smartcodSMART COD PRO · Included in every PRO plan
An email check before accepting COD.
Ask the shopper to confirm their checkout email with a one-time code. No customer account required.
How it works
Confirm that the checkout email is accessible.
An order can contain an email address without the shopper having access to it. Email verification adds a one-time-code step before COD is accepted. The shopper receives the code at the address used for checkout and enters it to continue; creating a customer account is not required.
Use this as a store-wide email-verification setting or as the protection action you choose for a history or available ML decision. The standalone setting can require verification even when no delivery-history match exists. A decision to hide COD or require a deposit takes priority.
Your checkout, your rules
A focused check, inside the checkout journey.
The code is sent using your store’s email service. Email delivery therefore needs to be working in WordPress: test the flow and check your mail service configuration before enabling verification. This feature applies to both classic WooCommerce checkout and Checkout Blocks.
Confirmation proves access to that inbox. It does not claim that the shopper is a reliable recipient or that an order will be collected. Delivery history and your checkout rules answer different questions and can remain part of the overall configuration.
In practice
Example scenarios
Illustrative rules and amounts. You choose the values that fit your store.
| When this happens | Your chosen result |
|---|---|
| Standalone email verification is enabled | Require a code for COD even without a history match. |
| History threshold matches and the action is email verification | Ask for inbox confirmation rather than automatically hiding COD. |
| A hiding rule already removes COD | The email check does not override that hiding decision. |
What the customer experiences
The shopper sees that COD needs email confirmation, requests or receives the code and enters it before continuing. They do not have to leave the purchase journey to create a store account. Other payment choices follow the normal availability rules for that checkout.
Settings & setup
Set it up in your store
Enable email verification in Smart COD PRO, or choose it as the relevant protection action. Test with an inbox you control, confirm that the message arrives, and complete a checkout using the code. The audit records why verification was requested.
Click to enlarge the actual plugin screen
Questions about this feature
Does the shopper need an account?
No. The code confirms the email used for checkout and does not require customer registration.
Which email service sends the code?
Your store’s email service. Its delivery configuration matters just as it does for WooCommerce order emails.