Charge Fee for COD Payments?

DealzStealzThrillz · Posts: 17

I have searched everywhere and could not find a solution to my problem. I want to allow COD payments, but need to charge the customer a fee for that payment method, since USPS does charge a fee to collect COD payments. Is there a way to do this? If not, I think this would be an excellent feature to add as many people could use it.

cosmicray · Posts: 7286

There is nothing at eCrater that allows you to charge extra based on payment form.

DealzStealzThrillz · Posts: 17

Thanks, I didn't think so.

thelivesandlovesofmaggiethecat · Posts: 10159

Why would you even want to offer COD? If it is for people who don't want to use CCs online, accept money orders.

school-yearbooks · Posts: 2477

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I agree, CODs seem like a disaster just waiting to happen.

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tigercreekgifts · Posts: 6293

Add the fee into your shipping total. We ARE allowed to do that. I add a small fee to my shipping total for shipping supply costs and to cover my paypal fees. The customer won't know it's been added in unless you tell them.

MoonwishesStore · moderator Posts: 17389

I wouldn't know why any business would want to send something COD unless it is with someone they have a long business relationship with. Do you realize just how long you have to wait to be PAID. You ship the thing, the PO tries to collect the money, only junior is home, so the mailman comes back or leaves a slip for the buyer to come to come to the PO, they are currently broke so have no cash to pay and so refuse to pay and so the package makes its way back to you - eventually and you get to pay a bill for the cost to the PO. Even if they remember the order and do pay, it means you can go weeks without the payment that you had to send hoping they would pay. It is an extremely old-fashioned way to pay and has no real reason to be used in our electronic world.

DealzStealzThrillz · Posts: 17

DealzStealzThrillz · Posts: 17

I do understand some people out there are against COD payments, but there are some out there against Paypal payments, money orders, cashiers checks (lots of fakes floating around which could cause a bank overdraft on your account by the way).. but some of us would like to accept COD payments and most of us are aware of what can potentially happen, just like things can potentially happen with all other payment methods... This is a matter of personal preference.

MaggietheCatsMeows · Posts: 2853

MoonwishesStore · moderator Posts: 17389

Well here is some info that I found at the usps.com site

>Notes
Purchase online or at a Post Office, or through your Rural Carrier, depending on the mail class chosen. Present COD for mailing to a Postal employee.
COD service provides the mailer with a mailing receipt.
Not available for international shipments, APO/FPO/DPO locations, and certain Freely Associated States.

Cost

$6.95

Also here is a pdf of the form that would be attached to the COD

http://about.usps.com/forms/ps3816.pdf

Note that a person can pay by check at that point and the PO doesn't get in between the buyer and seller if the check is rubber or the parcel isn't what they thought they would get. The buyer CAN NOT have or open the package until they pay for it.

You ar looking at some big costs for your buyers. First the $6.95 for you to send it and then the cost of the actual COD (collect on delivery), and if the check is no good the $25-35 service fee from your bank. At least if you have the check sent to you prior to shipping you know whether it is good or bad, and while you may still get a service fee but you still have your product. With COD if the check is bad, they already have the item and you know they aren't going to send it back.

I don't see much positive in the COD system, but if you really really want to use it, then you need to have a serious discusssion with your postmaster about it.