COD
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Cash on delivery |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Business & Finance, Science & Engineering |
COD has two meanings. It stands for Cash on delivery (e-commerce & retail) or Chemical oxygen demand (environmental).
Meanings of COD at a glance
| # | COD stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cash on delivery | Business & Finance › E-commerce & Retail |
| 2 | Chemical oxygen demand | Science & Engineering › Environmental |
1. Cash on delivery
Business & Finance · E-commerce & Retail Abbreviations
Payment method in which the customer pays the courier in cash, or sometimes by card or mobile payment, when the order is delivered, instead of paying online in advance. It remains popular in India, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and parts of Eastern Europe.
Example: COD is available on orders under ₹50,000, with a small handling fee.
COD builds trust where shoppers distrust online payment or lack cards, but it raises costs for sellers through cash handling and frequent refusals at the door, which cause expensive return-to-origin shipments. Sellers often offer discounts for prepaid orders. The US Postal Service's similar service is called "collect on delivery." In gaming, COD means Call of Duty.
2. Chemical oxygen demand
Science & Engineering · Environmental Abbreviations
Amount of oxygen needed to chemically oxidize the organic and some inorganic material in water, measured by digesting a sample with a strong oxidant, usually potassium dichromate, for about two hours. COD is faster than the five-day BOD test and is widely used to monitor industrial wastewater.
Example: Influent COD averaged 650 mg/L, roughly twice the BOD, typical of municipal sewage.
COD is always higher than BOD because it includes substances bacteria cannot readily break down. The standard dichromate method produces waste containing chromium and mercury, so alternative methods are gaining ground. In shopping, COD means cash on delivery.
Related abbreviations
More e-commerce & retail abbreviations
- BOGO – Buy one, get one (free)
- BOPIS – Buy online, pick up in store
- BORIS – Buy online, return in store
- BSR – Best Sellers Rank
- CPG – Consumer packaged goods
- CRO – Conversion rate optimization
- DOA – Dead on arrival
- EAS – Electronic article surveillance
See all 75 e-commerce & retail abbreviations →
More environmental abbreviations
- CDR – Carbon dioxide removal
- CERCLA – Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
- CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild…
- CO2e – Carbon dioxide equivalent
- COP – Conference of the Parties
- CR – Critically Endangered
- CSO – Combined sewer overflow
- DAC – Direct air capture