A practical COD business setup that survives the first busy week.

The first sale is exciting. The fifth address correction, missed follow-up and courier spreadsheet are where the operating system matters. Set up the simple parts before volume arrives.

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Order data checklistTrue COD marginCourier and returns workflow

01 · THE OFFER

Know the margin after delivery, not only before dispatch.

Start with a product whose delivered-order margin can absorb ads, packaging, courier cost and a realistic share of returns.

Record product and packaging cost
Include courier and return fees
Use a clear COD selling price
Test the free COD profit calculator

02 · THE ORDER

Ask every customer for the same complete details.

A consistent message or self-order form prevents the repeated questions that slow confirmation and create wrong addresses.

Full name
Mobile number in +94 format
Complete address and nearest city
Product, variant, quantity and COD amount

03 · THE COURIER

Confirm the commercial and technical process.

Before promising delivery, ask the courier about service areas, COD remittance timing, return charges, pickup cutoff, label format and whether your account has API or file booking.

Keep at least one fallback export
Use one order reference everywhere
Review failed rows individually
Never blindly retry a booking

04 · THE DAILY LOOP

Separate confirmation, packing and dispatch.

A short status pipeline makes ownership visible even for a two-person team: Needs review, Confirmed, Ready to pack, Packed and Dispatched.

Check duplicates before packing
Print from clean order data
Track return reasons
Export a backup regularly

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Useful details before you continue.

Do I need a website before starting COD?

No. Many Sri Lankan sellers begin through social channels, but you still need a consistent way to collect and review complete order details.

How should I choose a courier?

Compare coverage, pickup reliability, COD settlement, return fees, support and the booking method available to your account.

What return rate should I plan for?

Use your own product and audience data as soon as possible. Before that, test several scenarios in the COD profit calculator rather than assuming every dispatch becomes revenue.

When do I need order software?

Use a structured system before messages, packing or courier entry start falling through gaps. Starting on a free plan is easier than migrating during a backlog.

NEXT STEP

Set up the order loop before the backlog.

OrderMate starts free and is built around social-commerce COD work.

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