The digital payments boom may have transformed the way consumers pay for everything from groceries to utility bills, but one habit continues to frustrate online retailers: cash on delivery (CoD). Despite years of rapid UPI adoption, CoD still accounts for around 60% of e-commerce orders, rising to as much as 75% in Tier-II and smaller markets, forcing brands to increasingly rely on AI-driven tools and smarter fulfillment strategies to curb rising costs and protect margins.