A postcode checker should say what it has checked. A successful geography lookup does not prove that the entire basket can leave one location or that the selected checkout path supports local delivery. This brief helps local retailers choose between a preliminary area check and a checkout eligibility decision.
Bound the official claim
Shopify’s local-delivery requirements include one-location whole-cart availability, address verification, configured geography and checkout-method conditions. Checked 16 October 2026. The checklist uses those gates; it does not validate an address or inspect an actual store. Confirm product, plan and third-party-app compatibility in that store before rollout.
Filled eligibility cases
Synthetic example: an Australian retailer has a configured delivery area and tracked physical goods. “Yes” means that particular gate has been independently verified for the test cart, not assumed from the postcode.
On narrow screens, scroll sideways to read the full table.
| Case | Area | One-location full stock | Verified address / supported checkout | Expected result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Yes | Yes | Yes / Yes | Eligible in this model |
| B | Yes | No | Yes / Yes | Do not confirm delivery |
| C | Yes | Yes | No / Yes | Resolve address |
| D | Yes | Yes | Yes / No | Check alternate checkout |
| E | No | Yes | Yes / Yes | Outside configured area |
| F | Yes | Unknown | Yes / Yes | Unknown; manual review |
Choose the right customer message
A lightweight postcode tool can display “This area may be covered; final availability is checked at checkout.” A full eligibility tool needs the relevant live basket, location, address and checkout evidence. If that evidence is missing, offer a clear enquiry path rather than inventing a green approval. Use equivalent wording in both languages.
Test the whole journey
- Record the store’s active delivery geography and one test basket.
- Run case A through the ordinary supported checkout.
- Move one required item to another location or make it unavailable in an authorised test setup, and confirm case B does not retain the approval.
- Test address verification and each supported checkout entry separately. Preserve the actual options shown before payment.
Acceptance record
Save a redacted case ID, configured zone, stock-location result, verified-address result, checkout path and final available delivery options. An output that knows only the postcode must remain a preliminary check. Unknown stock is neither a measured zero nor permission to promise delivery.
Exceptions to discuss
The model excludes mixed delivery/shipping orders, delivery windows, route capacity, B2B-specific behaviour and third-party delivery apps. A retailer needing those decisions should request a separate supplier demonstration. No real customer information or payment is needed for the offline example.
Replay the teaching example
These files run locally without network access. They model only the stated cases, not a live vendor integration. Filled inputs and expected results · Inspectable teaching functions
Save both files in one folder. With Node 22.13 or newer, run:
node decision-check.mjs local-delivery-eligibility-matrix.json