How to Configure Fixed vs. Percentage Deposit Amounts for Partial COD

Offering Cash on Delivery without requiring an upfront deposit can expose high-ticket stores to massive shipping and restocking losses when buyers refuse delivery. Rivio COD & Partial Payments solves this by letting you collect a small upfront deposit at checkout (via credit card, UPI, or PayPal) while leaving the remaining balance to be collected in cash upon delivery.

Rivio allows you to calculate this upfront deposit in two distinct ways:

1. Fixed Amount: A flat dollar figure (e.g., $10.00 or ₹200) collected regardless of cart size.
2. Percentage Rate: A proportional amount (e.g., 20% or 30% of total cart value).

In this guide, you will learn how to choose the right deposit calculation model for your catalog and configure it inside the Rivio dashboard.

Before You Begin

Confirm the following before configuring deposit rates:

• You have configured at least one online payment gateway (Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, etc.) to collect upfront deposits.
• You have enabled the Partial Payments feature under Rivio COD → Payment Options.
• You have reviewed your average order value (AOV) and return-to-origin (RTO) shipping costs.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. From your Shopify admin, open Apps → Rivio COD & Partial Payments.
2. Click Payment Options in the left navigation sidebar.
3. Locate the Partial Payment Deposit Configuration card.
4. Select your preferred Deposit Calculation Method:

• Select Fixed Amount if you want to charge a flat upfront fee.
• Select Percentage (%) if you want the deposit to scale with order size.

1. Enter your deposit value:

• If using Fixed Amount, enter the currency figure (e.g., 15.00 for a $15 deposit).
• If using Percentage, enter the percentage figure (e.g., 25 for a 25% deposit).

1. Set Rounding Rules (for percentage calculations):

• Choose whether to round the deposit up to the nearest whole integer or keep exact cents/decimals.

1. Click Save Changes in the upper-right corner.

1. Visit your storefront, add a $100 item to cart, and verify on the cart popup that the calculated deposit matches your expectations.

Comparison: When to Use Fixed vs. Percentage

Example Scenario

High-End Custom Furniture Store

A home decor store sells customizable furniture where orders range between $300 and $2,500. A flat $10 deposit is insufficient to prevent buyer regret on a $1,200 dining table. By switching to a 20% Percentage Deposit, a buyer ordering a $1,000 table pays $200 upfront via credit card, with the remaining $800 collected on delivery. This commits the customer while remaining more attractive than 100% prepayment.

Important Notes & Limitations

Troubleshooting

Percentage deposit calculates unexpected cents or fractions

• Possible Cause: The decimal precision rounding toggle is turned off.
• How to Fix:

1. Open Rivio COD → Payment Options → Deposit Configuration.
2. Turn ON Round to Nearest Whole Number to ensure clean numbers (e.g., $25.00 instead of $24.87).

Fixed deposit exceeds total cart value on small orders

• Possible Cause: A fixed $20 deposit is configured, but a customer added a $12 accessory.
• How to Fix:

1. Under Minimum Eligibility Criteria, set a minimum cart subtotal (e.g., minimum cart value of $30) so partial deposits are never offered on carts smaller than the deposit itself.

Related Guides

• How to Set Up Partial Deposits for COD in Shopify
• How to Restrict Partial Payments to Specific Products or Variants
• Understanding Collection Eligibility Limitations

Need Help?

Have questions about configuring fixed or percentage deposits? Reach out for assistance:

• Email: Contact our checkout specialists at support@rivioapps.com
• Help Center: Explore more guides in the Rivio COD Knowledge Base