COD reconciliation and NDR: where logistics money leaks, and how software helps

Cash on delivery is still common in Indian e-commerce. It brings two operational problems that grow with volume: matching the cash couriers collect against what they actually remit, and handling shipments that could not be delivered. Both are easy to ignore when volumes are small, and expensive when they are not.

Why COD reconciliation is hard

Each courier remits collected COD on its own schedule and in its own file format. Remittances can be partial, can combine many shipments, and can arrive with deductions. Meanwhile your own records show which shipments were delivered. Matching the two by hand across several couriers quickly becomes a full-time job, and gaps go unnoticed.

What reconciliation software should do

• Import remittance files from each courier and normalise them into one format
• Match each remitted amount to a delivered shipment by AWB number
• Flag shipments that are delivered but not yet remitted, past an agreed number of days
• Show short payments and deductions clearly, per courier
• Keep an audit trail of who marked what as settled, and when

Why NDR matters

A non-delivery report means the courier tried and failed: the customer was not available, the address was incomplete, or the customer refused. Each NDR is a decision point. Act quickly and many shipments can still be delivered. Do nothing and the shipment returns to origin, and you pay for both directions.

What NDR software should do

• Collect NDRs from every courier into one queue, with the reason and attempt count
• Let the team reattempt, correct the address or phone number, or approve a return in one step
• Optionally contact the customer to confirm a new delivery time
• Report NDR reasons by courier and region, so recurring problems become visible

Start with clean shipment data

Both problems depend on the same foundation: one record per shipment, with its courier, AWB number, payment mode, status history and amounts. If that data is scattered across courier portals and spreadsheets, start by bringing it together. Reconciliation and NDR handling become much simpler once it is.

These are problems we understand well from logistics work. If they are costing your team time, we can help you scope a system that fits your couriers and your process.