How to Reduce Fake Orders in Cash on Delivery (Bangladesh)

Every seller who runs a cash on delivery shop knows the feeling: you pack the parcel, pay the courier, and three days later it comes back. The customer "didn't order", "changed their mind" or simply didn't pick up the phone. If you are wondering how to reduce fake orders in cash on delivery, the good news is that most of them can be prevented with clear information, a few checks and simple habits.

This guide covers what actually works for Bangladeshi online shops: confirmation calls, advance payment for risky orders, checking customer history by phone number, red flags, packaging, and a checklist you can use every day.

Why fake orders and COD returns happen

Not every refused parcel is a "fake" order. Understanding the reasons helps you fix the right problem.

• Impulse orders. The customer ordered after seeing an ad at midnight and changed their mind by morning.
• Price shopping. They ordered from three pages and accepted the one that arrived first.
• Surprise costs. The delivery charge or total at the door was higher than they expected.
• Product mismatch. The colour, size or quality looked different from the photos.
• Slow delivery. By the time the parcel arrived, they had bought elsewhere or the occasion (Eid, a wedding) had passed.
• Unreachable customer. Wrong number, phone off, or incomplete address.
• Real fake orders. Pranks, competitors, or people testing your page with false details.

Each refused parcel costs you delivery and return charges, packaging, time, and sometimes a damaged product. For a background on these costs, read how cash on delivery works for online shops in Bangladesh.

Confirm every order before you ship

Order confirmation is the single most effective habit for reducing fake orders in cash on delivery. A real customer is usually happy to confirm. A fake one often doesn't answer or gives itself away.

The confirmation call

Keep it short and friendly. A simple script:

1. "Assalamu alaikum, this is Rupkotha Fashion. You ordered a blue cotton saree, is that right?"
2. "The price is ৳1,850 with ৳130 delivery charge to Sylhet, so ৳1,980 in total. Is that okay?"
3. "Can you confirm your full address and the nearest landmark?"
4. "The parcel will reach you in about 2 to 4 days. Please keep your phone on."

Confirming the total out loud is important. It removes the "I didn't know about the delivery charge" refusal at the door.

Message confirmation

When call volume is high, send a message through SMS, WhatsApp or Messenger with the order summary and ask the customer to reply "Yes" to confirm. Ship only after the reply. Follow up with a call for orders that don't reply within a few hours.

Who to confirm first

If you can't call everyone, prioritise:

• New customers with no order history.
• Orders above your usual order value.
• Outside Dhaka orders, where return costs are higher.
• Orders with incomplete addresses or red flags.

Check customer history by phone number

The phone number is the most useful piece of data you have. One number that refused two parcels last month is likely to refuse a third.

• Keep a record of every order by phone number, with the result: delivered, cancelled or returned.
• Search the number before shipping. If it has refused before, ask for an advance or call first.
• Note good customers too. Repeat buyers with clean history can skip the long confirmation.
• Check your courier's panel. Some couriers show a customer's past delivery success for a number. If yours does, use it.

An orders dashboard where you can search by phone number makes this a ten-second check instead of scrolling through Messenger.

Show clear product info and delivery charges

Many refusals start with a misunderstanding. The clearer your shop, the fewer surprises at the door.

• Show the delivery charge before the order, separately for inside and outside Dhaka, and the total. See how to set delivery charges inside and outside Dhaka.
• Use real, well-lit photos that show the true colour. Add a note if colours may vary slightly on screens.
• Write complete descriptions: size chart, measurements, material, what's included. Our guide to writing product descriptions that sell helps here.
• State delivery time honestly, for example "Inside Dhaka 1 to 2 days, outside Dhaka 2 to 4 days" if that matches your courier's usual times.
• Publish your return and exchange policy, so customers know they can exchange a wrong size instead of refusing the parcel.

Ask for an advance on risky orders

A small advance payment is the strongest filter against fake orders. Someone who pays even the delivery charge by bKash or Nagad has real intent.

Use it for:

• High-value products, such as phones, smartwatches or premium sarees.
• Custom or made-to-order items you can't resell.
• Phone numbers with past refusals.
• Outside Dhaka orders from new customers, if your return rate there is high.
• Bulk orders of many pieces from a first-time buyer.

Explain the advance kindly, use only your official payment number, and send a receipt message when you get the money.

Red flags to watch for

None of these prove an order is fake, but each one is a reason to call before shipping.

• Incomplete address, such as only "Dhaka" or only a district name.
• Name and address that don't make sense, like random letters or a joke name.
• Invalid or unusual phone number, or a number that doesn't match the format of a Bangladeshi mobile.
• Several orders from the same number in a short time, or the same address with different names.
• Very large quantity from a new customer, for example 10 pieces of the same dress.
• Customer doesn't answer two or three calls at different times.
• Customer seems unsure what they ordered when you call.
• Orders placed late at night from an ad, which are more likely to be impulse orders. Confirm these the next morning.

Packaging, delivery speed and return reasons

Packaging that reduces refusals

• Pack neatly and securely. A crushed or torn parcel invites refusal.
• Label clearly with the order number, customer name, phone and exact COD amount.
• Add a small thank-you card with your page name and contact number, so the customer recognises your shop at the door.
• Fragile items need bubble wrap and a "fragile" mark.

Ship fast

The longer the gap between order and delivery, the more customers change their minds. Ship confirmed orders the same day or next day, and choose a courier with good coverage of where your customers live. Read choosing a courier service for your online business for what to compare.

Learn from every return

Record a reason for each return: not reachable, changed mind, price issue, wrong size, damaged, fake. After a month, patterns appear. If most returns are "wrong size", improve your size chart. If most are from one area, ask for advance there. If most are "not reachable", call faster.

When a customer refuses at the door

Even with every check, some parcels will be refused. Handle it calmly:

• Call the customer the same day and ask politely what went wrong. Sometimes it is a simple problem, such as a wrong size, that an exchange can fix.
• Offer one more attempt if they were just unavailable, but only after they confirm a time.
• Mark the order as returned in your records with the reason, so the phone number shows up next time.
• Check the product when it comes back, and put it back in stock only if it is in sellable condition.
• Don't argue or post the customer's details publicly. It rarely helps and can harm your page's reputation.

Extra care during Eid, Puja and big sales

Order volume jumps before Eid and Puja, and so do impulse orders and refusals. Courier delivery times also get longer when every shop is shipping at once, which gives customers more time to change their minds.

• Announce a last order date for delivery before the festival, and stick to it.
• Hire or assign someone just for confirmation calls during the busiest weeks.
• Raise your caution level for new customers with large orders, and ask for an advance more often.
• Ship in the order you confirm, so early buyers get their parcels first.

Your daily anti-fake-order checklist

Use this before you hand parcels to the courier:

1. Every order has a full name, valid mobile number and complete address with area.
2. The customer saw the delivery charge and total before ordering.
3. New, high-value and outside Dhaka orders were confirmed by call.
4. Other orders were confirmed by message and got a reply.
5. Phone numbers were checked against past orders for refusals.
6. Risky orders have an advance paid and recorded.
7. Parcels are packed securely and labelled with the order number and exact COD amount.
8. Confirmed orders are shipped the same day or next day.
9. Last week's returns are recorded with a reason, and stock is put back.

Reduce fake orders with EasyMall

EasyMall gives your shop the basics that cut fake orders and confusion:

• A website checkout that validates Bangladeshi mobile numbers and collects the full address and an Inside Dhaka or Outside Dhaka choice.
• Delivery charges and the total shown before the customer confirms, plus an optional free delivery amount.
• An orders dashboard where you search by name, phone or order number, and mark orders confirmed, delivered, cancelled or returned.
• Stock that comes back automatically when an order is cancelled or returned.
• A website chat assistant that answers questions about products, prices, stock and delivery charges, so customers order with fewer misunderstandings.

Courier booking and online payments with bKash and Nagad are coming soon. You can create your free store website, free forever with no card or bKash needed.