[PL] How do I send a parcel by cash on delivery?

We can – in terms of the payment term – divide parcels into two types: pre-paid and cash on delivery. The former assumes payment in advance for the product, while the latter assumes payment only upon receipt of the parcel. How do I send a parcel cash on delivery? What are the rules for cash on delivery? Is it the same with each carrier?

Cash on delivery – what does it mean?

Cash on delivery (C.O.D.) is a special type of courier service. Its premise is very simple – the buyer can only pay for the goods in question and delivery at the time of collection. It is an alternative to prepaid delivery (payment in advance).

If you are wondering whether there is a difference between how to send a COD letter and how to send a COD parcel, we must make you aware – there is not. The shipping process is almost identical.

How do you receive a parcel on delivery? How do I send a parcel cash on delivery?

Receipt of payment by the recipient of the parcel in the case of a cash-on-delivery service is very simple. The courier who delivers the cash-on-delivery parcel collects the amount of the cash on delivery (the total value for the price of the ordered goods and shipping) from the recipient in cash or as a card payment. This is registered in the courier company’s system. The amount paid travels from there to the sender of the consignment (usually the online shop). The fastest form is cashless payment. Most courier companies encourage the use of this option.

Advantages of cash on delivery

Cash on delivery has many advantages. First and foremost, it provides an opportunity to protect against possible fraud. The recipient, by paying for the goods only at the time of collection, makes sure that he has been cheated. Such fear is understandable in the case of private transactions (e.g. from advertisements on online portals) or orders from wholesalers and mail-order shops that have not been tested beforehand by the buyer. Cash on delivery is also one of the answers to the question ‘how to send a parcel cheaply‘.

Very often, cash on delivery is much faster than other types of shipment. Why is this the case? Well, the seller sends the goods immediately after purchase, without waiting for the payment to be credited. This gives an estimated speed-up of one day. This will be of particular interest to buyers who are anxious to receive their parcel as quickly as possible.

Interestingly, the seller also benefits from the ‘cash on delivery’ service – regardless of whether it is an individual or an online shop. This type of shipment makes their offer more credible. It also has a positive impact on the company’s reputation. Not surprisingly, cash on delivery immediately brings to mind an honest seller who is taking a risk himself. If you are a seller, perhaps you should be interested in the rules on how to send a cash on delivery.

How do you send cash on delivery at DHL?

Sending a cash-on-delivery parcel via DHL is very straightforward. You don’t need to sign any contract, just fill in a simple and intuitive sending form. Initially, it is the same as for a classic shipment. You need to enter details such as the address of the sender and recipient of the parcel, the size of the parcel and the insured value. Then you select a different option: the additional service “cash on delivery”. You enter the amount of the shipment and also provide the bank account number to which the funds are to be refunded.

How to send a parcel cash on delivery at InPost?

Sending a parcel cash on delivery through InPost (it has a slightly higher price than a traditional one) is a bit more complicated than with DHL. To begin with, you need to fill in an online form in the so-called Parcel Manager. There you enter the basic data about the parcel (physical parameters and delivery data). First – of course – you have to pack and secure the parcel well, measure and weigh it, as well as pay for, print and stick a shipping label on it. Don’t forget your refund details.

How do I send a parcel by cash on delivery? For a cash on delivery parcel, you have three options to choose from. You can send it by InPost courier (a very convenient option, as you just wait for the courier once all the online formalities are done). There is also the option to send it by parcel post. Then, after going to this place, all you have to do is press the message on the parcel machine screen: “I already have a parcel with a special label”, scan the parcel and put it in the box. The least used solution is to send a parcel at a Parcel Service Point.

The problem lies only in the way the parcel is collected. Immediately after placing it in a parcel machine, the addressee receives an SMS with a special code. Theoretically, everything is the same as when receiving a traditional parcel – the recipient must enter the phone number and code on the terminal screen. Later, he is redirected to the payment page. Only after the payment has been made can he collect the ordered package – never before.

The courier company InPost also offers the possibility to send parcels (including cash on delivery) without a label. This unusual option is possible thanks to the InPost Mobile app. How to send a parcel without a label in a parcel machine? All you need to do is use the – previously received – 9-digit sending code and QR code.

How to send a parcel cash on delivery at the Polish Post Office?

Sending a parcel cash on delivery through the Polish Post is slightly different than in previous cases. After packing and securing the parcel, take it to the nearest post office. Then download and complete the special form for posting. If you wish, you can select additional options (e.g. priority shipping, parcel receipt). You will need to accept the terms and conditions and pay for the posting. Entrust the parcel to an employee at the window of a Poczta Polska branch. The amount collected from the parcel recipient can be transferred to the sender’s bank account or sent by postal order to the sender’s address (each service requires the payment of a few zlotys).

If you use the courier service provided by Poczta Polska (Pocztex courier), you can send your COD parcel directly to the courier.

How to pack a cash on delivery parcel?

Knowing how to send a COD parcel is very important, but not the most important thing. Also pay attention to the proper packaging of the parcel. A COD parcel should be extremely well and tightly packed and protected. It must reach the addressee intact. The most important items that must be used when packing it are:

• Cardboard boxes (sized to fit the contents), e.g. cutcardboard boxes, flap cardboard boxes.
• Smaller packaging, e.g. bubble envelopes, paper envelopes, courier foil packs.
• Parcel fillers.
• Adhesive tapes, packaging tapes.
• Warning labels.

All the products listed can be found in the extensive RAJA online shop, which is active in the packaging sector.

You are probably wondering how to choose the right packaging for a courier parcel. It all depends on the contents. For example – it is rather clothes that are transported in foil packs. Cartons, on the other hand, have a universal meaning. Although their basic classification (flap and cut cardboard boxes) is already known, there are also less common cardboard packaging associated with specific contents. We are talking, for example, about cardboard boxes for shipping laptops, cardboard boxes for shipping honey, cardboard boxes for shipping wine and other spirits, cardboard boxes for shipping books (so-called book wrappers).