Manual Process (The Old Way):

1. Customer places order on your website
2. You receive order notification
3. You manually extract delivery details from the order
4. You send us delivery details via email or phone
5. We manually enter the details into our system
6. We plan the route and schedule delivery
7. You manually check delivery status
8. You manually notify customer of delivery completion

Automated Process (The Modern Way):

1. Customer places order on your website
2. Order automatically sent to our system (instant)
3. We automatically validate and plan the route
4. Customer automatically receives delivery notifications
5. You automatically receive status updates
6. Order automatically marked as complete in your store

Level 0: Manual Processing

What it is: No automation. Everything done manually via email or phone.

Process:

• You email us delivery details for each order
• We manually enter them into our system
• You check status via phone or email
• You manually notify customers

When this works: Very low volume (1-5 orders per week)

Limitations: Time-consuming, error-prone, doesn’t scale

Level 1: Basic Email Notifications

What it is: Your store sends automated email notifications when order status changes.

Process:

• Customer places order → you receive email
• Order ready for delivery → you change status → we receive email
• Delivery complete → we notify you via email

Setup required: Custom order statuses in your e-commerce platform

Benefits: Reduces manual communication, creates paper trail

Limitations: Still requires manual data entry on our side

Level 2: Automated Data Posting

What it is: Your store automatically sends order data to us when ready for delivery.

Process:

• Customer places order
• You mark order as “ready for dispatch”
• Order data automatically posts to our system (webhook)
• We automatically create delivery task
• You receive confirmation

Setup required: Webhook configuration in your store

Benefits: Zero manual data entry, instant processing, much faster

This is the recommended starting level for most businesses

Level 3: Advanced Status Integration

What it is: Two-way communication – we update order status in your store automatically.

Process:

• Order automatically sent to us (Level 2)
• We automatically update your order status as delivery progresses:
  • “Dispatched” when driver departs
  • “Out for delivery” when en route
  • “Completed” when delivered
  • “Failed” if delivery unsuccessful

Setup required: REST API access to your store (read/write permissions)

Benefits: Real-time status in your store, complete automation, excellent for customer service

Level 4: Real-Time Tracking Integration

What it is: Full integration including live tracking links embedded in your store.

Process:

• Everything from Level 3, plus:
• Customers access live tracking directly from your order page
• Real-time ETA updates
• Complete delivery journey visibility

Setup required: API integration with tracking widgets

Benefits: Premium customer experience, reduces “where’s my order?” inquiries, competitive advantage

Most businesses operate successfully at Level 2 or 3. Level 4 is ideal for high-volume operations or those wanting to provide exceptional customer experience.

Method 1: Webhooks (Push Notifications)

What is a webhook? A webhook is a way for your e-commerce platform to automatically send data to us the moment something happens (like an order status change).

Think of it like this: Instead of us constantly checking “do you have any orders for us?” (which would be inefficient), your store automatically says “Hey, here’s a new order!” the moment you’re ready for delivery.

How it works:

1. Customer places order in your store
2. You mark order status as “Ready for Dispatch” (or similar)
3. Your store automatically sends order data to our system (JSON format)
4. We receive and validate the data
5. We create the delivery task
6. We send confirmation back to you

Advantages:

• ✅ Instant – happens in real-time
• ✅ Simple to set up (in most platforms)
• ✅ No polling or constant checking required

Limitations:

• ⚠️ One-way communication (store → us)
• ⚠️ We can’t automatically update your order status (need REST API for that)

Method 2: REST API (Two-Way Communication)

What is a REST API? A REST API allows two-way conversation between systems. We can both read data from your store AND write data back to it.

How it works:

1. We can monitor your store for orders with specific status (e.g., “Ready for Dispatch”)
2. We pull order data automatically
3. We process the delivery
4. We update the order status in your store (e.g., “Dispatched”, “Completed”)
5. We can add delivery notes to the order

Advantages:

• ✅ Two-way communication
• ✅ We can update order status automatically
• ✅ Complete automation loop
• ✅ Better customer experience (status updates in real-time)

Limitations:

• ⚠️ Requires API credentials (security keys)
• ⚠️ More complex initial setup
• ⚠️ Some platforms charge extra for API access

Use Webhooks (Method 1) if:

• You’re just starting with automation
• You want simple, quick setup
• One-way communication is sufficient
• You’ll manually update order status after delivery

Use REST API (Method 2) if:

• You want full automation
• You need order status updates in your store
• You have technical resources for setup
• You want the best customer experience

Required Information (Must Have)

Recipient Details:

• First name and last name
• Primary email address (for delivery notifications)
• Primary mobile number (for SMS/WhatsApp notifications)
• Delivery address (street, suburb/complex, city, province, postal code)

Order Reference:

• Your order ID/number (so you can track which delivery relates to which order)

Merchant Identification:

• Your merchant code (provided when you register with us)

Optional Information (Helpful)

Delivery Instructions:

• Customer notes about access (gate codes, special instructions)
• Delivery time preferences
• what3words location

Dispatch Scheduling:

• Dispatch ready date (when order will be ready for collection)
• Preferred delivery date

Additional Details:

• Company name (for business deliveries)
• Alternative contact number

ACCEPTED

• We’ve received your order
• Data validation passed
• Delivery task created in our system
• Customer receives pre-delivery notification

ONHOLD

• Address requires additional validation
• Usually resolves within a few hours
• We may contact you or customer for clarification

PLANNED

• Task added to delivery calendar
• Route optimization in progress
• Scheduled for specific delivery date

SCHEDULED

• Route finalized and locked
• Customer receives scheduled delivery notification with time window
• Driver assigned

DISPATCHED

• Driver has departed with goods
• Customer receives “on the way” notification
• Estimated delivery time provided

ENROUTE

• Driver is actively heading to delivery location
• Customer receives real-time updates
• Live tracking available

COMPLETED

• Delivery successfully completed
• Customer receives confirmation
• Your order can be marked as complete

FAILED

• Delivery unsuccessful (customer not available, access issues, etc.)
• You and customer receive notification with reason
• Can be rescheduled

REJECTED

• Task rejected due to validation failure or out-of-service area
• You receive immediate notification with reason

CANCELLED

• Task cancelled by you (only possible during PLANNED or SCHEDULED stages)
• All parties notified

Step 1: Register as a Merchant

Before any integration, you need a merchant account with us:

1. Visit thefrozenfoodcourier.co.za/register
2. Complete merchant registration
3. Receive your unique merchant code
4. Configure your notification preferences (email, webhook, or API)

Your merchant code is essential – it identifies you in all automated communications.

Step 2: Choose Your Platform Integration

We provide ready-to-use integration guides for:

WooCommerce (WordPress)

• Most flexible platform for automation
• Supports both webhooks and REST API
• Custom order statuses available
• View WooCommerce Integration Guide →

Wix

• Native webhook support
• Simplified setup process
• Recommended to work with Wix partner for advanced features
• View Wix Integration Guide →

Shopify

• Excellent webhook functionality
• App ecosystem for enhanced integration
• Clean, simple automation
• View Shopify Integration Guide →

Custom/Other Platforms

• JSON/XML webhook support
• REST API capabilities
• We can work with virtually any system
• Contact us for custom integration assistance

Step 3: Configure Your Platform

Each platform guide includes:

• JSON schema specifications (exact data format required)
• Step-by-step setup instructions
• Testing procedures
• Troubleshooting tips

Technical Note: Our system accepts standard JSON payloads. If your platform can post JSON data to a webhook URL, it can integrate with us.

Step 4: Test Your Integration

Before going live:

1. Create a test order in your store
2. Mark it ready for dispatch (trigger automation)
3. Verify we received the data correctly
4. Check notifications are working
5. Confirm order status updates (if using REST API)

We’re happy to help with testing – contact us to coordinate.

Scenario 1: Small Business, Just Starting

Your situation: 5-15 orders per week, basic WooCommerce store

Recommended approach:

• Level 1 or 2 automation (basic webhooks)
• Manual order status management
• Email notifications

Setup time: 1-2 hours with our guide

Scenario 2: Growing Business, Increasing Volume

Your situation: 20-50 orders per week, established online presence

Recommended approach:

• Level 2 or 3 automation (webhooks + REST API)
• Automated status updates
• Custom order statuses

Setup time: 3-5 hours with technical assistance

Scenario 3: High-Volume Operation

Your situation: 50+ orders per week, professional e-commerce setup

Recommended approach:

• Level 3 or 4 automation (full API integration)
• Real-time tracking integration
• Advanced notification customization

Setup time: 1-2 days with developer support

Problem: Orders Not Being Received

Check:

• ✓ Merchant code is correct in webhook payload
• ✓ Webhook URL is accurate
• ✓ Order status trigger is configured correctly
• ✓ Required fields are being sent (email, phone, address)

Problem: Validation Failures

Common causes:

• Missing required fields (email, phone, or address)
• Invalid email format
• Mobile number format issues
• Merchant code incorrect

Solution: Check our validation response for specific error details

Problem: Duplicate Orders

Cause: Same order ID sent multiple times

Solution:

• Ensure order status only triggers webhook once
• Check for automatic retry logic in your platform
• We reject duplicates automatically for safety

Problem: Status Updates Not Working

Check:

• ✓ REST API credentials are correct
• ✓ API has write permissions (not just read)
• ✓ Custom order statuses are properly configured
• ✓ Order status mapping is correct