How delivery addresses are checked on your website
When a customer chooses delivery, the website checks their address at several points before the order reaches your kitchen. This article explains what the customer sees at each step, so you can answer their questions.
A full postcode is always required
The delivery charge for an order is calculated from the customer's full postcode, so the website will not accept a delivery address without one.
- When a customer searches for their address, they are asked to type their full postcode if the search result only has a partial one (for example "N14" instead of "N14 6RG").
- When a customer enters their address manually, the postcode field is required.
- If a returning customer has an older saved address without a full postcode, they are asked to confirm their postcode once when they select it. The postcode is then saved to their address, so they won't be asked again.
Note: Saved addresses without a full postcode are no longer applied automatically when a returning customer visits the website. The customer simply taps their saved address and confirms the postcode — a one-time step.
The address must be inside your delivery zone
After the postcode check, the website looks up the address against your delivery zones. If the address is outside every zone, the customer sees "Outside delivery zone" and cannot start a delivery order to that address. They can switch to pickup instead.
Delivery zones, delivery charges, and minimum order values are set per store in your back office.
The order must meet your minimum delivery value
If your delivery zone has a minimum order value, customers with a basket below it see a message such as "Add £8.00 more for delivery. Minimum order is £20.00." and the checkout button stays disabled until they add more items.
What to check if customers report delivery problems
- "It says you don't deliver to me" — check the customer's postcode falls inside one of the store's delivery zones in the back office.
- "It won't let me check out" — the basket is usually below the minimum delivery value for the zone, or the customer hasn't selected a delivery address yet.
- "It keeps asking for my postcode" — the customer's saved address predates postcode validation. Confirming it once updates the saved address permanently.