Products can get shipped across to you in numerous ways. Out of all of them, only one method requires you to pay before it is even sent across. The exception to this rule is when something is sent COD, which stands for ‘Collect on Delivery’. So if a California delivery service sends you something COD from one of their customers, then you need to pay for the item only when it arrives – not before that.
Collect on delivery is the process of paying the courier who acts as the collector on behalf of the company you are buying something from, instead of paying the business directly. The method of payment in COD systems can vary – but generally include paying by cash, certified checks or even money orders. In some cases – you can even pay using your credit card.
Shipping COD is governed by a few laws. The customer receiving a shipment via COD has a legal right to decline the shipment. These laws are in place to prevent any type of fraudulent shipping orders which otherwise could obligate the customer to pay for items they never ordered or were never meant to receive.
The legalities enforced are as a means of protecting the consumer and should not be taken advantage of. The COD shipment laws are not in place to encourage people to ‘window shop’ and return if it so pleases them – unless of course, the company selling those items specifies on an ‘order to view’ basis prior to payment.