Map the dates that affect cash
Record when stock, advertising, packaging and courier charges are paid, then when delivered-order funds become usable. Terms differ by the actual service agreement. Do not assume a single remittance schedule applies to every Moroccan courier.
Separate delivered, refused, returned and pending orders. Keep inventory recovery distinct from cash collection. A returned item can remain an asset while still leaving the business short of spendable cash.
Worked example: stock cash is not the same as product expense
Illustrative example in MAD: a store purchases fifty units at 100 MAD each and spends the amounts below before receiving COD collections. Forty units are delivered at 200 MAD each; ten are returned and remain sellable under the example's assumptions.
| Upfront payment | Illustrative amount |
|---|---|
| Stock purchase | 5,000 MAD |
| Advertising | 2,000 MAD |
| Packaging | 500 MAD |
| Courier charges under assumed terms | 1,000 MAD |
| Total paid before collection | 8,500 MAD |
The forty deliveries collect 8,000 MAD. That cash view is not a final loss calculation: ten units remain in inventory. A contribution model would use the appropriate sold-product cost and other expenses consistently. The example illustrates funding timing, not courier prices or typical market performance.
Forecast with unresolved outcomes visible
Show pending collections separately from confirmed available cash. Test what happens if remittance arrives later or more parcels return. Avoid funding the next campaign from gross order value that may never be collected.
Review the forecast against actual courier statements and bank records. Differences can arise from fees, timing, adjustments or unresolved parcels. Trace known order IDs before changing campaign budgets based on an unexplained total.
Set a spending boundary
Estimate the cash needed to fulfill the additional demand before collections arrive. Maintain an operating reserve appropriate to the business. Assign someone to pause new exposure when the available cash or fulfillment constraint is reached.
Build a weekly collection timeline using actual terms, not this example's figures. Pair it with the COD order dashboard so pending outcomes do not disappear inside a revenue total.
Ayoub Mouhachtt
Growth & performance marketing. Explore my working background.
An AI-assisted educational guide commissioned for Ayoub’s Growth Notebook. Worked examples are illustrative; they are separate from the portfolio’s client evidence. How these guides are prepared.