LOGISTICS
How it works
1
Retailers collect what3words addresses
Customers use a field at checkout to provide their what3words address, as well as their regular street address information.
2
Your software converts them to reliable coordinates
The what3words addresses are passed automatically to your delivery software and converted to coordinates.
3
Your drivers deliver to the precise 3 metre square
Your drivers navigate to the delivery location as normal, arriving at the precise entrance or drop-off point.
Used by leading logistics companies
Testimonials
“what3words gives shoppers the convenience of being able to specify their exact delivery location at checkout and gives retailers even more confidence that their goods will be received on time, without complication.”
Peter Fuller
CEO, DHL eCommerce UK
“what3words is an incredibly smart solution. In addition to helping us deliver to new housing estates and remote cottages, there are significant gains from more effective fleet routing and reducing unnecessary mileage.”
Elaine Kerr
CEO, DPD UK
“By using what3words we will further enhance customer experience and enable a more frictionless delivery journey. It’s a perfect example of our commitment to applying innovative technological solutions to boost efficiencies and enhance customer satisfaction.”
Alaa Saoudi
COO, Express at Aramex
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Retailers across the world are collecting what3words addresses from customers at checkout. e-commerce and delivery management software such as Metapack, Zenstores and ShipTheory are passing what3words delivery addresses from retail customers to logistics partners to improve delivery efficiencies.
Our API is charged according to the number of what3words addresses converted to coordinates each month. See our plans and pricing here .
The what3words app and online map at what3words.com are free of charge to use.
A what3words address works for ground level, just like a street address. A what3words address given for deliveries will be for the building entrance, with flat or office floor number being additional information collected from the customer. For example, what3words HQ is at ///filled.count.soap on the third floor, Studio 301.
Many people already know the what3words address of their front door, so are prepared to enter it at checkout, just like they would a street address.
If they don’t know it yet, they can find it via 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 Communication Hub .
Retailers around the world have added a what3words field to their checkout pages so customers can give a precise delivery location when they shop. In Europe, leading fashion retailer boohoo along with Oddbox and Marks Electrical all collect what3words addresses from customers. In Asia, 7-Eleven, Interflora, and BeautyBox are using what3words to collect precise delivery locations.
Beyond logistics and e-commerce, thousands of businesses around the world are using what3words on a daily basis. The technology has been built into in-car navigation systems by automakers like Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, Subaru of America and Mitsubishi, enabling drivers to enter any destination with just three words. Taxi and ride-hailing companies like Addison Lee and Sherbet Taxis in the UK and Careem in UAE use what3words to pick-up and drop-off riders at precise locations. A what3words address can also help locate drivers in need of assistance on the road. The AA in the UK, IMA in France, CAA in South and Central Ontario, Canada and GEICO in the US all accept what3words. Emergency call centres are also embracing what3words at a rapid pace, with control rooms in the UK, US, Australia, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Singapore, Canada, India, and South Africa.
Discover more about what3words for logistics
DHL and what3words presents: The Drop-Off
BJS uses what3words to make home deliveries easy
Businesses around the world are delivering to what3words addresses