How to refuse to receive a parcel with cash on delivery? Risks, actions to refuse before and after opening the parcel, possible consequences

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Published: September 17, 2018

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Cash on delivery is a postal service that actually consists of the possibility of using mail as an intermediary, providing support for a purchase and sale transaction carried out remotely.

• Cash on delivery: concept, possibility of refusal, associated risks Possible risks

This service is most widely used within the framework of targeted activities of online and television stores, as well as other organizations of a similar profile. At the same time, delivery of goods by mail with cash on delivery, in addition to the obvious convenience, also has a number of significant disadvantages associated with possible risks for both the recipient and the sender.

What does the term “cash on delivery” mean?

Cash on delivery is an amount paid by the addressee of a postal item in favor of the addressee (sender of the parcel).

This form of interaction between the sender and the recipient of the item has a long history. It is still used by the largest online stores in the world. The process consists of the following steps:

1. The sender sends the parcel.
2. The parcel arrives at the post office.
3. The recipient pays the cost of the parcel.
4. The post office issues the item to the recipient.
5. Money for the parcel is transferred to the sender.

Before using bank cards when paying for goods in an online store, cash on delivery was the only form of payment between the seller and the buyer. And now this practice is used quite widely. The service was first introduced by Russian Post. Now it turns out to be the majority of shipping companies, as it involves fairly convenient interaction between the seller and the buyer.

What documents and data will be needed

To send a parcel and receive payment, only a passport will be enough, but in order not to confuse the TIN numbers, it is advisable to have this document with you. When visiting a branch, it is enough to show not only your passport, but also another identification document, for example, a driver’s license or military ID. That is, in fact, cash on delivery is no different from a postal transfer; it is just one of its varieties, which allows you to pay for delivery and the price if the parcel is available. Therefore, money is paid according to general rules, regardless of the region from which it came and the amount available.

Among the necessary data, you need to remember the TIN, passport series and other data, and if you want to receive funds from the bank, you need to prepare the details. It is best to contact the nearest office of a financial institution and ask to print out the current information for transferring funds, this way you can avoid mistakes.

READ Tracking money transfers at Russian Post: methods, instructions

How goods are delivered with cash on delivery

Payment by credit card may not be available to the buyer. Not all people have debit or credit cards at their disposal. Also, not all retail outlets use this payment option for goods. Therefore, in some cases, the only available way to purchase goods is cash on delivery. Often, one store provides several payment options, but the customer may have no choice other than one way to make a purchase.

Delivery of goods varies in terms of time. This parameter depends on the rules of service of the carrier company, as well as on the region in which the buyer is actually located. The goods are delivered to their destination and stored at the point of issue for a certain number of days.

Russian Post has a maximum storage period for postal items of 15 days. During this period, the buyer must come to the branch, pay cash on delivery, and receive the parcel. If he does not do this, the product is sent back to the online store.

Return period

Good quality goods that you return without specifying a reason are accepted during distance selling within the first 7 days after purchase . At the same time, you must inform about your intention to return the goods - this cannot be done silently. It will be possible to submit return applications both in the parcel itself and online, if the seller provides such an opportunity.

You should receive a response about the decision within 10 days, and the money – 3 days after that.

Defective products and products of inadequate quality must be returned in accordance with their warranty periods . For equipment they can range from one to two years, for clothing – a year. The information should be listed on your warranty card or on the website of the manufacturer of your product. Also, such situations should be resolved verbally or in writing with the seller before shipping the item. In this case, you can wait for money from 30 to 45 days, depending on what exactly you are returning. These deadlines are indicated taking into account the mandatory examination. If the examination is not needed or can be done faster, then the funds will be transferred to you earlier.

Be sure to keep all postal documents confirming the receipt or dispatch of the parcel. They will replace store receipts when making cash on delivery payments.

What determines the amount of cash on delivery?

The cash on delivery amount is usually equal to the cost of the purchased product. Such parcels are called declared value shipments. The shipping cost is indicated by the seller (sender). Large online stores incur fees for the services of postal operators. This is as convenient as possible for the customers themselves. In fact, these costs are often included in the price of the product and go unnoticed by customers.

In some cases, a fee for storing the parcel is added to the cash on delivery amount - if the client does not show up to receive the shipment within a certain time, the next few days of storing the parcel will be charged. If the recipient does not take any action during or following days, the parcel is sent back to the online store.

Possible problems upon receipt

Some people think that choosing cash on delivery will protect them from scammers, but in reality there may be different situations. For example, if there is no inventory of the contents, then they will not be allowed to check the parcel before payment, and as a result, having paid the full price and discovering that the parcel contains the wrong item or nothing at all, the client will not be able to promptly return the money. In addition, even if the recipient of the money wants to send an overlay on the card, he will need to come to the branch, since Russian Post services sometimes work unstable and do not meet the deadline.

READ Ways to find out whether a registered letter has arrived or whether the addressee has received it

Cash on delivery provides that the parcel is paid by the recipient upon collection at the destination office, and after that the funds are sent to the sender. This is quite convenient for those who are afraid of encountering scammers, but the seller will have to wait a long time for the money, since it will be sent just like a regular postal transfer.

Pros and cons of cash on delivery

This form of interaction between the recipient and the sender is extremely popular, but not always convenient and profitable. Some online stores cooperate with customers only in this way, leaving the latter no choice.

Benefits for the recipient

A parcel with cash on delivery provides one serious advantage for the recipient: he receives a guarantee that the online store will not deceive him, and that after payment the parcel will not be lost along the way. It often happens that after paying for goods with a bank card, the client is faced with the fact that the seller significantly violates the deadlines or refuses to fulfill his obligations to send the goods. Often the buyer is unable to correct something, and he remains outright deceived.

Payment for the parcel by post office by the recipient negates this and other risks. The buyer pays the cost of the shipment only after receiving a notification from the online store that the parcel can be picked up. In this case, deception is practically excluded.

Also a big plus is the possibility of refusing a purchase: for example, the client found the same product at a lower price, or the need for purchase has disappeared. In this case, it is enough to confirm the refusal in writing, or not take any action to obtain it.

Disadvantages for the recipient

Payment by cash on delivery, in addition to its advantages, also provides some disadvantages for the recipient. The main one is the impossibility of opening the parcel before payment. This quite serious inconvenience occurs when receiving a parcel through Russian Post.

Sending a parcel by cash on delivery via Russian Post is inconvenient for the recipient because he must first decide whether to receive the parcel or not. It is prohibited to open the shipment before payment. The exception is the presence of an inventory of attachments. Therefore, you may experience:

1. Damage to goods.
2. Violation of the integrity of the purchase - mechanical damage, breakdowns, complete loss of the goods.
3. Error with the name of the product - the online store may mistakenly send a different product.

Also, some so-called parcel terminals - special devices in which parcels are placed for pickup - do not work with cash on delivery. Such devices are usually installed in large retail outlets so that the client can choose the nearest pickup point.

On the touch panel it is enough to enter a personal code, after which one of the cells opens, in which there is a postage paid in advance. In large cities of Russia, such devices have already become widespread.

Pros for the online store (sender)

Sending goods by cash on delivery for an online store offers one significant advantage: the store increases trust among potential buyers. A client who visits the store’s website sees that the goods are paid only after receipt, which means that the likelihood of fraud is minimal.

For this reason, the largest sellers of goods on the Internet make cash on delivery one of their purchasing methods. This form of purchase is even more relevant for small outlets that are just beginning to gain the trust of customers.

Cons for an online store (sender)

Sending a parcel by cash on delivery for an online store may also involve significant disadvantages. First of all, we are talking about the possible refusal of the buyer to receive the postal item: no receipt - no purchase. As a result of this, the seller not only does not receive the expected profit, but also incurs losses in the form of payment for the services of the postal operator.

The second disadvantage is the high cost of services of some postal operators. Not every shipping cost can be taken into account in the price of the product, and in these cases, sellers have to overpay for services, with no guarantee that the client will ultimately agree to receive the goods at the post office.

about the author

Irina Rusanova - higher education at the International East European University in the direction of "Banking". Graduated with honors from the Russian Economic Institute named after G.V. Plekhanov with a major in Finance and Credit. Ten years of experience in leading Russian banks: Alfa-Bank, Renaissance Credit, Home Credit Bank, Delta Credit, ATB, Svyaznoy (closed). He is an analyst and expert of the Brobank service on banking and financial stability. [email protected]

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Is it possible to refuse a parcel at the post office without opening it?

There is an important nuance of the procedure that not everyone knows about. Customers prefer cash on delivery purchases through an online store because they think that they will be able to inspect the goods and only then pay. However, the right to open is granted only after the entire amount of the order is transferred to the cashier at the post office.

IMPORTANT

You can refuse a parcel by cash on delivery without opening it, based only on external signs, for example, an inflated order amount, incorrectly indicated weight or questionable contents of the parcel.

Before payment, it is only possible to check the integrity of the packaging and the compliance of the actual weight with that indicated by the sender. If the recipient has no comments on the appearance of the parcel, then claims regarding the contents will not be accepted.

It turns out that cash on delivery only guarantees the arrival of the parcel, but not its contents.

Comments: 6

Your comment (question) If you have questions about this article, you can tell us. Our team consists of only experienced experts and specialists with specialized education. We will try to help you in this topic:

Author of the article Irina Rusanova

Consultant, author Popovich Anna

Financial author Olga Pikhotskaya

1. Natalia
   06/19/2021 at 13:41 Hello, I ordered a package from an online store, it arrived, but I changed my mind about buying it, do I have the right to do this?
   Reply ↓ Olga Pikhotskaya
   06/19/2021 at 14:27

   Natalya, good afternoon. You have the right to refuse to receive the parcel. There will be no fines from the post office. After the expiration of the storage period established by the rules, the parcel with the goods will be returned to the seller.

   Reply ↓

Is it possible to return

If you are going to return what you purchased, then for some reason it did not suit you. This can happen either before the money is transferred to the Post Office employee or after. However, you have the right by law to refuse to accept the parcel and pay for it if:

• You doubt that they sent you what you need;
• You have changed your mind;
• The price was not what you agreed on with the seller.

In this case, the return is easiest, because you do not pay the money, but issue a refusal. At the same time, the Russian Post requires the seller to pay the costs for returning the goods that did not suit you, and not from you. Unless, of course, the return terms stipulate your obligation to pay for the “return” item.

But if you have already paid money to a Postal employee, then the law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” comes into force, which allows you to return anything to the seller in two cases: if it turns out that the item does not suit you; if it turns out that what you purchased has a manufacturing defect.

What are the advantages of this payment option?

There are a number of important advantages of this method of delivery and payment.

1. Increased likelihood of payment. You can save money to pay for the parcel. While the order is being delivered, you can prepare the required amount.
2. Reliability. This way you can be sure that the package with the goods will arrive, since payment is made when it is almost in hand.
3. Easy payment. For this method of payment you do not need to have bank cards or electronic wallets. Payment is made in cash.

The disadvantages of using cash on delivery include the commission that Russian Post charges for the service.

Payment Methods

Upon receipt, cash on delivery can be paid by bank transfer using a card or in cash. If the first option is chosen, in addition to a bank card, you can use checks for this. If the sender of the parcel is an individual, payment can only be made in cash. For legal entities, transfer to a current account is provided.

When the recipient somehow manages to pick up the item and does not pay for it, the postal service must fully reimburse the amount of damage that was caused to the sender.

How to make a cash transfer abroad

Transferring money to a citizen who is outside the Russian Federation will not be difficult. All you need to do is also select any post office, fill out the notice, present your passport and give the money. The translation procedure takes no more than 5 minutes

.

A few minutes later, the recipient receives a notification on their cell phone that the money has been received. All that remains is to present your personal passport and pick them up. It should be noted that in some cases payments are made in the currency that is represented in the region of location.

Attention! Please note that conversion may be applied when receiving money. The exchange rate must be obtained at the receiving office. It should be borne in mind that you can also pick up the amount of money at the office of any bank that cooperates with the selected transfer system.

How to find out that a package has arrived

There are several ways you can find out where your package is.

1. Using the site. You can go to the Russian Post website. Select "Tracking". Enter the tracking number (track number) in the special field. Click on the blue magnifying glass icon. All information about the shipment will appear.
2. Using social networks. Social networks can also be used. To do this, you need to go to the Russian Post group, and then start corresponding with the assistant. Hints will show you what to click or write. This method also requires a parcel tracking number.
3. By phone. You can call the hotline, give the package tracking number, and then the operator will tell you the location of the shipment.
4. Through notification. If there is no tracking number, you can simply wait for a notification from Russian Post employees.

You can use any convenient method.

Disadvantages for the sender

In this case, two main disadvantages should be highlighted:

• High shipping cost;
• The risk that the recipient will not come for the goods or simply refuse it.

The goods are sent by mail cash on delivery only at the declared value. At the same time, this amount should not be lower than the amount of cash on delivery, but they can be equal. If the sender declares the value of the parcel, he will be charged an additional 4% commission. The main risk for the seller is the possibility of the recipient refusing the goods and not picking it up.

The buyer can use a variety of reasons for this. The most common of them are related to receiving a more advantageous offer or the order was placed by competitors specifically with the aim of causing losses. If the addressee does not pick up the parcel within 15-30 days, it all depends on the shipping conditions, the shipment will be returned. To pick up the package, the seller must pay the shipping cost. Thus, the sender loses income for a specific unit of goods.

How to find out who sent the package

There are times when the recipient is expecting several parcels. To understand exactly who the shipment came from, you need to look at the notification. If it is not there, you can use the tracking number and go through the standard procedure.

1. Log in to the Russian Post website. Select me "Track".
2. In the field where it says “tracking number” you need to enter the tracking number. You can get it from the seller. It is written on the receipt when the parcel is sent.
3. Now you need to click on the icon to the right of the tracking number field.
4. Next, information will be released about which sorting centers the shipment went through, as well as who sent the parcel and how much it weighs.