E-COMMERCE
Why use what3words for e-commerce?
Deliveries fail because of inaccurate addresses
A quarter of people in the UK say their address doesn’t direct people and deliveries exactly to their front door.
Enable customers to give precise delivery locations
Every 3 metre square has a unique what3words address, making it easy for customers to enter exact drop-off points at checkout.
Deliver a better customer experience
Couriers know exactly where to go, and customers get their packages on time, exactly where they want them.
Survey results based on research conducted by OnePoll to 2,000 adults in the UK aged 18+ (2022)
Used by large and small businesses
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FAQs
Which delivery companies accept what3words?
Many couriers and logistics businesses around the world are delivering more efficiently with what3words, including DPD, DHL, Aramex and Evri (formerly Hermes). See a list of what3words-enabled logistics providers here . If your chosen carrier doesn’t use what3words addresses yet, we still encourage you to add a what3words address field to your checkout page.
If you would like your delivery partner to start using what3words, you can request for it to be added to their delivery software as a new feature. Complete our Carrier Integration Request form for instructions on how you can request this feature from your delivery partner.
There’s no plugin for my platform, can I still add what3words to my checkout page?
Yes, as long as your e-commerce platform allows for customisation of your checkout page, you can use our JavaScript Autosuggest Component . This simply involves adding a script and an HTML element to the page. See this tutorial for help .
Alternatively, you can ask customers to enter their what3words address in the ‘Delivery instructions/additional information’ field at checkout. In this case we recommend adding the following text: ‘Add any additional information for the driver, or a what3words address’. Please note that addresses entered in this way will not be verified by our AutoSuggest technology, so we recommend a full integration for best results.
If you need further support, complete our Software Integration Request form for instructions on how you can request this feature from your software provider.
How do my customers find their what3words address?
Many people already know the what3words address of their front door, so are prepared to enter it, just like they would a street address.
If they don’t know it yet, they can use the online map at what3words.com or the free what3words app. They should first search their street address, then select the exact 3 metre square of their delivery location – usually a building entrance or delivery bay.
Your social media and newsletters are a great place to encourage customers to find their what3words address, and use it when placing their next order. You’ll find handy resources for this in our communications hub here .
What are the benefits of adding a what3words address field to my checkout?
Adding a what3words address at checkout enables you to collect very precise delivery locations from customers. This makes it easier for couriers to find the exact location, and can reduce delivery times by up to 30%. It also reduces lost parcels, and time-consuming phone calls from drivers asking for directions. In summary, what3words saves e-commerce and delivery companies time and money, and it enables a better customer experience.