Setting Up for Delivery: A Deep Dive into Location, Zones, and Fees

Hello Ficos Merchants! Offering local delivery is one of the most powerful ways to expand your business, and Ficos gives you complete control over your logistics. The foundation of an efficient delivery system is accurately defining where you deliver and how much you charge.

This guide will walk you through the essential two-part process for setting up your delivery service: first, pinning your store’s precise location, and second, creating radius-based delivery zones with custom fees.

Why Your Store Location is The Most Important Step #

Before you can set up delivery zones, you must set your store’s physical location.

• It’s Your Starting Point: Your store’s pinned location is the “center of the universe” for all your delivery calculations. Ficos measures the distance from this exact point to your customer’s address to determine the delivery fee.
• Accuracy is Key: An accurate pin ensures that your delivery zones are calculated correctly and that your drivers are dispatched from the right starting point.
• It’s a Prerequisite: You will not be able to enable the “Offer Local Delivery” switch or manage your zones until your store’s location has been set.

A Closer Look at Delivery Zones #

A delivery zone is a circular area (a radius) around your store that has a specific delivery fee. You can create multiple, overlapping zones to charge different fees based on distance.

• • Example Setup:
    • Local Zone: 0-3 km radius = $5 fee
    • Standard Zone: 0-8 km radius = $10 fee
    • Extended Zone: 0-15 km radius = $18 fee

• How it Works: When a customer enters their address at checkout, Ficos calculates the distance from your store. It then finds the smallest zone that their location falls into and applies that fee. In the example above, a customer at 7 km would be charged the $10 “Standard Zone” fee.

Step 1: Navigate to the Delivery Setup Screen #

All your delivery settings are managed in one place.

1. From your Online Store Dashboard, tap on Online Store Settings.
2. Scroll down to the “Local Delivery” card.

Step 2: Pin Your Store’s Location #

This step tells Ficos where your delivery operations begin.

1. 1. In the “Local Delivery” card, tap on “Set Your Store’s Location”. This will open the Store Location Picker map.

1. 1. Find Your Location:
      • Use the Search Bar at the top to quickly find your address.
      • Alternatively, tap the navigation icon to have the map jump to your current GPS location.

1. 1. Adjust the Pin: The map features a large pin in the center. Drag the map until the pin is positioned exactly over your store’s physical location. The address below the map will update in real-time as you move it.

1. Confirm the Location: Once the pin is in the correct spot, tap the “Confirm Location” button. You will be returned to the settings screen.

Step 3: Create and Manage Your Delivery Zones #

Now that your location is set, you can define your delivery areas and fees.

1. 1. In the “Local Delivery” card, tap on “Manage Delivery Zones”. This will open a map displaying your delivery zones.

1. 1. Automatic Template: The first time you open this screen, Ficos will automatically generate a set of three default zones and prices for you, centered on your store’s location! This gives you a great starting point.

1. 1. Editing a Zone:
      • Tap on a zone’s price tag on the map, or open the list panel at the bottom and tap on a zone to edit it.
      • A panel will appear allowing you to change the Zone’s Name, Radius (in km), and Fee Amount.
      • Tap “Save Zone” to apply your changes.

1. Save Your Layout: Once you are happy with all your zones, tap the main “Save All Zones” button to make your changes permanent.

Step 4: Enable Local Delivery #

With your location pinned and your zones configured, you are ready for the final step.

1. Go back to the Online Store Settings screen.
2. In the “Local Delivery” card, you will now be able to tap the main “Offer Local Delivery” switch to turn it on.

Your online store will now offer local delivery at checkout, automatically calculating the correct fee for your customers based on the zones you created.

Conclusion #

Setting up your location and delivery zones is the foundation of a successful and profitable delivery service. By following these steps, you can create a clear and automated fee structure that works for your business and is easy for your customers to understand. For more helpful tips, visit the Ficos Documentation.