"I'll pay when I see it."
If you sell in Ghana — or anywhere in Africa — you've heard this a hundred times. Customers want to see, touch, and inspect what they're buying before they hand over their money. It's not distrust. It's just how business works here.
The problem? Most online stores force customers to pay upfront. And that's where you lose them.
Not anymore. Payment on Delivery is now live on Strawlo.
🤝 What is Payment on Delivery?
When you enable Payment on Delivery (POD), your customers can place orders and pay only when the item arrives at their doorstep. They get peace of mind. You get more orders. Everyone wins.
Why This Matters for Your Business
Online shopping in Africa is growing fast, but trust is still the biggest barrier. A first-time customer visiting your store doesn't know you. They've probably been burned before — paid for something online and never received it, or received something completely different.
Payment on Delivery removes that barrier entirely.
📈
More Conversions
Customers who would have left your store because they didn't want to pay upfront will now complete the order. Less abandoned carts, more sales.
🤝
Instant Trust
First-time buyers feel safe ordering from you. Once they receive quality products, they become repeat customers — and they'll pay upfront next time.
🌍
Reach More People
Not everyone has a card or mobile money wallet set up. POD lets you sell to customers who prefer paying with cash when the rider arrives.
🛡️
You're Protected
Stock is only deducted when you confirm payment — not when the order is placed. If a customer doesn't pay, your inventory stays accurate.
How to Enable Payment on Delivery
It takes about 10 seconds. Here's how:
Open Payment Settings
On desktop, expand Store Settings in your dashboard sidebar and click Payments. On mobile, tap the menu, then Store Settings → Payments.
Find Payment Options
Scroll to the Payment Options section. You'll see the available payment methods for your store.
Toggle On "Payment on Delivery"
Flip the switch. That's it. Your customers will now see "Pay on Delivery" as an option at checkout, alongside Mobile Money and card.
The Full Order Flow — Step by Step
Here's exactly what happens from the moment a customer places a POD order to when you mark it as paid:
Customer Places Order
At checkout, the customer selects "Pay on Delivery" instead of paying now. They enter their delivery address and submit the order. No payment is collected yet.
You Receive the Order
The order appears in your Orders dashboard with an "Awaiting Payment" badge. You can see all the order details — items, customer info, and delivery address.
Important: Stock is NOT deducted at this point. This protects you — if the customer never pays, your inventory stays correct.
Contact & Deliver
Reach out to the customer to confirm the delivery time. Send a quick WhatsApp message or call — remind them to have payment ready (cash or mobile money). Then deliver the order.
Collect Payment
The customer inspects the product and pays you — via cash, mobile money transfer, or however you agree. The key is: they've seen the product and they're happy.
Mark as Paid
Back in your dashboard, find the order, click the ⋮ menu, and select "Mark as Paid". Stock is now deducted, and the sale is officially recorded. Done.
What Your Customer Sees at Checkout
When a customer is ready to pay and you have POD enabled, they'll see their options clearly:
💳
Pay Now
Mobile Money or Card
🚚
Pay on Delivery
Pay when you receive it
Customers choose their preferred payment method at checkout
If they select Pay on Delivery:
- They enter their delivery details as usual
- They receive a confirmation email with their order number
- The email reminds them to have payment ready upon delivery
No friction. No complicated flows. It works exactly how they'd expect.
What If a Customer Doesn't Pay?
This is the question every merchant asks. Here's the good news — you're covered.
Real-World Examples
Tips for Managing POD Orders Like a Pro
Always confirm before delivering. Call or WhatsApp the customer to confirm the order and delivery time. This dramatically reduces no-shows. A customer who answers the phone is a customer who will pay.
Set delivery expectations on your store. Add a note in your store description about delivery areas and timelines. Customers who know when to expect their order are more likely to be available and ready to pay.
Mark orders as paid the same day. Don't let "Awaiting Payment" orders pile up. Get in the habit of marking orders as paid immediately after you collect payment. This keeps your stock accurate and your dashboard clean.
Watch for patterns. If the same customer places POD orders and never pays, that's a red flag. You can always choose not to fulfil a suspicious order.
Use POD strategically. Some merchants enable POD for a few weeks to build up their customer base and reviews, then switch to upfront-only once trust is established. Others keep it on permanently. Do what works for your business.
Quick tip
POD works great alongside prepaid options. Most merchants see about 60% of customers choosing to pay upfront and 40% choosing POD. The customers who choose POD are the ones you would have lost entirely without the option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does POD cost extra?
No. Payment on Delivery is free. There are no additional fees — you collect payment directly from the customer.
Does stock get deducted when a POD order is placed?
No. Stock is only deducted when you manually mark the order as "Paid" in your dashboard. This protects your inventory from unpaid orders.
Can I use POD and prepaid payment together?
Yes! When both are enabled, customers choose between "Pay Now" (Mobile Money or card) and "Pay on Delivery" at checkout. Most merchants keep both on.
How do I know which orders are POD?
POD orders show an "Awaiting Payment" badge in your Orders dashboard. You can filter by this status to see all POD orders at a glance.
What if I want to disable POD later?
Just toggle it off in Settings → Payments. Existing POD orders will still work normally — you can still mark them as paid. New customers just won't see the POD option at checkout.
Enable It Today
Payment on Delivery is available to every Strawlo merchant right now. One toggle in your payment settings and you're opening your store to an entire segment of customers who would otherwise walk away.
More trust. More orders. More growth.
Ready to turn "I'll pay when I see it" into a sale?
Enable Payment on Delivery in under 10 seconds.
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