Ask five COD sellers in Iraq what their delivery rate is and you'll get five different answers — anywhere from 45% to 85%. The range isn't random. It tracks directly with what each seller does (or doesn't do) operationally.
This article cuts through the noise: what are the actual averages, what drives the variance, and what the top-performing sellers do that most don't.
Why the Numbers Vary So Widely
COD delivery rate isn't a fixed market characteristic — it's largely an operational output. Two sellers selling the same product in the same city can have a 30 percentage point difference in delivery rate, based purely on how they handle confirmation, dispatch speed, and address collection.
The sellers at 40–55% are usually: running ads to broad audiences, shipping immediately without calling anyone, and accepting vague addresses like "Karrada district." The sellers at 75–85% do the opposite.
The 4 Factors That Drive Your Rate
City-by-City Rate Expectations
Delivery rates also vary by city, driven by infrastructure quality and courier coverage depth:
- Baghdad: Highest delivery rates — 72–82% with confirmation. Best infrastructure, most competition among couriers.
- Basra: Strong rates — 68–78%. Major commercial center, well-served by national providers.
- Erbil: 65–75%. Kurdish region has distinct logistics but good coverage from major providers.
- Mosul, Kirkuk: 60–70%. Improving infrastructure, solid results with the right provider.
- Remote provinces: 50–65%. Coverage varies; choose a provider with explicit presence in target areas.
5 Ways to Improve Your Rate This Week
Implement phone confirmation today. If you're not confirming every order before dispatch, add this first. It's the highest-ROI single change available to a COD seller.
Add a second phone number field. One unreachable customer number shouldn't kill a delivery. Give yourself a backup.
Dispatch within 24 hours of confirmation. Set an internal rule: confirmed orders go out the same or next day. No exceptions.
Log every return reason. You can't improve what you don't measure. After 30 days, patterns emerge that tell you exactly what to fix next.
Reattempt returns before writing them off. Call the customer, understand the situation, and redeliver. 30–40% of first-attempt returns can be converted on a second attempt.
MDM Express confirms every order for you
Our Iraq team calls every customer before dispatch, automatically raising your delivery rate.
Related: Best Fulfillment Company in Iraq 2026 — How to Start a COD Store in Iraq