Online payments in Algeria: CIB, Edahabia or cash on delivery?

When a client wants an online store, the thing that stops them first is almost never the design. It's a simple question: "Okay, but how do I actually get the money?" In Algeria that's a real question, and a lot of people start without having thought it through. Here's how I explain it, without the jargon.

Cash on delivery is still king

Let's be honest: even today, the vast majority of online sales in Algeria are paid in cash, on delivery. The customer orders, receives the parcel, pays the courier. It's what Algerians know and trust. To get started, it's often the simplest route — and it needs no bank contract.

CIB and Edahabia: card payments

If you want to take CIB or Edahabia card payments directly on your site, you have to go through SATIM and sign an e-payment contract with your bank. It isn't instant: there's paperwork, waiting times, and a fee on every transaction. But once it's set up, the customer pays in seconds without waiting for a courier, and the money reaches you directly.

• Cash on delivery: no contract, customer trust — but you manage returns and unpaid parcels.
• CIB / Edahabia card (SATIM): instant, more professional — but bank paperwork and a per-transaction fee.
• Both together: the combination I recommend most often.

Don't force customers to pay the way you do — let them pay the way they're used to. Otherwise they abandon the cart.

My practical advice

For most new stores, I suggest starting with cash on delivery, then adding card payments once the first sales are in and the SATIM contract is sorted. Technically, I build the site for both from day one — so the day your e-payment contract is approved, we switch card payments on without rebuilding anything. If you want to sell online and this part scares you, message me: I'll walk you through what's needed, step by step, without selling you extras you don't need.