Selling online in Algeria is about more than putting products on a website. Cash on delivery dominates, card payment is growing, and logistics weighs heavily on profitability. Here is what I have learned setting up stores for the Algerian market, with one caveat: on the regulatory side, this guide stays general and does not replace advice from the relevant authorities.
Selling online in Algeria: the rules to check
E-commerce in Algeria is governed by Law 18-05. Among other things, it provides for registration with the trade register and requirements on the website itself, including its hosting and domain name, as well as clear information for buyers. Before opening your store, ask the CNRC (national trade register centre) about the right registration for your activity, and check invoicing and tax matters with your accountant. Rules change: always refer to the official texts and the relevant administrations rather than a blog post, this one included.
Cash on delivery is still the norm
Most buyers still prefer to pay cash when the parcel arrives: they only pay for what they can see. For you, this means two things: the money is collected by the delivery company and paid back on its terms, and some orders will never be picked up. A few good practices limit the losses:
- Confirm every order by phone or WhatsApp before shipping.
- Show a clear total price, delivery included, on the product page or in the cart.
- Give a realistic delivery time per wilaya: a customer who waits too long is more likely to refuse the parcel.
- Keep track of customers who regularly refuse their orders.
Card payment: CIB and Edahabia
Online payment in Algeria relies on the interbank network run by SATIM. It accepts the CIB card, issued by banks, and the Edahabia card from Algérie Poste. To enable it on your store, the process usually goes through your bank or Algérie Poste: signing an online merchant agreement, providing documents, technical integration, then testing before going live. The exact conditions (documents required, fees, lead times) are set by each institution, so that is who you should ask. On the technical side, the payment integrates with WooCommerce and PrestaShop alike, based on the documentation provided by the bank.
Shipping: companies, rates by wilaya and tracking
Several delivery companies (Yalidine, ZR Express and others) cover all or part of the country, with home delivery or pick-up points (stop desk), which are often cheaper. Rates vary with the destination wilaya, so your store must calculate fees automatically from the customer’s address. When the company provides an API, connecting it to your store lets you create shipments, print labels and track parcels without re-keying anything, a real time saver from just a few orders a day.
Returns and refused parcels
A refused parcel usually costs both the outbound and the return trip. Write a simple returns policy, display it before checkout and factor this risk into your prices. Analyse refusals too: a product that often comes back sometimes points to a misleading photo or an incomplete description.
What your store must display
- Prices in dinars and delivery fees by wilaya.
- Accepted payment methods and delivery times.
- Terms of sale, returns and exchanges.
- The company’s identity and contact details, as required by the regulations.
I set up stores ready for the Algerian market: cash on delivery, rates by wilaya, connection to delivery companies and CIB or Edahabia payment depending on your bank. See the WooCommerce store offer at 200,000 DZD, or the Altikode in Algeria page to find out how I work remotely.