How to Reduce Undelivered Parcels in E-Commerce

Fix the order process before the parcel leaves your warehouse

Many undelivered parcels don’t fail at the customer’s door, they fail earlier in the process. Around 20% of failed orders come down to errors in order data or poor communication.

In cross-border trade this problem is even bigger: Greek addresses often include two localities (district + municipality), rural Romanian addresses can be vague, and Bulgarian customers sometimes use informal spelling for towns and villages. Customers may also mistype their phone number, which will make it impossible for them to receive the courier notification. If your system isn’t ready to catch those errors, the courier may never find the buyer.

What helps: use address validation tools, integrate your store with a proper WMS, and for high-value or first-time COD orders, don’t be afraid to make a quick confirmation call. Many retailers in Bulgaria and Romania already do this. It is also important to have the option for parcel shop/ locker selection on your checkout, as this will prevent the customers from entering a wrong address.

Tell customers clearly when to expect their delivery

A surprisingly large share of refused parcels comes from customers simply not knowing when the courier will arrive. Ecommerce Europe estimate in their report that 5–15% of orders in the region go undelivered, and unclear delivery windows are a major reason.

Use couriers, who share the exact delivery time slot (“delivery between 12–2 pm”), instead of those with the vague “end of day” promises. Merchants can further bridge this gap by showing estimated delivery dates at checkout, sending SMS reminders, and adding tracking links in confirmation emails. In Greece and Romania, text messages are common; in Bulgaria, many shops rely on Viber notifications.

Make parcel tracking simple and reliable

Consumers often check their order status multiple times before receiving a parcel. Surveys show that clear, real-time tracking strongly influences repeat purchases.

In the context of cross-border sales, what matters most is that customers can see when their parcel leaves the warehouse, when it arrives in their country, and when it is out for delivery. Since parcels are shipped from the hub directly to the final destination with a single courier partner, tracking should provide a continuous view of these milestones without gaps.

Clear updates not only reassure the customer but also reduce the number of “where is my order?” inquiries to the merchant.

Don’t wait — reach out when something goes wrong

Plenty of parcels end up back in the warehouse just because the buyer missed a notification. Proactive communication can reduce non-delivery rates by almost a quarter.

Merchants in Bulgaria and Romania often use call centers to confirm COD orders before shipping. In Greece, SMS reminders on the day of delivery are standard practice. Some larger players even use WhatsApp or Viber bots to send reminders and ask customers if they’ll be home. A quick message or call is much cheaper than paying for a round-trip return.

Reduce your dependence on cash-on-delivery

Here’s the elephant in the room: COD drives undelivered parcels. In Bulgaria and Romania, over 60% of orders are paid at the door (Ecommerce Europe). The problem is obvious — if a customer changes their mind or simply isn’t there, refusing the parcel costs them nothing, but it costs the merchant the delivery fee and the return.

Shifting customer habits isn’t easy, but incentives work. Some shops give 5–10% off when the order is prepaid, others offer free shipping above a certain amount. Local payment methods matter too: Debit cards are now the most common digital payment method in Bulgaria and Greece. In Romania, card adoption is growing rapidly (+25% in 2023, Statista). At the same time, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solutions are expanding across the region, with providers such as NewPay in Bulgaria, PayPo in Romania, and international players like Klarna entering Eastern European markets.

Reward loyal customers — they rarely waste your time

ПA first-time COD customer is risky; a loyal customer almost never refuses a parcel. According to Harvard Business Review, just a 5% increase in retention can boost profits by 25–95%.

Loyalty programs aren’t only about discounts. Smaller merchants can create simple but effective models — offering perks such as early access to sales, special promotions, or cashback points for prepaid and successfully received orders. These incentives encourage repeat business and gradually build a customer base that is both loyal and far less likely to refuse deliveries. Over time, these returning buyers become the most reliable source of revenue.

Use tools to screen out fraudulent or unserious buyers

One of the particular headaches in Eastern Europe is the “fake COD order.” Some buyers order without intent to pay, others use false data. That’s where local tools come in.

• In Bulgaria, merchants rely on nekorekten.com to flag problematic customers with a history of refusing parcels.
• In Romania and Greece, there isn’t yet a direct equivalent, but merchants increasingly combine global fraud tools like SEON, Riskified, or Forter with manual verification for suspicious orders.

Blending local blacklists with global AI fraud scoring is the most effective strategy for cross-border sellers.

Undelivered parcels may sound like a small percentage, but for merchants expanding into Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria, they can erode profits fast. The mix of COD culture, occasional fraud, and fragmented logistics means sellers from Turkey, Central, and Western Europe must adapt.

Fix your processes, communicate clearly, integrate tracking, reach out quickly, incentivize prepayment, reward loyal buyers, and use local tools to screen risky customers. Do these consistently, and you’ll not only cut down on undelivered parcels, but also build trust in three of the fastest-growing e-commerce markets in Europe.