Cash on Delivery (COD) in Italy - 2026 Guide

Quick Facts for COD in Italy

Essential insights to help you adapt COD to local merchant and customer preferences.

• Language & UX: Italian labels required. Add Via, Civico, CAP (postal code), and Provincia fields to addresses for accurate delivery.
• Preferred Channels: Email + SMS for order confirmations and delivery notifications. WhatsApp is also widely used for customer communication.
• Top Clarity Tip: COD in Italy often comes with a contrassegno fee (a surcharge for cash on delivery). Be transparent about this in checkout to avoid cart abandonment.
• Popular Payment Mix: COD (contrassegno) is still used, especially for older demographics and first-time buyers. PayPal, credit cards, and Scalapay (BNPL) are growing fast. Upsells can drive prepaid conversion.
• Average Delivery Time: 1 to 3 days for major cities (Rome, Milan, Naples). 3 to 5 days for southern Italy and islands (Sicily, Sardinia).

Getting Started: Italy Setup in 5 Steps

Follow these steps to enable COD in Italy with best practices from leading merchants.

1. Enable COD in Shopify with Releasit. Optional contrassegno fee + threshold rules to filter low-quality orders.
2. Localize Checkout. Italian labels, +39 phone format, CAP field with auto-validation.
3. Smart Validation. Address autocomplete + conditional fields (Interno, Scala) for error reduction.
4. Enable OTP Verification. SMS/email OTP for high-risk carts to block fake orders before they ship.
5. Notify Well. Email + SMS for order confirmed and out-for-delivery updates.

CTA: Add to Shopify -> Releasit COD Form & Upsells / Releasit Cash on Delivery

Solve Your Top Problems with COD in Italy

Reduce Return-to-Origin (RTO) Rates

• Clear COD instructions in checkout ("Preparate il contante esatto," estimated delivery window).
• Address validation + CAP verification to catch undeliverable addresses before shipping.
• Day-of-delivery SMS reminder to ensure someone is home.
• Resources: RTO Reduction Playbook · Address Validation Guide · SMS Templates (IT)

Prevent Fake COD Orders

• OTP (SMS/email) verification for all COD orders or high-risk carts.
• Blocklists by phone number, email, or CAP for repeat offenders.
• Contrassegno fee threshold to discourage low-intent buyers.
• Resources: Fraud Setup Guide · OTP Best Practices

Increase Average Order Value (AOV)

• In-form upsells/downsells + quantity offers (bundle kits perform well in fashion and home decor).
• "Spedizione gratuita sopra €X" + COD fee threshold to lift order value and push prepaid.
• Resources: AOV Checklist · AOV Blog Series · Demo (Upsells)

Optimize Checkout for Mobile Users

• One-click COD form to merge steps and reduce fields. Important for Italy's growing mobile commerce market.
• Drag-and-drop form builder + modern templates.
• Custom CSS to match brand identity.
• Resources: Checkout UX Guide · Form Builder Tips

Key Partners in Italy

Connect with trusted platforms, couriers, and affiliates for COD success.

• Featured Platforms: Subito.it, ePrice (leading Italian ecommerce platforms).
• Couriers: BRT, SDA, GLS Italy, Poste Italiane. Leading COD logistics providers in Italy.
• Buttons: See Partners in Italy -> Partner Directory (country=IT)
• Top Affiliates: Highlight most active COD partners in Italy.