COD returns cost you ₹48,000 a month.
That's ₹5,76,000 a year, on 300 parcels that went out and came back.
- Returned orders a month
- 300
- Cost of each return
- ₹160
- Monthly RTO loss
- ₹48,000
Every 1 point you cut your RTO rate saves ₹1,920 a month.
WhatsApp automation / COD RTO loss calculator
COD RTO loss calculator
RTO (return to origin) is when a cash on delivery order is refused or can't be delivered, and comes back to you. You pay to ship it out, pay to get it back, and earn nothing. Monthly RTO loss = COD orders × RTO rate × (shipping out + shipping back + packing). Put in your numbers to see yours.
Free, no signup. Your numbers stay in your browser.
Calculate your RTO loss
What confirming every COD order on WhatsApp costs
1,200 messages to Meta (₹138) plus Tadlo's Growth plan (₹2,499) comes to ₹2,637 a month, with no markup on Meta's charge.
It pays for itself if it stops 17 of your 300 returns a month.
| If it stops | Returns avoided | Saved | After WhatsApp cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% of returns | 30 | ₹4,800 | ₹2,163 |
| 20% of returns | 60 | ₹9,600 | ₹6,963 |
| 30% of returns | 90 | ₹14,400 | ₹11,763 |
Confirm COD orders before they ship. Tadlo AI's COD to prepaid automation asks every COD buyer to confirm, cancel or pay online on WhatsApp, and reports the returns you avoided. Now in private beta with a small group of D2C brands.
Request early accessHow this calculator works
Returned orders are your monthly orders × the share paid by COD × your RTO rate on COD orders.
Each return costs shipping out + shipping back + packing and handling. You pay all three and receive no money for the order.
Each point of RTO is 1% of your COD orders coming back, so cutting your RTO rate by one point saves that many returns a month.
WhatsApp confirmation cost is one message per COD order at Meta's rate for the message type you pick, plus the cheapest Tadlo plan that includes COD automation (Growth or above) for that many customers. Tadlo adds no markup to Meta's charge.
Not included: products damaged or lost in transit, stock held up while parcels travel back, payment gateway fees, and any discount you give for paying online.
COD and RTO questions
What is RTO in ecommerce?
RTO stands for return to origin. It happens when a shipment can't be delivered, most often because a cash on delivery customer refuses the parcel, can't be reached, or gave a wrong address, and the courier sends it back to the seller. The seller usually pays for shipping in both directions and receives no payment.
How do I calculate my RTO loss?
Multiply your monthly COD orders by your RTO rate to get returned orders, then multiply by what each return costs you: shipping out, shipping back, and packing and handling. For example, 300 returns that each cost 160 in shipping and packing add up to 48,000 a month.
What is a normal RTO rate for COD orders?
It varies widely by product category, price, city and courier, so there is no single normal number. The most useful benchmark is your own: work out your COD RTO rate for the last three months, then track it every month.
How does WhatsApp help reduce RTO?
By confirming COD orders before they ship. A WhatsApp message asks the customer to confirm or cancel the order, check their address, or switch to paying online. Orders that aren't confirmed can be held or followed up before dispatch, so fewer doubtful parcels go out.
How much does it cost to confirm a COD order on WhatsApp in India?
From 1 October 2026, a plain order confirmation is a utility message and costs Meta's rate of ₹0.115$0.0014 per message to an Indian number. If the message offers a discount for paying online, Meta treats it as marketing, at ₹0.8631$0.0118. Tadlo AI adds no markup to Meta's charge.
Does Tadlo AI confirm COD orders on WhatsApp?
Yes. Tadlo's COD to prepaid automation, now in private beta, messages every new COD order with Confirm and Cancel buttons and an optional discount for paying online, creates a payment link if the customer switches, and follows up if they don't reply. It reports confirmed, cancelled and converted orders and the return costs you avoided. It is included from the Growth plan.
More free tools
See what WhatsApp messages cost in your country, and how much your current tool adds on top of Meta's rate.