In this article
Key takeaways
- 26% of YouCan store ads mention cash on delivery: the highest share of any platform, against 16% of all ads and 1% for Salla.
- In Saudi Arabia it rises to 39% of YouCan ads, far above the average Saudi ad (12%).
- Bahrain is second (34%), then Qatar (17%), Oman (16%), the UAE (13%) and Kuwait (12%).
- Home mentions it most among YouCan niches (65%) and watches least (4%), because watches sell on discounts and urgency.
YouCan mentions cash on delivery more than any platform
| Platform | Ads | Mention cash on delivery |
|---|---|---|
| YouCan | 1,702 | 26% |
| EasyOrders | 1,793 | 21% |
| LightFunnels | 3,711 | 21% |
| WooCommerce | 2,034 | 9% |
| Shopify | 15,051 | 8% |
| WhatsApp (no store) | 43,953 | 2% |
| Salla | 12,673 | 1% |
| Zid | 1,920 | <1% |
The gap between platforms is a gap between models. Salla and Zid are Saudi stores with built-in online payment and instalments, so they have no need to mention payment at the door. YouCan, EasyOrders and LightFunnels are product-page and order-form platforms used by many dropshippers and impulse-product sellers, whose customer does not know the store and will not prepay. For the whole model read The GCC dropshipping market.
Country by country: Saudi Arabia first on YouCan
The surprise is Saudi Arabia. Across Arabic ads in general, Saudi Arabia mentions cash on delivery least of the Gulf countries (12%), yet YouCan ads there mention it in 39%, with free delivery in 33% and a discount in 38%. A YouCan seller in Saudi Arabia speaks to a customer who does not know the store, so it removes the risk of paying first.
Bahrain: 34%, with strong offer ads (a discount in 64%, urgency in 57%). Qatar 17%, Oman 16%, the UAE 13%, Kuwait 12%. Oman runs the other way: YouCan ads there mention it less than the average Omani ad (26%) and make up with free delivery (29%). For the whole Omani market read Trending in Oman, and for the map of YouCan stores in each country YouCan stores in the Gulf.
Which products sell on cash on delivery on YouCan
- Home and furniture: 65% of the ads: tools and small pieces the customer wants to see before paying.
- Fashion: 39%: size and fabric are a source of doubt.
- Skincare: 37%, and kids: 37%.
- Electronics: 36%, and health: 35%.
- Hair care: only 17%.
- Watches: 4%: they sell on the discount (68%) and urgency instead.
The same rule we saw across the Gulf (Ad offers in numbers): the more the buyer doubts quality or size, the more cash on delivery is mentioned.
What a cash-on-delivery ad on YouCan looks like
- Video: 75% of YouCan ads are video, a single image only 4%. The product works on camera in the first seconds.
- Two promises together: cash on delivery with free delivery (27% of the ads) or a discount (33%).
- Longer copy: a median of 53 words against 24 for Salla: the product explained, then how to order, then the promise.
- Emoji: in 86% of the ads, to make the benefits, the price and the promise stand out.
- The button: "Shop now" on 55% and "Order now" on 32%, both leading to the product page and its order form.
In the library you see the captured store page behind every ad: is the order form short? Does it repeat cash on delivery? Does it state the delivery time?
Cash-on-delivery ad templates
| Angle | Copy (ours) |
|---|---|
| Remove the risk | "Pay nothing now: order [product] and pay on delivery once you see it with your own eyes. Delivered in [days] to [cities]." |
| Two promises | "[Product] for only [price] [currency], free delivery and cash on delivery. Limited stock until [date]." |
| Easy order | "Order in seconds: your name, number and city. We call you to confirm, and you pay at the door." |
| Quantity | "One for [price], two for [price]. Cash on delivery, and free delivery on the second piece." |
Put the price in the currency of the country the ad runs in: YouCan sellers make one ad per country. More templates in Arabic ad copy.
Refused orders: the other side of cash on delivery
Cash on delivery raises orders, and with them the orders a customer refuses at the door. Nobody publishes another store's refusal rate, but good ads reduce it in three ways:
- The price in the ad: a customer who knows the price before ordering is not surprised at the door.
- Order confirmation: a call or a WhatsApp message before shipping, as in the "easy order" template.
- An honest promise: a real delivery time, and a picture of the real product, not an idealised one.
Then watch your competitors: in GccFY pick "store type: YouCan" and your country and sort by longest running; a cash-on-delivery ad that has run for weeks means its owner profits despite the refusals. To start dropshipping legally in Saudi Arabia: Dropshipping in Saudi Arabia.
