Cash on delivery in Kuwait: a guide for Shopify stores

In Kuwait, the local online alternative to cash on delivery is KNET, which lets shoppers pay with a debit card from a Kuwaiti bank. Shopify's Kuwait checkout asks for the governorate from a fixed list of six, a block number, and a city that the shopper types. Use the governorate when a rule should cover a large area, and city names when you need something smaller.

What does Shopify's Kuwait checkout ask for?

For a Kuwait shipping address, Shopify's checkout shows these address fields:

• Address: street and house or building.
• Apartment, suite, etc.
• Block «قطعة». Shopify shows this field automatically for Kuwait, and it's required. You can't turn it off or make it optional.
• Postal code, which Shopify doesn't require for Kuwait.
• City, typed by the shopper.
• Governorate «المحافظة», chosen from a dropdown.

Shopify stores each governorate as a code. Unlike the UAE, Kuwait's codes already include the country prefix:

How are addresses in Kuwait structured?

The Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) publishes Kuwait Finder, a free app for finding addresses in Kuwait. It searches by governorate, area, block, street and parcel or house. It also searches by PACI number, and it can share any location, including the shopper's current one, through apps such as WhatsApp.

A practical way to fit that structure into Shopify's fields:

Shopify's own example Kuwait address puts "Kuwait City" in the city field. Some shoppers may do the same and type the city name instead of their area. When you confirm a COD order, ask for the area if it's missing. A PACI number or a shared location pin also helps the courier.

What can Kuwaiti shoppers pay with instead of cash?

• KNET. Shoppers pay with a local debit card issued by a Kuwaiti bank that is a KNET member. The payment usually redirects the shopper to a separate payment page to finish.
• Credit cards.
• Apple Pay. Apple lists Kuwait as a country that supports Apple Pay.

Kuwait isn't on Shopify's list of countries where Shopify Payments is available, so you need a third-party payment provider. If you sell to Kuwait, choose one that supports KNET. A checkout that accepts only credit cards leaves out shoppers whose only card is a KNET debit card.

How do you set COD rules by governorate or area?

By governorate

The governorate comes from a dropdown, so the value is always the same. But a governorate rule is wide: one governorate covers many areas. Use it when your courier treats a whole governorate differently, for example a higher charge for return trips.

By area

For smaller areas, use a city rule. The city is typed, so the same area arrives in different spellings.

Khaleeji COD can hide COD for a list of cities, matched exactly in English or Arabic without caring about upper or lower case. Add every spelling you found. See how to limit COD by emirate, region or city for more on spelling variants.

Rules that don't depend on the address

Cart total, first order, customer tag and product tag rules work the same in Kuwait as anywhere else. If your store's currency isn't KWD (for example, you sell from the UAE in AED), think about your cart limit in both currencies: you set it in your store's currency, and Kuwaiti shoppers may be paying in KWD. More on running several GCC countries from one store is in different COD rules per GCC market.

After setting any rule, place a test order to a Kuwait address and check the payment step. See how to test checkout payment rules with draft orders.

What should COD be called in Arabic?

Shopify's address data lists Arabic as Kuwait's language, so plan for an Arabic checkout. In Arabic, cash on delivery is usually written «الدفع عند الاستلام» ("payment on receipt"). Use the same wording on product pages, in your FAQ and in order messages, so the shopper sees one name everywhere. For other wordings, see what to call Cash on Delivery in Arabic.