Ecommerce website development should make shipping charges, payment fees and the total purchase cost easy to understand. Greece’s discussion about electronic payment on delivery makes clear communication especially relevant. Learn what the proposal covers, how GRECA has responded and how to explain your store’s charges without confusing customers.
- Free shipping does not automatically mean free payment on delivery.
- Paying when an order arrives is different from paying with cash.
- GRECA has requested reconsideration of the proposal for electronic-only settlement of payment-on-delivery orders handled by couriers.
- Published policies should match the charges displayed in the basket.
Ecommerce website development should answer a simple question before a customer completes a purchase. How much will they pay in total, and how can they pay? Shipping charges, payment-on-delivery fees and delivery restrictions all affect the answer. GRECA’s recent intervention brings the importance of clear payment information back into focus.
What did we examine in stores’ public information?
We began collecting public information from a sample of 50 online stores across different sectors, examining shipping, payment and returns pages. The comparative review of all 50 stores remains incomplete, so this article does not present market percentages.
The observations below come from readable pages examined during the initial review on 16 October 2026. Participating businesses remain anonymous.
We found different approaches to explaining charges. Some pages stated a specific cash-on-delivery fee. Another disclosed an additional charge but referred customers to the payment field for the amount.
We also encountered policies where shipping costs depend on location, weight or parcel dimensions. These differences explain why a general promise of “easy shopping” does not provide enough information.
No purchases were completed, and the point at which the final total appears was not systematically verified across every checkout. We therefore do not describe these charges as hidden or attribute intent to the stores.
Why should ecommerce website development separate different charges?
The total purchase cost can include several charges governed by different rules. Showing them separately helps customers understand the amount and helps your business check that its policies are applied correctly.
Cash on delivery commonly describes payment when an order arrives. In the Greek discussion about antikatavoli, it is important to distinguish payment timing from the payment method, because the proposal concerns removing cash while retaining payment on receipt.
| Cost component | What you should explain |
|---|---|
| Product subtotal | Which products and quantities are included |
| Shipping | How location, weight or delivery method affects the charge |
| Payment-on-delivery fee | Whether it applies and under which conditions |
| Discount | Which products qualify and what restrictions apply |
| Final payable amount | What the customer will pay with the selected options |
During ecommerce website development, agree these rules before they are implemented. Your development partner needs clear commercial decisions rather than assumptions.
Online store development covers the journey from product selection to a completed order. Charges are part of that journey and should be considered alongside the design.
What is GRECA’s position on cash on delivery?
GRECA is not proposing the abolition of payment on delivery. In its intervention dated 12 October 2026, it requested reconsideration of the government proposal to remove cash payments from courier-handled payment-on-delivery transactions.
According to GRECA’s official explanation of the proposal, customers would still be able to pay when receiving their orders, but settlement would have to use electronic means, regardless of the transaction amount.
The distinction matters. If adopted in that form, the proposal would preserve payment on receipt while removing the option to settle those transactions with cash.
In its official statement, GRECA raises concerns about consumer choice, equal treatment of physical and online retail, and implementation costs.
The association also calls for better use of existing transaction records and meaningful dialogue before the measure is finalized.
The reviewed announcements describe a proposal under consultation, with a stated closing date of 22 October 2026. They do not establish that the measure has entered into force.
How would electronic payment on delivery work?
The proposed change concerns the payment method used when goods are delivered. The practical arrangements would need confirmation from the carrier and the final regulatory framework.
A business would need to understand how the courier collects payment, how the transaction is confirmed and how the store receives that confirmation.
The following questions are preparation points, rather than a description of finalized obligations.
- Which electronic payment methods would be supported at delivery?
- What happens if payment is declined or connectivity is unavailable?
- How does the store receive confirmation that payment succeeded?
- Who handles a refund?
- Does the process differ at a courier branch or parcel locker?
In ecommerce website development, the label “pay on delivery” should describe the service actually available. Do not promise card payment at the door without confirmation from your delivery partner.
When does free shipping become confusing?
Confusion arises when a store promotes free delivery without clearly explaining exceptions or separate fees. A free-shipping threshold needs an explicit set of conditions.
Suppose a business offers free shipping on orders of €60 or more and charges €2 for payment on delivery. This is a hypothetical example. A €65 basket would produce a €67 total if the payment fee applies.
The customer should understand why the total increased. The phrase “free shipping” does not explain a separate collection fee.
Also check what happens after a discount code is applied. If the basket drops below the threshold, does free shipping remain available or does the delivery charge return?
For ecommerce shipping costs, document exceptions for bulky products and locations with different delivery arrangements. Ecommerce website development becomes easier to verify when everyone works from the same agreed rules.
Avoid leaving these decisions until launch. A rule that has not been agreed commercially cannot be implemented consistently across the basket, checkout and customer emails.
How can you explain charges without overcrowding checkout?
Place a short explanation beside the option that affects the price and keep detailed exceptions on an accessible policy page. Customers should be able to understand the charge without reading a long document during payment.
- Collect the rules. Record fees, thresholds, delivery areas and available payment methods.
- Write a short explanation. Show the amount or calculation method where the customer selects the service.
- Link to the details. Make exceptions accessible without forcing customers to lose their basket.
- Test different combinations. Change the address, payment method and order value.
- Compare every information point. The policy page, basket and confirmation email should agree.
- Assign responsibility for updates. A new courier agreement should trigger a review of the relevant information.
Online store setup also involves organizing how your business works. If your rules are scattered across documents or exist only in someone’s memory, digital consulting can help bring them together.
A simple shared table is often enough to start. Record each rule, its exceptions, who approved it and when it was last checked. Your development partner can then test against an agreed reference.
From our experience
The initial review showed that information about one purchase can be distributed across several pages. Customers may need to combine those details to understand the cost.
One page explains shipping, another payment on delivery and another returns. Having the information available matters, but it does not confirm that customers see it together when making their decision.
For ecommerce website development, use a practical test. Can someone unfamiliar with your policy explain the final amount without calling your business?
Ask them to describe each charge in their own words. If they cannot tell whether a fee relates to delivery or payment, the wording deserves another review.
What should you do next?
Open your store on a phone and compare a prepaid purchase with the same order using payment on delivery, if offered. Check whether every difference in price is explained before final confirmation.
Do not change your payment options based only on headlines about “abolishing cash on delivery.” Confirm the final developments and the service your courier actually supports.
If you are planning ecommerce website development or reviewing an existing store’s charges, contact Wechevo with your commercial rules available.
Start with shipping zones, free-delivery thresholds, payment fees and exceptions. These details provide a concrete basis for checking whether the store communicates and applies your policy correctly.
Frequently asked questions
Is GRECA asking for payment on delivery to be abolished?
No. In its official intervention dated 12 October 2026, GRECA requested reconsideration of the government proposal to remove cash from courier-handled payment-on-delivery transactions. It raised concerns about the impact on consumers and businesses and called for supporting evidence, clear rules and dialogue before the proposal is finalized.
Does payment on delivery always mean paying with cash?
Payment on delivery describes when the customer pays. The payment method is a separate matter and depends on the available service and applicable rules. A store should therefore explain whether its particular option supports cash, card or another method, rather than leaving customers to assume how they can pay.
Does free shipping include payment-on-delivery fees?
You should not assume that it does. A store may apply one rule to transportation and another to collecting payment when the order arrives. Information should identify each charge separately and show the final total based on the customer’s selections before the purchase is confirmed.
Does the research prove that 50 stores have hidden charges?
No. Initial public information was collected from a sample of 50 stores, but a systematic review of all purchase journeys was not completed. This article presents verified observations from available pages and practical conclusions. It provides no market percentages and does not label charges as hidden without checking when they appear.
Want a website that brings customers? Talk to the Wechevo team for a free initial assessment.
Athanasios Charatsaris is the founder of Wechevo. He designs and builds websites and e-shops for Greek businesses and leads the strategy that helps them appear on Google and in AI answers (SEO & AEO), as well as Google…
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