Get paid: online, UPI, COD and WhatsApp

Payments confuse new sellers because the controls live in three places. Once you see the three, it is simple. SitesPlaced takes 0% commission on every plan and never holds your money — a payment gateway pays your bank directly, and UPI and cash go to you as they always did.

The three places

• Settings → Checkout — which ways to pay the customer sees: Cash on Delivery, Pay with UPI / bank transfer, WhatsApp checkout, and the optional extra charge on COD orders.
• Settings → Payments & invoices — your UPI ID, bank details and payment instructions. These print on the invoice for orders the customer pays you directly.
• Settings → Integrations — the payment gateway. Connect Razorpay (sign in and approve, no keys to copy) and a Pay online option appears at checkout for UPI, cards, net banking and wallets. PhonePe and Cashfree are also supported if you already have an account there.

How to get paid walks through all three with screenshots and the recommended order.

What each method means for you

• Online (gateway). The customer pays before you ship; the order arrives already marked paid. The gateway keeps a small percentage per payment — see its pricing page — and settles to your bank on its schedule. Best for prepaid, fewest returns.
• Pay with UPI / bank transfer. The customer orders first, then pays you from their own app using the details on the order-placed screen and in their email. No gateway fee, but you confirm each payment yourself.
• Cash on Delivery. Paid at the door. Easiest for a nervous first-time buyer, but some parcels come back unopened and you pay the courier both ways. An Extra COD charge at checkout covers the courier's cash-handling fee and nudges people to prepay.
• WhatsApp. The customer fills in their details, the order is saved in your Orders tab, and their WhatsApp opens with the cart pre-typed to your number. You settle payment in the chat. Good for sellers whose customers expect to talk first.

The setup that works for most new stores

1. 1Start the Razorpay (or PhonePe/Cashfree) sign-up today with your PAN and bank details; approval takes a little time. Connect it under Settings → Integrations when it is approved.
2. 2Fill in Payments & invoices with your business UPI ID and one line of payment instructions, such as Pay by UPI and share the screenshot on WhatsApp.
3. 3In Checkout, switch on Cash on Delivery and Pay with UPI / bank transfer now, and WhatsApp checkout if your customers like to chat. You can sell today with these and add online payment when the gateway approves you.
4. 4Set an Extra COD charge if your courier charges you for cash handling. Keep it modest; it is there to cover a cost, not to punish.

Write down

Gateway sign-up started: ___. Methods on at launch: ___. COD charge: ₹___.