Setting Up Delivery Postcodes and Zones in Back Office v2

This guide covers configuring delivery postcodes and zones for your restaurant's delivery area. This controls where you'll deliver and allows you to set different delivery fees by location.

Overview

Delivery zones define:

• Geographic areas where you deliver
• Postcode ranges that qualify for delivery
• Delivery fees for each zone
• Estimated delivery times per zone
• Minimum order values (if applicable)

When customers enter their address during checkout, the system automatically checks their postcode against your zones.

Accessing Delivery Postcodes Setup

Navigation Path

1. Open MyOrderBox Back Office
2. Go to Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Postcodes

This page shows:

• All your current delivery zones
• Postcodes included in each zone
• Delivery fees and minimum orders
• Edit and delete options for each zone

Understanding Postcodes and Zones

What's a Postcode?

A postcode (or postal code/ZIP code) is:

• UK: E1 1AA (outward code + inward code)
• US: 10001 (5 digits or 9-digit ZIP+4)
• Other countries: varies by country

The system uses postcodes to determine delivery eligibility.

What's a Delivery Zone?

A delivery zone is:

• A named geographic area (e.g., "Central London," "Downtown," "North District")
• Contains one or more postcode ranges or lists
• Has a fixed delivery fee for all postcodes in the zone
• Has an estimated delivery time for orders in that zone
• May have a minimum order value required

Example:

• Zone name: "Zone 1 - City Centre"
• Postcodes: E1, E2, E3, WC1, WC2
• Delivery fee: £2.50
• Estimated time: 30 minutes
• Minimum order: £10.00

Creating a New Delivery Zone

Step 1: Start a New Zone

1. Go to Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Postcodes
2. Click "Add Zone" or "Create New Zone"
3. You'll see a form to set up the zone

Step 2: Name Your Zone

Enter a Zone Name:

• Use clear, descriptive names (e.g., "Central London," "North Side," "Downtown")
• Names are internal (not shown to customers) but help with organization
• Keep names short (under 50 characters)

Good zone names:

• "Zone 1 - City Centre"
• "North Manchester"
• "Islington & Finsbury"

Avoid:

• "Zone A" or "Z1" (unclear)
• Very long names (hard to read in lists)

Step 3: Add Postcodes

You can add postcodes in two ways:

Option A: Add Individual Postcodes

1. In the "Postcodes" field, enter postcodes separated by commas
2. Use full postcodes (e.g., E1 1AA, E1 2AA, E1 3AA) or postcode prefixes (e.g., E1, E2, E3)
3. Example: E1,E2,E3,WC1,WC2

Postcode prefix vs. full postcode:

• Prefix (E1): Includes ALL postcodes starting with E1 (covers a larger area)
• Full postcode (E1 1AA): Very specific (covers a smaller area)

Use prefixes for larger zones, full postcodes for small areas.

Option B: Import Postcode List

If you have many postcodes:

1. Click "Import Postcodes" (if available)
2. Upload a CSV file with postcodes (one per line)
3. Format: Simple list, one postcode per row

Step 4: Set Delivery Fee

Enter the Delivery Fee for this zone:

• This is the fixed charge customers pay for delivery in this zone
• Example: £2.50, £3.99, £5.00
• Leave blank for free delivery (not recommended)

Customers will see this fee at checkout.

Step 5: Estimated Delivery Time

Enter the Estimated Delivery Time (in minutes):

• How long, on average, delivery takes in this zone
• Examples: 30, 45, 60 minutes
• Shown to customers at checkout (e.g., "Estimated delivery: 45 minutes")

Step 6: Minimum Order Value (Optional)

Enter a Minimum Order Value if you require a minimum:

• Example: £10.00, £15.00, £20.00
• Customers in this zone must spend this amount or can't order delivery
• Leave blank for no minimum

This is useful to ensure delivery is profitable for longer distances.

Step 7: Review and Save

1. Review all information:
   • Zone name
   • Postcodes included
   • Delivery fee
   • Estimated time
   • Minimum order (if set)
2. Click "Save Zone" or "Create Zone"

The zone is now active and customers can order to these postcodes.

Editing a Delivery Zone

To modify an existing zone:

1. Go to Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Postcodes
2. Find the zone you want to edit
3. Click "Edit" (usually a pencil icon)
4. Modify any field:
   • Zone name
   • Postcodes (add or remove)
   • Delivery fee
   • Estimated time
   • Minimum order
5. Click "Save Changes"

Changes take effect immediately.

Deleting a Delivery Zone

To remove a zone entirely:

1. Go to Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Postcodes
2. Find the zone to delete
3. Click "Delete" (usually a trash icon)
4. Confirm the deletion

Important: Customers in that zone will no longer be able to order delivery.

Managing Multiple Zones

Zone Priority and Overlap

If postcode ranges overlap (same postcode in multiple zones):

1. The first matching zone is used (by creation date)
2. Set up zones carefully to avoid overlap
3. If needed, reorganize zones

Recommended Zone Structure

For smaller restaurants:

• Zone 1: Close delivery area (e.g., 2-3 mile radius)
• Zone 2: Extended delivery area (e.g., 3-5 mile radius)
• Use higher fees for Zone 2

For larger restaurants:

• Zone 1: City centre (high density, low fee)
• Zone 2: Inner suburbs (medium fee)
• Zone 3: Outer suburbs (higher fee)
• Zone 4: Far reaches (premium fee or no delivery)

Viewing All Zones

To see a summary of all zones:

1. Go to Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Postcodes
2. Table shows:
   • Zone name
   • Number of postcodes
   • Delivery fee
   • Estimated time
   • Status (Active/Inactive)

Testing Your Delivery Zones

Manual Test

To verify postcodes work correctly:

1. Go to your customer-facing ordering site
2. Start a new order (don't sign in)
3. Choose "Delivery" as order type
4. Enter a postcode that should be in your zone (e.g., E1)
   • Verify the correct delivery fee appears
   • Verify estimated time shows
5. Enter a postcode that's not in your zone (e.g., E99)
   • Verify delivery is NOT available
   • Customer should see "Delivery not available in your area"

Edge Case Testing

Test these scenarios:

1. Postcode at zone boundary: Test a postcode on the edge of your zone
2. Different fee zones: Test postcodes in Zone 1 and Zone 2, confirm different fees
3. Minimum order: Test with an order value below minimum, verify error message
4. Free delivery zone: If you have a free delivery zone, test it works

Best Practices

Setting Up Postcodes

• Don't be too restrictive: Cover enough area to have decent order volume
• Use prefixes for simplicity: E1 instead of E1 1AA, E1 2AA, E1 3AA individually
• Map your zones geographically: Zones should represent actual geographic areas, not random postcodes
• Keep zones organized: Name them clearly with directions or landmarks

Fee Strategy

• Lower fees for short distances: Charge less for nearby deliveries
• Higher fees for longer distances: Charge more for suburbs or far areas
• Consider profitability: Ensure delivery fees cover driver costs and time
• Test with drivers: Ask drivers what delivery times are realistic for each zone

Maintenance

• Update seasonally: Add new development areas when they open
• Monitor delivery patterns: Remove zones with very few orders
• Review fees quarterly: Adjust if delivery costs change
• Test regularly: Monthly test order to postcodes at zone boundaries

Troubleshooting

Customers Can't Order to Valid Postcodes

1. Go to Delivery > Postcodes
2. Check if the postcode is included in an active zone
3. Verify the postcode is spelled correctly in the system
4. Test with the exact postcode (sometimes spacing matters: E1 1AA vs E11AA)
5. Try adding the postcode explicitly if prefix isn't working

Delivery Fee Not Showing

1. Verify the zone has a Delivery Fee set (not blank)
2. Check the zone is Active (not disabled)
3. Verify the customer's postcode matches a zone
4. Try a different postcode to test if fees display in other zones

Minimum Order Not Enforced

1. Go to Delivery > Postcodes
2. Check the zone has a Minimum Order Value set
3. Verify it's the right amount (not £0 or blank)
4. Test by adding items totaling less than minimum
5. The "Checkout" button should be disabled or show an error

Delivery Option Not Available

1. Verify delivery is enabled in Setup > Online Ordering
2. Check that at least one delivery zone exists and is active
3. Verify the postcode has a matching zone
4. Restart or refresh the ordering page

Support

Contact MyOrderBox support if:

• You're having trouble adding postcodes
• Customers can't order to valid delivery areas
• Delivery fees aren't displaying correctly
• You need help with complex zone structures
• You want to import a large postcode list
• Minimum orders aren't being enforced