How to answer "do you deliver to …?"
"Do you deliver to Didsbury?" looks like a yes-or-no question, but it is really the customer asking whether they can buy from you at all. A slow or vague answer sends them to the next shop in their search results. A clear answer with the cost, the timing and a way to order keeps them with you, even when the honest answer is "not quite". This guide gives you replies for every version of the question, a worked conversation, a simple delivery note you can hand to an AI agent, and the situations where a person should answer instead.
The short answer
Answer the area question in the first line, then add what the customer will want to know next: the delivery charge, when it would arrive and how to order. If you do not deliver there, say so kindly and offer the nearest thing you can do, such as collection, a meeting point or posting it instead.
Replies you can adapt
Change the details to match your business. Names, prices and times are examples.
| When | Reply |
|---|---|
| Yes, inside your normal area | Yes, we deliver to Didsbury. Delivery is £4 and orders placed before 2pm arrive the same evening. Would you like me to help you place an order now? |
| Yes, but with a higher charge | Yes, we can deliver to Stockport. It is a little outside our usual area, so delivery is £7 instead of £4, and it arrives the next day. Shall I go ahead? |
| Yes, above a minimum order | We deliver to Sale for orders over £25, and delivery is then free. Below that, you are very welcome to collect from our shop on King Street. |
| It depends on the postcode | We cover most of that area. Could you send me your postcode? Then I can tell you the exact charge and the next delivery day. |
| No, but collection works | We do not deliver to Bolton, I am afraid. You are welcome to collect from our shop, open 9am to 5pm, and I can have your order ready by the time you arrive. |
| No, but you can post it | Our own van does not go that far, but we can post it to you by tracked delivery for £5.95. It usually arrives in two to three working days. Would that work? |
| Abroad | At the moment we only deliver within the UK. If you have a friend or family member in the UK, we can deliver to them instead. |
| Large items or furniture | Yes, we deliver sofas to Leeds. Delivery is £45 with two people, including carrying it to the room of your choice. The next free date is Thursday. Shall I book it? |
| They ask for a specific day | We deliver to your area on Tuesdays and Fridays. If you order by Thursday evening, it will arrive this Friday. Would that suit you? |
What to avoid
- Answering "yes" and stopping there. The customer still has to ask how much, when and how to order.
- Promising a delivery day you have not checked, especially near bank holidays or busy weekends.
- Saying "we only cover our local area" without saying where that is. Customers do not know your map.
- Ending the conversation with a flat "no" when collection, posting or a meeting point would work.
- Hiding the delivery charge until checkout. Customers who find a surprise charge often leave.
What to tell your AI agent
- Give it a delivery note with every area or postcode you cover, the charge for each and the delivery days.
- Tell it to ask for a postcode whenever the area is on the edge of your map, rather than guessing.
- Give it the wording for "we do not deliver there", with the alternatives you offer.
- Tell it never to promise a delivery time that is not in the note, and to pass special requests to you.
- Tell it to finish every delivery answer with one simple next step, such as placing the order.
When a person should take over
- Requests to deliver outside your area as a one-off favour.
- Large, fragile or high-value orders that need special handling.
- Complaints about a delivery that was late, damaged or missing.
What the customer is really asking
A delivery question usually hides three other questions. Can you get it to me? How much will that cost? And when would it arrive? Most customers have already decided they like what you sell. Delivery is the last thing standing between them and the order.
That is why the best replies answer all three in one short message. "Yes, we deliver to Didsbury, it is £4 and arrives this evening" removes every doubt at once. The customer has nothing left to check and can simply say yes.
It also helps to remember that people ask several businesses at the same time when they want something delivered. The first clear answer often wins, so a short reply now is worth more than a perfect reply in two hours.
Write your delivery map down in words
Most owners carry their delivery area in their head. That works until someone else answers the messages, or until an AI agent does. Writing it down takes ten minutes and makes every answer faster and more consistent.
- List the towns, areas or postcode districts you always deliver to, and the charge for each.
- List the areas you deliver to only sometimes, and what decides it, such as order size or the day of the week.
- Write down your delivery days and the cut-off time for each.
- Write down what you offer when you cannot deliver: collection, posting, a meeting point or a partner courier.
- Note any items you never deliver, such as very large or fragile pieces, and what to say instead.
- Put the date at the top and update it whenever your charges or days change.
Delivery note, updated 1 November
Own van, delivery £4, same evening if ordered by 2pm:
M20 (Didsbury), M21 (Chorlton), M19 (Levenshulme), M14 (Fallowfield)
Own van, delivery £7, next day:
SK1 to SK4 (Stockport), M33 (Sale). Free over £25 for M33.
Anywhere else in the UK: tracked post £5.95, 2 to 3 working days.
Outside the UK: we do not deliver. Offer delivery to a UK address instead.
Collection: 14 King Street, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.
Rules:
- If the postcode is not listed, ask for it and do not guess.
- Never promise a delivery time that is not in this note.
- Pass any request for a one-off delivery outside these areas to Leila.A worked example
Here is a WhatsApp conversation for a bakery that delivers celebration cakes. The AI agent answers from the delivery note above. Names and details are examples.
| Who | Message |
|---|---|
| Customer | Hi, do you deliver to Stockport? Need a birthday cake for Saturday |
| Business | Hi! Yes, we deliver to most of Stockport. Could you send me the postcode? Then I can confirm the charge and the time. |
| Customer | SK3 8 |
| Business | Thank you. SK3 is £7 and we deliver there the day after you order. For Saturday, please order by Friday at 2pm. Would you like to see this week's cake options? |
| Customer | Yes please. Can it come before 11am? Party is at 12 |
| Business | Our usual Saturday slot for Stockport is 10am to 1pm. I will ask Leila whether a before-11am delivery is possible and she will reply by 5pm today. |
| Owner | Hi, Leila here. Yes, we can get it to you by 10.30am on Saturday. Which cake would you like? |
The agent answered the area and the charge straight away, asked for a postcode instead of guessing, and passed the special timing request to the owner. The customer never had to wait long or ask the same thing twice.
When you cannot deliver
A "no" does not have to end the sale. Most customers who ask about delivery would accept another way to get the item if you offer one. Lead with the alternative rather than the refusal, and keep it friendly.
| Situation | What to offer |
|---|---|
| Just outside your area | A higher charge, a later day, or a meeting point on the edge of your area. |
| Far away in the same country | Tracked post or a courier, with the cost and timing. |
| Abroad | Delivery to a friend or relative at a local address, if that suits them. |
| Items you never deliver | Collection, or help finding a local courier they can book. |
| A day you are fully booked | The next free delivery day, or collection on the day they need it. |
How Spaces fits in
Spaces connects your own WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and email accounts to the AI agent you already use, so it can answer delivery questions from your note within seconds. Spaces does not connect to couriers or shop systems itself. If you want the agent to check a live delivery slot, it needs its own access to that tool, which you would set up separately.
Replies to people who message you are the kind of conversation Spaces is built for. On WhatsApp it waits at least 10 seconds between messages and keeps an account to 400 messages a day, which is plenty for answering customers.
Sum up and next step
Answer the area in the first line, add the charge and the timing, and finish with one easy next step. Ask for a postcode when you are unsure, and offer collection or posting when you cannot deliver.
Write your delivery map down once, hand it to your AI agent, and keep special requests for yourself. Customers get a fast, complete answer, and you only step in for the orders that need you.
Pricing
FAQ
Should I put my delivery area on my profile?
Yes, if you can describe it simply, such as a list of towns or a radius. It will not stop people asking, but it makes your answers quicker and helps customers who prefer to check first.
How should I answer when I am not sure if I cover an address?
Ask for the postcode before you answer. It is better to take one extra message than to say yes and then cancel. Once you have the postcode, give the charge and the delivery day in the same reply.
Is it all right to charge more for areas further away?
Yes, as long as you say so up front. Most customers accept a fair extra charge if they know about it before they order. Surprise charges are what cause complaints.
Can an AI agent tell customers when their delivery will arrive?
It can tell them your usual delivery days and times from your note. For a live update on an order already sent, it would need access to your courier or order system through its own tools, which Spaces does not provide.
What if a customer asks me to make an exception?
Decide yourself, case by case. Tell your agent to pass these requests to you, so it never promises something you cannot do. If you say yes, set the charge and the time clearly.
How quickly should I reply to delivery questions?
As quickly as you can. Customers asking about delivery are close to buying and often ask several shops at once. A short, clear answer within minutes is worth far more than a long one later.
Should I mention collection when I do deliver?
Only briefly, if it helps. Some customers are happy to collect to save the charge. A short line such as "or you can collect free from the shop" gives them the choice without confusing the answer.