Checkout and Order Tracking

This guide explains the customer checkout process, order validation, and how customers track their orders after placing them.

Checkout Flow

When customers are ready to order, they proceed from the cart to checkout.

Checkout Page

What customers see:

1. Order summary — Cart items, quantities, prices
2. Fulfilment selection — Delivery, pickup, or table service (if not already chosen)
3. Customer details form:
   • Name
   • Email
   • Phone number (optional, for SMS notifications)
   • Delivery address (for delivery orders)
   • Special instructions or notes
4. Scheduled time picker — Choose "As soon as possible" or select a specific time slot (if enabled)
5. Discount code field — Enter promo code (optional)
6. Order total breakdown — Subtotal, delivery fee, discount, VAT, final total
7. Payment method — Card details (via Stripe)
8. Place Order button

Customer Details Collection

Name and Email

Required for all orders.

What they're used for:

• Order confirmation emails
• Receipts
• Order tracking lookup
• Contacting the customer if needed

Phone Number

Optional, but recommended.

What it's used for:

• SMS notifications (if enabled)
• Contacting the customer about issues or delays

💡 Tip: Encourage customers to provide a phone number for better communication.

Delivery Address

Required for delivery orders.

How it works:

1. Customers type their address
2. Google Places suggests matching addresses
3. Customer selects from the list or enters manually
4. Ordery validates the address is within your delivery radius

Learn more about address validation →

Order Validation

Before accepting an order, Ordery checks several conditions.

Validation Checks

Checks include:

• Store is open (or pre-orders are enabled)
• Fulfilment type is enabled (delivery, pickup, table service)
• Minimum order amount is met (if applicable)
• All items are available for the selected fulfilment type
• Delivery address is within radius (for delivery)
• Scheduled time is valid (within opening hours)

What happens if validation fails: Customers see a clear error message explaining what needs to change. The "Place Order" button is disabled until the issue is resolved.

Example errors:

• "We're currently closed. We'll open again at 12:00."
• "Minimum order for delivery is £15. Add £5 more."
• "Sorry, we don't deliver to this address."

💡 Tip: Clear error messages reduce frustration and help customers complete their order.

Scheduled Time Selection

If scheduled orders are enabled, customers can choose when they want their order.

Options:

• As soon as possible — Order fulfilled based on standard prep time
• Specific time slot — Choose from available 15-minute slots

How slots are generated: Ordery calculates available slots based on your opening hours, current time, and prep time.

Example: If it's 11:30 and your prep time is 30 minutes, first available slot is 12:00.

Learn more about scheduling →

Discount Code Redemption

Customers can apply a discount code at checkout.

How Customers Apply Codes

1. Enter the code in the "Promo Code" field
2. Click "Apply"
3. Order total updates to reflect the discount

What customers see:

• "Code applied! You saved £5"
• Updated total showing original price, discount, and new total

Discount Validation

Ordery validates the discount code before applying it.

Common error messages:

• "This code is not valid."
• "This code requires a minimum spend of £20."
• "You've already used this code."
• "This code has expired."

Learn more about discounts →

VAT Calculation at Checkout

Ordery calculates VAT automatically based on which items are marked VAT-exempt.

What customers see:

• Subtotal (after discount)
• Delivery fee (if applicable)
• VAT breakdown (amount and percentage)
• Final total

Example:

• Subtotal: £20
• VAT (20% on taxable items): £2.50
• Delivery fee: £2
• Total: £24.50

Learn more about VAT →

Payment Processing

Ordery uses Stripe to process card payments securely.

How Payment Works

1. Customer enters card details
2. Stripe validates the card
3. Payment is authorised and charged
4. Order is confirmed and sent to your admin panel

Security:

• Card details are handled by Stripe (PCI-compliant)
• Ordery never stores full card numbers
• Customers see "Secure checkout" indicators

Payment Declined

If payment fails, customers see an error message.

Common reasons:

• Insufficient funds
• Card declined by bank
• Incorrect card details
• Fraud check failed

What customers should do: Try a different card or contact their bank.

Order Confirmation

After placing an order successfully, customers see a confirmation page.

What customers see:

• "Order placed successfully!"
• Order number
• Summary of items and total
• Estimated delivery or pickup time
• Link to track the order

What customers receive:

• Email confirmation — Full order details, items, total, and tracking link
• SMS confirmation (if phone provided) — Brief confirmation with order number

💡 Tip: Encourage customers to save the tracking link or email for easy access later.

Order Tracking Lookup

Customers can track their order status using a secure lookup system.

How to Access Order Tracking

Option 1: Click the link in the confirmation email The email includes a direct link to the tracking page.

Option 2: Use the tracking lookup page

1. Visit your storefront
2. Click "Track Order" (if available) or visit /store/order-tracking
3. Enter order number and email address
4. Click "Track Order"

How it works: Ordery generates a secure Base64URL token based on the order number and email. This ensures only the customer can access their order details.

ℹ️ Note: Tracking pages are not indexed by search engines for privacy.

Order Status Timeline

The tracking page shows the order's current status and timeline.

Status Steps

For delivery orders:

1. Order received — Your order has been placed
2. Preparing — We're making your order
3. Out for delivery — Your order is on the way
4. Delivered — Order completed

For pickup orders:

1. Order received — Your order has been placed
2. Preparing — We're making your order
3. Ready for pickup — Come and collect your order
4. Completed — Order collected

For table service:

1. Order received — Your order has been placed
2. Preparing — We're making your order
3. Ready — Your order is on its way to your table
4. Completed — Order delivered

How it works: As you update order statuses in the admin panel, customers see progress on the tracking page.

💡 Tip: Keep order statuses up to date so customers always know where their order is.

Order Summary on Tracking Page

Customers see the full order details:

• Order number
• Items ordered (names, quantities, prices)
• Fulfilment type and details (delivery address, pickup instructions, table number)
• Order total breakdown
• Estimated time or scheduled time
• Current status

Invalid Tracking Tokens

If a customer tries to access an order with incorrect details, they're redirected.

What happens:

• Invalid tokens show an error or redirect to the lookup page
• Prevents unauthorised access to other customers' orders

Best Practices

Update Statuses Promptly

• Customers check tracking frequently
• Seeing progress builds trust
• Reduces "where's my order?" calls

Encourage Customers to Save the Tracking Link

• Mention it in the confirmation email
• Display it prominently on the confirmation page

Communicate Delays Proactively

• If an order is running late, call or text the customer
• Update the status with a note if possible

Test the Checkout Flow

• Place test orders regularly
• Verify emails and SMS arrive
• Check that tracking links work

Common Questions

Q: Can customers check out without creating an account? Yes, Ordery uses guest checkout. No account required.

Q: Can customers save their details for future orders? Ordery uses guest checkout. Customer accounts and saved details are not currently available.

Q: What if a customer loses the tracking link? They can use the order tracking lookup page by entering their order number and email.

Q: Can customers cancel or modify orders after checkout? They must contact you directly. Changes are made through the admin panel.

Q: What payment methods are accepted? Credit and debit cards via Stripe. Cash or other methods are not supported online (handle those manually).

Q: Can customers split payment across multiple cards? No, one payment method per order.

Q: Do customers need to provide their phone number? It's optional, but recommended for SMS notifications.

Q: How long are tracking links valid? Tracking links remain valid indefinitely, but orders are typically viewable for a set period after completion.

What's Next?

With checkout and tracking understood, explore:

• Storefront Overview — Customer browsing experience
• Managing Orders — Handle orders on your end
• Notifications — SMS and email notifications for customers

Back to Help Centre