Paying for an online purchase in cash in Morocco: how it works
Paying for an online purchase in cash in Morocco: cash on delivery or a reference paid at an agency. How each works, the differences and good habits.
Yes, you can pay for an online purchase in cash in Morocco, in two ways: by handing the money to the courier when the parcel arrives, or by paying a payment reference at a neighborhood agency before the order ships. The second option exists when the merchant collects payments with ChariPay and sends you a single-use payment link: you choose cash, receive a reference and pay it at an agency of the Chari network. This guide explains both journeys, what sets them apart and what to check before you pay.
Two ways to pay cash for something you bought remotely
The purchase happens remotely — on a website, an Instagram page, a WhatsApp chat — but the money stays cash. What changes from one method to the other is when you pay and who you hand the money to.
Cash on delivery
You pay the courier when the parcel arrives. It is the best-known method, and it has an obvious advantage: you can see the parcel before you take out your money. It also has its constraints. You need to be there when the courier comes by, have the exact amount that day, and the merchant only knows they have been paid once the money has made its way back to them. The courier, for their part, carries the cash from their whole round.
A reference paid at an agency
You pay before the order ships, at a neighborhood agency, whenever you happen to pass by. The merchant sends you a payment link; on the page, you choose cash and get a reference; you present it at the counter with the amount. The merchant is notified as soon as the network confirms the deposit, and can then prepare your order. Nobody carries your money from one city to another.
Side by side
| Criterion | Cash on delivery | Reference paid at an agency |
|---|---|---|
| When you pay | When the parcel arrives | Before shipping, when you stop by an agency |
| Who you hand the money to | The courier | At the agency counter, against the reference |
| What you need | The exact amount on delivery day | The reference and the amount shown on the page |
| How the merchant knows | When the money comes back | As soon as the network confirms the deposit |
| What remains as a record | Depends on the courier and the merchant | A payment recorded under its reference |
Neither method is "the right one" in itself. Cash on delivery is reassuring when you do not know the seller; a reference paid at an agency saves you from waiting for the courier with the right change, and lets the merchant ship an order that is already paid. Many sellers offer one or the other depending on the amount and the delivery city.
How a payment by reference works
A payment by reference always follows the same path, whether you ordered on a website or in a chat:
- The merchant sends you a payment link, by WhatsApp, by email or in a message.
- You open the link: the page, hosted by ChariPay, shows the shop's name, the description of the purchase and the amount.
- You choose cash: the page gives you a reference to present at an agency.
- You go to an agency of the Chari network, give the reference and hand over the amount in cash.
- As soon as the network confirms the deposit, the link turns "Paid" and the merchant is notified.
No card, no account to open, no app to install: the reference and the amount are enough. Each step, with the special cases, is detailed in our guide to paying a payment reference at an agency.
Why the cash option does not always appear
You open a payment page and only see the card option? That is not a mistake. Cash payment at an agency always relies on a single-use link — one reference per deposit. Three situations therefore only take cards:
- the payment built into the merchant's website, when it redirects you to a card payment page as you confirm your basket;
- a reusable link, designed to collect the same amount from several customers;
- a poster or a QR code on a counter, which is also a reusable link.
If you want to pay in cash, simply ask the merchant for a payment link for your order. The merchant decides what the page offers: they can leave the choice between card and cash, or preselect cash.
Before you go: useful checks
A reference commits a real payment. Take a minute to check four things before heading to an agency:
- The shop's name and the amount. They must match what you agreed with the seller. At the slightest difference, do not pay and ask.
- The link's expiry. The merchant can give it an expiry date — 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days or an exact date — or none. Pay the reference before that date; an expired or canceled link can no longer be paid.
- The reference itself. Take a screenshot of the page or write the reference down, so you can present it without hesitation at the counter.
- Where the link came from. It must come from the seller, in the conversation where you placed your order. A reference received from a stranger is never paid.
We go through these habits, and the scams to recognize, in our guide to paying at an agency safely.
What paying at an agency changes for the merchant
From the seller's side, payment by reference solves a problem cash on delivery does not: there is no till to keep, no cash to collect from couriers, no shipped order coming back unpaid. For merchants who sell online, the Chari group's payment solution is ChariPay, a Moroccan payment platform, a PSP operated by Chari Money, a payment institution licensed by Bank Al-Maghrib. ChariPay is the only payment gateway in Morocco that also collects cash at agencies: the amount you deposit is available in the merchant's payment account the instant the deposit is made.
If you are a seller yourself, the merchant-side instructions are in ChariPay's guide to cash payments by reference, and where cash fits among the other ways an online shop gets paid is covered in its guide to e-commerce payments in Morocco. To explain the journey to your own customers, our guide to offering cash payment to your customers gives you ready-to-send messages.
What about other everyday payments?
Beyond online purchases, many everyday payments are made in cash at a neighborhood shop. ChariCash agents — grocery stores, internet cafés, bookshops, phone shops — offer bill payments, phone top-ups, deposits, withdrawals and money transfers, as well as gift cards payable in dirhams. Our guide to paying without a bank card in Morocco reviews these uses, and the ChariCash agency map shows the service points near you for these operations.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really pay cash for an order placed online?
Yes, in two ways: by paying the courier when the parcel arrives, or by paying a reference at an agency of the Chari network before shipping, when the merchant collects payments with ChariPay. In the second case, the merchant sends you a single-use payment link, you choose cash on the page and get the reference to present at the counter with the amount.
Do I need a bank card or an account to pay by reference?
No. The journey requires no card, no account and no app: you open the link the merchant sent you, choose cash, and the page gives you the reference. At the agency, you present that reference and hand over the amount shown. That is exactly what makes this payment method useful to people who do not have a card.
Where do I pay the reference?
At an agency of the Chari network. The payment page shows you the reference to present and the entity where you pay it: rely on that information rather than on an address passed on by a third party. If in doubt, ask the merchant before you go, in the conversation where you placed your order.
How long do I have to pay?
It depends on the link. The merchant can set an expiry date — 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days or an exact date — or none at all. Pay the reference before that date. If the link has expired, do not try to pay it: ask the merchant to send you a new one for the same order.
How does the merchant know I have paid?
As soon as the network confirms the deposit, the link turns "Paid" and the merchant is notified. They do not need to wait for a courier to come back or to count a till. Still, keep the conversation and the reference until your order is confirmed: they are your reference points if a question comes up.
What if the page only offers card payment?
It means the merchant sent you a reusable link or a card payment page. Cash at an agency only works with a single-use payment link created for a specific order. Ask the merchant for that kind of link: they can leave the choice between card and cash, or preselect cash directly.
Further reading
Received a reference? Follow the guide to pay it at an agency step by step. Selling online and want to offer your customers this choice? Discover the ChariPay payment platform, the Chari group's solution for merchants. And for your bills, top-ups and money transfers, the list of ChariCash agencies shows you the nearest service points.