Cash on delivery for a Singapore Shopify store

Information checked as of 9 October 2026

Cash on delivery sounds like an easy way to win customers who don't want to pay online. In Singapore the picture is more mixed: most shoppers already pay by card, wallet or PayNow, and parcel scams have made many people wary of paying cash at the door. This guide covers whether COD is worth offering, how to set it up on Shopify, which local couriers can collect cash, the risks, and the alternatives that usually work better: PayNow, bank transfer, pay-by-link and pickup in store.

This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. It summarises Shopify's Help Center, courier and booking-platform pages, IRAS and MAS as of the date above. Couriers change their terms and fees often, so check the live pages in the References.

The short version

• COD is a niche option here. Singapore payment surveys list cards, debit cards and digital wallets as the leading methods for online shopping, and COD doesn't appear among them.
• Shopify can take COD orders, but it can't collect the cash. COD is a manual payment method: the order stays pending until you mark it paid. Your courier does the collecting.
• Courier support differs. Ninja Van and J&T Express list COD. SingPost and Lalamove don't clearly offer it for Singapore online orders, so ask them.
• The cash comes back late. Ninja Van, for example, remits COD collections after a month-end statement, minus its handling fee.
• Alternatives often fit better: PayNow or card at checkout, a payment link, bank transfer with a reference, or pickup in store.

Is COD common in Singapore?

Not as a main method. In a January 2025 Airwallex and Statista survey of 1,000 Singapore cross-border shoppers, 71% preferred credit cards and 52% preferred digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and GrabPay. In Visa Acceptance's 2025 Singapore study, shoppers' preferred methods for online shopping were credit cards (37%), debit cards (22%) and digital wallets (16%). Neither study reports COD as a leading option. (The Airwallex survey covers shopping from overseas merchants, so it's a guide rather than a measure of local COD use.)

There's also a trust problem. Ninja Van and J&T Express both publish advisories about COD scams: unwanted parcels are sent with a cash demand at the door, and recipients are told to reject any parcel they didn't order and refuse to pay. Your own customers may have seen those warnings, and a courier at the door asking for cash can feel uncertain to a first-time buyer. If you offer COD, say clearly on the product page and in the order email what the customer will pay and who will collect it.

COD can still make sense for a few cases: older customers who prefer cash, large or high-trust local orders where you know the buyer, or items delivered by your own driver. For most online stores, it is a convenience option, not the main way to sell.

How to offer COD on Shopify

Shopify treats COD as a manual payment method. Its Help Center describes the steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments.
2. In the Manual payment methods section, pick the suggested Cash on Delivery (COD) option, or create a custom method.
3. Fill in Additional details, which shows next to the method at checkout, and Payment instructions, which shows on the order confirmation page.
4. Activate it.

What Shopify says about how it behaves:

• Pending until you confirm payment. Orders that use a manual method are marked unpaid or pending. Once you've received the money, you mark the order as paid on the order page and fulfil it as usual.
• No third-party transaction fee. Shopify says you aren't charged third-party transaction fees for manual payments. It does charge them on alternative payment methods such as cryptocurrency, which is a separate list. Your courier's COD handling fee is separate.
• Reserved names. If you create a custom method, you can't call it Cash, Cash on Delivery (COD), Bank Deposit or Money Order, among others, because Shopify reserves those names.
• Multiple currencies. Shopify says that to show manual payment methods in each customer's local currency, you need Shopify Payments with the international sales tools switched on.

Shopify's manual payments page doesn't mention an order-value limit for COD, so any cap, such as COD only below a certain order value, is your own policy. Showing COD only for some postcodes or order values needs checkout customisation. Shopify's comparison table says that apps which customise the payments page of checkout are available on Shopify Plus only, so on other plans, put the limits in your Additional details and Payment instructions and check orders by hand.

Which Singapore couriers collect cash?

Shopify can't collect cash, so check each courier's own COD terms before you offer it. As of the date above:

• Ninja Van says its drivers can collect payment for you. You enter the COD amount when you create the order, and collection status shows on its dashboard. It also says PayNow is accepted as a COD payment method. Its COD handling fee is deducted from the amount before remittance, and its published terms say it can decline COD on any parcel and will pay over collected cash after a monthly statement. See its COD page for the current fee.
• J&T Express lists cash-on-delivery support among its services in Singapore and says it integrates with Shopify. One booking platform, OneShip, says J&T's COD is available only on its 1-day delivery service. We haven't been able to confirm this on J&T's own pages, so check with J&T.
• Booking platforms. EasyParcel's Singapore help centre says COD is available through Aramex, J&T Express, Janio and Ninja Van, and that you enable it while booking.
• SingPost. SingPost's own eCommerce pages describe its Shopify integration but don't mention COD. Shippit says SingPost supports COD on orders booked through Shippit, while OneShip and EasyParcel say COD isn't supported through their SingPost services (EasyParcel for Speedpost Economy). Treat it as unconfirmed and ask SingPost.
• Lalamove. Lalamove's Singapore pages say its E-Commerce Connector accepts cash payment, but they describe paying for the delivery, and we couldn't find a Singapore page that offers collecting the price of goods. Its COD service page we found is for another market. Don't assume it works here.

Our guide to shipping from a Singapore Shopify store covers the carrier apps and how they connect to Shopify.

The risks of COD

• Refused or failed deliveries. Nobody has paid yet, so a customer can decline at the door. You pay the courier for the trip out and the return, and the stock is stuck in transit.
• Slow cash. With Ninja Van, the money reaches you after a monthly statement. Plan your cash flow, and decide when to mark the order paid in Shopify so your reports don't overstate cash received.
• Reconciliation. Match each remittance to your pending orders. Ninja Van sends a consolidated statement by email for verification, so you can check it against the Shopify orders list filtered by payment method.
• Fake and prank orders. Shopify's fraud analysis works with online credit-card orders that it can verify. It isn't designed for cash orders, so you'd need your own checks, such as a confirmation message before shipping. This is our reading of Shopify's page, not something it says about COD.
• No card chargebacks, but other disputes. Since no card is used, there's no card chargeback. The equivalent risk is a refused parcel or a dispute about what was delivered.
• Cash handling. Your courier handles the cash, not you, which reduces your exposure. But its terms apply, and Ninja Van's say it may use collected cash to offset what you owe it.

GST, invoices and consumer rules

The way a customer pays doesn't change your GST position. If you're GST-registered, the price shown must include GST, and IRAS says a tax invoice has to be issued when your customer is GST-registered, generally within 30 days of the supply. You don't need one for a customer who isn't GST-registered. Our GST guide covers when registration is required.

Consumer rights are also the same whatever the payment method. Faulty goods and the Lemon Law still apply to a COD order, and a "no refunds" notice doesn't override them. See our guide to returns, refunds and the Lemon Law. If a customer pays you by cash at the door, make sure the receipt or order confirmation shows what was paid.

Alternatives that usually work better

PayNow or cards at checkout

If customers want something simpler than a card, PayNow through a local gateway gets you paid before you ship. See our guide to PayNow and GrabPay on Shopify. Remember that you can't add a surcharge for PayNow: the Association of Banks in Singapore prohibits it, and MAS confirmed that in a 2025 parliamentary reply. For customers who want to spread the cost, see buy now, pay later on Shopify in Singapore.

Pay by link

For phone, chat or social orders, create a Shopify draft order and send an invoice with a secure checkout link. Shopify says draft orders let you send invoices with checkout links for online payment. HitPay also lets you create a payment link with PayNow enabled and share it by WhatsApp, email or SMS, or as a QR code.

Bank transfer or PayNow to your number, as a manual method

Shopify lists bank transfers as a common manual payment type. Put your account details or PayNow QR in the Payment instructions, and ask customers to quote the order number as the reference. You then match each transfer to its order and mark it paid before you ship. It costs nothing in gateway fees but takes work as volumes grow.

Pickup in store

Shopify's pickup in store lets customers choose a location at checkout, and you mark the order Ready for pickup and then Picked up. Shopify says pickup orders are charged at checkout, not at the store. If you want customers to pay in person, Shopify suggests a custom manual payment method for cases like booking a service and paying in person. Test that combination in your store before you rely on it.

Setup checklist

1. Decide whether COD fits your products and customers, or whether PayNow and a payment link would do.
2. Confirm in writing that your courier collects COD for your parcel type and delivery service, and what its fee, remittance schedule and refusal terms are.
3. Activate COD under Settings > Payments > Manual payment methods, and write clear payment instructions, including any limits.
4. Add a confirmation step before shipping, such as a message to the customer.
5. Enter the COD amount when booking the courier, and match every remittance to your pending orders.
6. Mark orders paid only once you have the money or a courier confirmation, according to your accounting rules.
7. Add a line about COD refusals and returns to your policies.

A theme that shows your payment, pickup and tax messages clearly also helps COD and pay-by-link orders go smoothly. See our guide to choosing a Shopify theme for a Singapore store.

If your delivery rules get complicated, with different rates by product, postcode or cart contents, Giraffe Shipping lets you set them up for Shopify checkout without code.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Singapore Shopify store accept cash on delivery?

Yes. Cash on delivery (COD) is one of the manual payment methods Shopify suggests. You switch it on under Settings > Payments, and orders arrive as pending until you mark them paid. Shopify doesn't collect the cash, so you need a courier that does, and you should confirm that your courier will collect it before you offer COD.

Does Shopify charge a transaction fee on cash on delivery orders?

Shopify says you aren't charged third-party transaction fees on manual payments. It does charge them on alternative payment methods such as cryptocurrency. Your courier will charge its own COD handling fee, which you should check on the courier's page.

Which Singapore couriers collect cash on delivery?

Ninja Van and J&T Express both list COD on their own pages, and EasyParcel lists Ninja Van, J&T Express, Aramex and Janio as COD-capable couriers. SingPost's own pages don't mention COD, and one booking platform says its Speedpost Economy service doesn't support it. Lalamove's Singapore pages don't clearly offer it either. Ask each courier in writing.

Can customers pay by PayNow at the door?

Ninja Van says PayNow is accepted as a COD payment method, so a customer can pay the driver by PayNow instead of cash. Check that your courier does the same. You also can't add a surcharge for paying by PayNow, because the Association of Banks in Singapore prohibits it and MAS confirmed that in a 2025 parliamentary reply.

Do I need to issue a GST tax invoice for a COD order?

Only if your customer is GST-registered. IRAS says a GST-registered business must issue a tax invoice when its customer is GST-registered, generally within 30 days of the supply. You don't need one for a customer who isn't GST-registered. How the customer paid doesn't change this.

Setting up a new store? A Shopify trial lets you switch on a manual payment method, place a test order and check what customers see at checkout before you launch.

Start a Shopify trial →

References

Rates, features and rules change, so check the live page before you act on anything here.

1. Manual payment methods, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 9 October 2026.
2. Additional payment methods, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 9 October 2026.
3. Draft orders and invoices, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 9 October 2026.
4. Setting up pickup in store for online orders, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 9 October 2026.
5. Reviewing orders with fraud analysis, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 9 October 2026.
6. Customizing and editing your checkout and accounts pages, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 9 October 2026.
7. How does the cash on delivery (COD) service work?, Ninja Van Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
8. What do these shipping terms mean?, Ninja Van Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
9. Standard Terms and Conditions of Delivery Services, Ninja Van Group. Accessed 9 October 2026.
10. Parcel Delivery Scams Advisory, Ninja Van Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
11. Public Advisory on Scams, J&T Express Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
12. J&T Express Core Services, J&T Express Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
13. Get Started with J&T Express, J&T Express Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
14. [Singapore] J&T Express – User Guide, OneShip. Accessed 9 October 2026.
15. Cash on Delivery (COD), EasyParcel Singapore Help Centre. Accessed 9 October 2026.
16. Does EasyParcel support Cash on Delivery (COD) for TikTok orders?, EasyParcel Singapore Help Centre. Accessed 9 October 2026.
17. Speedpost Economy, EasyParcel Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
18. eCommerce Integration Singapore, SingPost. Accessed 9 October 2026.
19. Get to Know SingPost, Shippit. Accessed 9 October 2026.
20. [Singapore] SingPost – User Guide, OneShip. Accessed 9 October 2026.
21. E-Commerce Integrations, Lalamove Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
22. Terms & Conditions, Lalamove Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
23. COD Additional Service, Lalamove. Accessed 9 October 2026.
24. Payment Links, HitPay Docs. Accessed 9 October 2026.
25. PayNow, HitPay Docs. Accessed 9 October 2026.
26. Written reply to parliamentary question on PayNow transaction surcharges (14 Oct 2025), Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
27. PayNow, The Association of Banks in Singapore. Accessed 9 October 2026.
28. Invoicing customers, Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). Accessed 9 October 2026.
29. Displaying and quoting prices, IRAS. Accessed 9 October 2026.
30. Singapore consumers lead the way in cross-border eCommerce adoption, Airwallex (survey with Statista, January 2025). Accessed 9 October 2026.
31. Singapore's mobile-first shopping revolution, Visa Acceptance Solutions. Accessed 9 October 2026.