Ordering Pickles Online With Cash on Delivery: How COD Works at Pickle Basket, Step by Step

Many of our customers are ordering food online from a small brand for the first time. Some are parents who prefer to pay when the parcel is in their hands. Some are students without a card. Some simply feel more comfortable with Cash on Delivery. All of that is completely understandable.

So in this post, I want to explain exactly how COD works when you order pickles from Pickle Basket, including the small advance and fee, so there are no surprises at your door.

Yes, We Offer Cash on Delivery

Cash on Delivery is available across all serviceable pincodes in India. At checkout, if your pincode is serviceable for COD, you will see it as a payment option.

How COD Works, Step by Step

Step 1: Choose your pickles

Browse our vegetarian pickles and non-veg pickles. On each product page, pick a pack size (250 g, 500 g or 1 kg) and add it to your basket. The product page shows the price for the size you select.

Step 2: Enter your full address

At checkout, enter your complete address: house or flat number, street, area, nearest landmark and the correct six-digit pincode. A clear address is the single biggest reason deliveries go smoothly.

Step 3: Select Cash on Delivery

Choose COD as your payment method. Checkout shows your exact total before you confirm.

Step 4: Pay the ₹99 advance online

To confirm a COD order, a ₹99 advance is paid online at checkout. This helps us know the order is genuine before we start preparing your jars, because every jar is made fresh for you after you order.

Step 5: We prepare and dispatch your jars

Your pickles are made fresh in small batches in our kitchen in Tadepalligudem, West Godavari, packed in food-grade airtight bottles with induction-sealed lids, and handed to the courier within 1 to 2 business days of order confirmation. Orders placed before 12 PM are prepared the same day; orders after 12 PM are prepared the next day.

Step 6: Track your parcel

Once dispatched, you receive a tracking link on WhatsApp, SMS and email, so you can see when to expect it.

Step 7: Pay the balance at your door

When the parcel arrives, pay the delivery executive the remaining balance in cash or by UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm and similar apps).

What Exactly Do You Pay?

Here is the breakdown, as per our shipping policy:

• ₹99 advance, paid online at checkout to confirm the COD order
• ₹50 COD fee, charged by our delivery partner for cash collection, added to the order total
• The balance, which is the order total including any applicable delivery fee and the ₹50 COD fee, minus the ₹99 advance, paid at your doorstep

Your exact total is always shown at checkout before you place the order.

How to Save the ₹50 COD Fee

If you are comfortable paying online, paying the full amount by UPI or card skips the ₹50 COD fee. Many customers pay by UPI at checkout for this reason. But if COD gives you peace of mind, it is there for you.

Tips for a Smooth COD Delivery

• Keep your phone reachable around the expected delivery date. Couriers often call before arriving.
• Keep the balance amount ready, in cash or on a UPI app, so the handover is quick.
• If you won't be home, let a family member or your building security know a parcel is expected.
• Our courier partners attempt delivery up to 3 times before returning the parcel, so if you miss one attempt, watch for the next.
• Check the parcel on arrival. If anything is damaged, please report it to us the same day with photos, as our refund policy asks.

How Long Does Delivery Take?

As per our shipping policy:

• Dispatch: within 1 to 2 business days of order confirmation
• Standard delivery: typically 3 to 6 business days from dispatch, depending on the destination
• Express delivery: typically 2 to 4 business days from dispatch for metro and tier-1 destinations

Courier delays, regional holidays and weather can occasionally add time.

Ordering for Someone Else With COD

You can send pickles to parents, children or friends in another city and choose COD, but remember the person receiving the parcel will need to pay the balance. If you want it to be a gift, paying fully online is kinder, and it skips the COD fee too.

Why We Ask for a Small Advance

Some customers ask why a COD order is not completely free of advance payment. The honest answer is how we work. We do not keep a warehouse full of ready jars. Your mango, gongura, chicken or prawns are cooked and packed for your order specifically. When a COD parcel is refused at the door, that freshly made food often cannot be resold. The small advance simply confirms that the order is real, so we can keep making every jar fresh for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is COD available for all pickles?

COD is a payment option for your order at serviceable pincodes. Checkout shows whether it is available for your address.

Why is there a ₹99 advance for COD?

It confirms the order. Since every jar is made fresh after you order, the advance helps us prepare only for genuine orders.

Can I pay by UPI at the door?

Yes. You can pay the delivery executive by cash or UPI.

Do you deliver outside India?

No. We currently deliver only within India.

Ready to Order?

Pick your favourites from our full range of pickles. If you're not sure where to start, our guide to the best Andhra pickles to buy online helps, or message us on WhatsApp at +91 98486 58989. Our support hours are Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 7 PM IST.

With love from our kitchen,

Vidya

Founder, Pickle Basket