How OTP Verification Reduced Fake Orders by 35% for an Indian D2C Brand — A COD King Case Study

For many direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands in India, Cash on Delivery (COD) remains one of the most popular payment methods. However, alongside its popularity comes a significant challenge — fake or bogus orders that lead to wasted inventory, delivery costs, and operational headaches. One fast-growing Indian D2C brand recently faced this issue head-on and found a solution that truly worked: OTP verification powered by COD King.

The Fake Order Challenge

As the brand scaled rapidly on Shopify, their COD orders surged dramatically. Unfortunately, a large portion of these orders turned out to be fake — customers placing orders without any genuine intent to receive products. These false orders not only drained resources but also overwhelmed the delivery network, causing confusion and inefficiencies downstream.

The brand’s leadership knew something had to change. They experimented with multiple solutions — from manual phone calls to third-party plugins — to reduce fake COD orders. But none gave the right balance. Some complicated the checkout process, increasing cart abandonment. Others were too rigid, lacking customization to adapt to their specific needs.

Why OTP Verification with COD King Was Different

The brand eventually discovered COD King, a Shopify app specifically tailored to address the COD fake order problem with an elegant solution: OTP verification before order placement.

• Seamless integration: The app integrated smoothly with their existing Shopify store without disrupting the checkout experience. Customers placing COD orders received an OTP on their mobile, which they had to enter to confirm the order.
• Complete customization: Unlike other tools, COD King allowed the brand to fully customize the OTP message content and workflow, ensuring the verification process felt native and consistent with their brand voice.
• Own sender ID configuration: The brand could configure their own sender IDs, boosting customer trust by receiving OTPs from a familiar source.
• Affordable pricing: COD King’s pay-per-use pricing made it cost-effective compared to other systems that demanded fixed monthly fees regardless of volume.

The Impact: 35% Drop in Fake Orders

Within just six weeks of going live with COD King’s OTP verification, the brand saw a significant 35% reduction in fake COD orders. This translated into:

• Fewer operational inefficiencies: Delivery partners faced fewer cancelled or returned orders, reducing logistical costs.
• Improved inventory management: More accurate order fulfillment helped align stock levels.
• Better customer experience: Genuine customers felt reassured by the OTP step as a security measure, increasing trust in the brand and boosting COD conversion rates overall.
• Data-driven insights: The COD King dashboard provided real-time analytics, enabling the brand to monitor verification rates and continuously fine-tune their process.

Why This Matters for Growing D2C Brands

For Indian D2C brands that rely heavily on COD, unchecked fake orders can erode profits and slow down growth. COD King not only cuts down fraud but also streamlines the checkout experience with flexible, brand-friendly OTP verification.

This case study proves that smart technology, when thoughtfully customized, can simultaneously enhance security, customer trust, and operational efficiency. By making OTP verification a seamless part of the order flow — without confusing or scaring away buyers — COD King helped this brand turn a major challenge into a competitive advantage.