🛒 Ordering cash on delivery without nasty surprises: the buyer's guide
🌐 Français · English · العربية
Paying on delivery feels safe, but it doesn't protect you from everything. How to spot a dodgy shop, check the parcel, refuse politely, know your rights in Morocco and complain: a practical buyer's guide.
In short
- Cash on delivery (COD) saves you from paying an unknown seller upfront, but not from receiving a bad product. Once the driver has your cash, the money is gone.
- In Morocco, the law gives you 7 days after receipt to withdraw from the purchase, and the seller must refund you within 15 days (Law 31-08). Few buyers know this.
- The law does not give you a right to open the parcel before paying. Some sellers and couriers allow it: ask before you order.
- Ordering "just to see" costs everyone. An unjustified refusal is paid for by the seller, and in the end prices go up for all.
1. Why COD feels safe… and where it falls short
In Morocco, 84.1% of online shoppers have used cash on delivery (ANRT survey, via Le360, 2025). In Algeria, the figure quoted is 95% of transactions, chosen in part "because of the risk of scams" (TSA Algérie, 2025). COD is first and foremost insurance that buyers give themselves.
But that insurance has holes:
- The top e-commerce complaint in Morocco is non-conformity: a product that differs from the ad, or of doubtful authenticity (Ministry of Trade, via Le360, 2024). With COD, you often discover the problem after paying.
- Outright fraud exists. A former YouCan executive describes a store that shipped packs of salt to more than 100 customers (Ouaggad, 2026).
- COD doesn't guarantee quality. In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Commerce warned against a store selling poor-quality goods on social media with misleading photos and fake reviews, and it offered cash on delivery (mc.gov.sa, 2021).
What I see in the field
Many shops sell entry-level products, often imported, at a clearly inflated price to make up for their returns and losses. The buyer then overpays for a mediocre product, or refuses it, which creates even more returns. It isn't always bad faith: it's a system that feeds itself. Official sources confirm that non-conformity is the number-one complaint, but no study measures the price gap, so take the time to compare.
2. Spotting a dodgy shop or ad
Warning signs
| Sign | Why it's suspicious | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| No physical address, no phone, no identifiers (RC, ICE) | Law 31-08 requires online sellers to show their name, phone, email and physical address, plus their trade register and tax ID (Article 29) | Look for a "Legal notice" or "About us" page; call the number |
| No return policy | The right of withdrawal must be stated (Article 29) | If nothing is written, ask in writing before ordering |
| "Too good" photos, or photos found elsewhere | Catalogue photos reused by dozens of shops | Reverse image search (Google Lens): if the same photo appears everywhere, what you receive may be different |
| Fake scarcity: "Only 3 left!", a countdown that restarts | Pushes you to order without thinking | Reload the page later: has the counter reset? |
| Huge strikethrough price: "-70% today only" | The "before" price often never existed | Compare with other shops and physical stores |
| Miracle claims (health, weight loss, hair) | Products often non-compliant or dangerous | Maximum caution; ask about approval and origin |
| All reviews perfect, all from the same day | Fake reviews | Search the shop's name + "review" or "scam" on social media |
| Page created a few weeks ago, comments turned off | Throwaway shop | Check the Facebook page transparency (creation date, name changes) |
| Unclear total price | Delivery fees revealed at the door | Ask for the exact total before confirming |
👉 Unsure about a message, a text or an offer? Paste it into the scam checker, and browse the scam observatory to see which tricks are going around right now.
Decision tree: should I order?
- Does the shop show a name, a physical address and a phone number?
- No → don't order, or only a small amount after calling them.
- Yes → next question.
- Do the photos and video show the real product (not just a catalogue)?
- No → ask for a real photo or a video on WhatsApp. No answer: move on.
- Yes → next question.
- Are the total price (delivery included) and the return terms written down?
- No → ask for them in writing.
- Yes → go ahead, and keep screenshots.
3. Questions to ask before ordering
Ask them in writing (WhatsApp, message): a written answer will help if there is a dispute.
- What is the total I pay the driver, delivery included?
- How long does delivery take to my city?
- Can you send me a real photo or a short video of the product (not the one in the ad)?
- What are the dimensions, the material, the exact size in centimetres?
- Can I check the contents before paying? If so, is that written somewhere?
- How do returns work if the product doesn't match? Who pays for the return?
- Is there a warranty? For how long?
- What is your company name, address and ICE?
A serious seller answers without fuss. A seller who gets annoyed or goes silent has already answered.
4. On delivery day
Before the driver arrives
- Keep screenshots of the ad, the product page and the confirmation.
- Have the exact amount ready.
- If you can't be there, tell the seller to change the day, rather than letting the driver come for nothing.
At the door
- Check the outside: packaging intact, correct name and amount on the label.
- Ask politely whether you can check the contents. The driver isn't legally required to agree: if they refuse, stay calm.
- If inspection is allowed: check the essentials quickly (right product, size, colour, nothing broken). This is not the time for a long try-on.
- Film the unboxing if you can: it is useful evidence in a dispute.
- Ask for a receipt or keep the delivery message.
A review published in June 2026 describes a driver who refused any inspection ("I don't have time for you") (Trustpilot, 2026). It is a single account, but it shows why it pays to ask before ordering whether inspection is possible.
5. Your rights in Morocco (Law 31-08)
These are the rules of Law 31-08 on consumer protection (Official Bulletin of 7 April 2011) for distance purchases:
| Your right | What the law says | Article |
|---|---|---|
| To be informed before buying | Main features, name, phone, physical address, delivery costs and times, right of withdrawal, payment terms | Art. 29 |
| To receive written confirmation | No later than delivery, with the address for complaints, how to withdraw, after-sales service and warranties | Art. 32 |
| To change your mind | 7 days from receipt, with no reason needed and no penalty, except any return costs. 30 days if the seller failed to confirm the mandatory information in writing | Art. 36 |
| To be refunded | Without delay and within 15 days at the latest; after that, interest at the legal rate is added | Art. 37 |
| To be delivered on time | At most 30 days after confirmation, unless agreed otherwise | Art. 39 |
| Not to carry the burden of proof | "The burden of proof lies with the supplier" (information, confirmation, deadlines) | Art. 34 |
| The seller answers for the courier | The seller is "fully liable" for proper performance of the contract, even when a courier handles it | Art. 26 |
| Not to be misled by advertising | False or misleading advertising is banned (qualities, origin, price…), with fines of MAD 50,000 to 250,000 | Art. 21 and 174 |
| Warranty against defects | The legal warranty against defects in the item sold always applies | Art. 65 onwards |
Exceptions to withdrawal (Art. 38): personalised or made-to-measure goods, perishable goods or goods that cannot be sent back, unsealed software or recordings, newspapers, etc.
What the law doesn't say: it does not provide a right to open the parcel in front of the driver. Your real safety net is the 7-day withdrawal period.
Reforms in progress: a draft amendment to Law 31-08 and private members' bills (including a 15-day withdrawal period for an undisclosed defect) were announced in 2025 (Yabiladi, 2025; Hespress, 2025). To our knowledge, they had not been adopted as of October 2026.
Elsewhere: in Saudi Arabia, the e-commerce system also provides a right to cancel; in Algeria, Tunisia and other countries the rules differ. Check the time limits in your country's official text.
6. Refusing a parcel: when it's fair, and how
When refusing is legitimate
- The product doesn't match the ad (colour, size, model, material).
- The amount requested differs from the one announced.
- The parcel is visibly damaged or has been opened.
- The promised lead time is long past and you no longer need the item.
- You never ordered it.
When it isn't fair
- You ordered "to see" or on impulse, with no real intention to buy.
- You found it cheaper elsewhere in the meantime and didn't tell the seller.
- You simply weren't there and didn't answer the calls.
A refused parcel costs the seller MAD 43 to 103 (outbound, return, packaging, ads), according to an estimate by Swiftlog (2026). Those losses end up in the prices every customer pays.
How to refuse politely
- Warn the seller in advance if you change your mind: a message is enough.
- At the door, stay courteous: the driver isn't responsible for the product.
- Give the reason in one sentence: "This isn't the model in the photo, I'm refusing the parcel."
- Message the seller with a photo if possible.
Template:
Hello, today I refused the parcel for order no. [number].
Reason: [the product doesn't match the photo / the amount requested
was MAD X instead of MAD Y / the parcel was damaged].
Photo attached. Please confirm the cancellation.7. After delivery: withdrawing and complaining
You've already paid and the product isn't right
You have 7 days after receipt to withdraw (Article 36). Write to the seller through a channel that leaves a trace (message, email):
Subject: withdrawal – order no. [number]
Hello,
On [date] I received [product] (order no. [number]),
paid MAD [amount] on delivery.
Under Article 36 of Law 31-08, I am exercising my right of
withdrawal. Please send me the return address and refund me
within the 15 days set by Article 37.
[Name, phone]Keep proof of sending, your screenshots and proof that you returned the product.
If the seller doesn't answer
- Follow up once in writing, citing Articles 36 and 37.
- File a complaint on the official portal khidmat-almostahlik.ma.
- Contact a consumer association: the Ministry's Consumer Guide mentions their advice desks ("guichets conseil").
- Leave a factual review (no insults) to warn other buyers.
"As soon as a dispute arises, traceability is hard to ensure," notes the Moroccan Federation of Consumer Rights (FNH, 2021). That is why written evidence matters: every documented complaint counts.
8. Protecting your data
- Share the minimum: name, phone, address. Never your full ID card number or your banking codes.
- A seller never needs a code you received by SMS. If someone asks for one "to confirm delivery", it's a scam.
- Watch out for fake delivery texts asking you to pay a few dirhams through a link.
- In Morocco, Law 09-08 governs the use of your data: the seller must declare its processing to the CNDP and only use your data for the stated purposes (order handling, marketing).
9. Printable checklist
Before ordering
- ☐ Shop name, physical address, phone and ICE visible
- ☐ Real photo or video of the product requested and received
- ☐ Dimensions, material and size in cm checked
- ☐ Total price including delivery noted
- ☐ Delivery time noted
- ☐ Return policy read (or requested in writing)
- ☐ Screenshots of the ad and product page
On delivery
- ☐ Exact amount ready
- ☐ Packaging and label checked
- ☐ Asked politely to check the contents
- ☐ Unboxing filmed if possible
- ☐ Receipt or delivery message kept
Afterwards
- ☐ Product checked the same day
- ☐ If there's a problem: written message to the seller within 7 days
- ☐ No answer: complaint on khidmat-almostahlik.ma
Further reading
- Selling yourself? Read the COD seller's guide.
- Why so many mediocre products at inflated prices: breaking the vicious circle.
Need help?
I'm a web developer and e-commerce and marketing consultant based in Morocco. If you run a shop and want it to inspire trust (clear legal information, real product pages, simple returns), see my e-commerce services or get in touch.