselves they still want the order before it ever leaves the warehouse.
Description and photo accuracy
A gap between the product that arrives and the product in the photo is a common cause of refusal, and it's the merchant's responsibility, not the customer's. Realistic photos from multiple angles, accurate sizing, and a clear note about any expected variation (like a slight color difference between screens) all reduce the surprise a customer feels when opening the package.
Flagging high-risk orders in advance
Not every order carries the same level of risk. A large order from a new customer in a distant area is riskier than a small order from a returning customer whose past deliveries went smoothly. An RTO risk-scoring system analyzes data like this upfront and gives you a clear signal for which orders deserve an extra confirmation step before shipping, instead of treating every order the same way.
A small deposit for certain orders
For some orders (especially high-value ones or from new customers), requiring a small online deposit before shipping noticeably reduces refusals — a customer who has already paid something, even a small amount, is less likely to refuse delivery than one who's paid nothing at all.
Clear shipment tracking
When a customer can track their shipment status in real time (shipped, on the way, arriving today), they're far less likely to forget the order or be caught off guard by its arrival. The absence of clear tracking turns delivery into an unexpected surprise, which increases the chance of refusal.
This belongs in the design, not bolted on later
The best results come when these steps are part of the store's system from the start — automatic confirmation, risk scoring, shipment tracking — not manual procedures you try to bolt on after the problem keeps recurring. Dekwin's e-commerce store integrates RTO risk scoring as a core part of the system, not a separate service activated later.