Finding the best courier service for COD (Cash on Delivery) orders in Kerala is one of the biggest pain points for eCommerce brands. Delayed deliveries, lost parcels, poor tracking, and high RTO rates often make logistics a daily struggle for D2C founders.

Recently, members of The eCom Mafia discussed their real-world experiences with courier companies such as Delhivery, DTDC, India Post, and Xpressbees. Entrepreneurs including Irfan Safar - Gudscart.in, Afsel - FocusOTP.in, Jerin Jacob - Storidino.com, and others shared honest feedback on what works and what doesn’t when shipping inside Kerala.

Here’s a summary of their discussion - and what every Kerala-based eCommerce brand can learn from it.

The Challenge: "Is eCommerce Even Possible in Kerala?"

The conversation began with a simple question from Irfan Safar (Gudscart.in):

“Which is the best courier service for COD orders inside Kerala?”

He followed up by explaining the common problems many sellers face - pickup delays, delivery delays, misrouting, poor customer support, and increasing RTO rates - all of which lead to customers blaming the brand instead of the courier partner.

This reflects the everyday reality for many local D2C brands trying to scale in Kerala’s growing eCommerce market.

Courier Services Discussed

1. Delhivery

Pros:

• Reliable nationwide network.

• Clean dashboard and COD tracking through Delhivery’s official portal.

Cons:

• Hub shift from Thrissur to Coimbatore has increased delivery time within Kerala.

• Sellers have reported lost or tampered packages (including a ₹40,000 parcel loss).

• Pickup delays from certain sourcing regions.

• Limited control over last-mile delivery agents in northern regions.

As one founder mentioned, “Sometimes we receive used items or wrong parcels instead of our own shipments.”

Despite its flaws, Delhivery remains the most widely used service for COD shipments from Kerala due to its infrastructure and tracking system.

2. India Post

Pros:

• Excellent coverage, even in remote Kerala towns and villages.

• Cost-effective for small parcels.

Cons:

• Tracking updates are often delayed or missing.

• No proper dashboard for COD reconciliation, which makes financial tracking difficult.

Jerin (Storidino.com) shared:

“My India Post package wasn’t even updated as picked up, so I couldn’t track it at all.”

India Post remains a solid backup option for reaching remote customers, but for eCommerce operations requiring automation and speed, it can be limiting.

3. DTDC

Pros:

• Better performance within Kerala for local deliveries.

• COD can be activated by contacting the nearest DTDC hub.

Cons:

• Inconsistent home delivery in some areas.

• COD settlements take up to two weeks in certain cases.

• Manual reconciliation by local office staff is sometimes required.

As Sam Fardin pointed out:

“Our DTDC account manager asked us to calculate COD manually when it should’ve been done by their staff.”

For brands focusing mainly on Kerala-to-Kerala deliveries, DTDC can be a good mid-tier option, provided there’s a reliable local hub.

4. Xpressbees (via Shiprocket)

Jerin (Storidino.com) shared his frustration with aggregator delays:

“Shiprocket showed the delivery date as the 10th, then changed it to the 16th.”

This highlights a common drawback of using shipping aggregators — while they combine multiple courier options, they lack direct accountability when issues arise.

So, Which is the Best COD Courier Inside Kerala?

After hearing multiple perspectives, one conclusion stood out clearly:

There is no single “best” courier service for Kerala-based eCommerce brands. Each has its strengths and weaknesses:

However, the most practical approach seems to be using Delhivery for national orders and DTDC for local deliveries.

And as Afsel summed it up perfectly:

“There’s no easy fix. Sometimes the only way to get attention is to raise your issue publicly on social media.”

Final Thoughts

For anyone building an eCommerce brand in Kerala, logistics will always be a major factor in scaling successfully. The takeaway from The eCom Mafia’s discussion is clear:

• No courier is perfect - experiment, measure performance, and adapt.

• Build relationships with local hubs for faster pickups and quicker COD settlements.

• Use technology (like dashboards or CRMs) to track parcels and remittances accurately.

And most importantly, learn from other sellers in your region - their real-world experiences are often more valuable than any online review.

If you’re a Kerala-based brand owner looking to grow your online store,
👉 Join The eCom Mafia Community to connect with hundreds of like-minded D2C founders sharing genuine insights like these every day.

References & Mentions

• Gudscart.in

• FocusOTP.in

• Storidino.com

• Delhivery Official Portal