Two common approaches to delivery zone enforcement: validate against a list of allowed postcodes, or calculate whether the delivery address falls within a radius from your depot. Both have tradeoffs. For Finnish commerce, postcode-based validation is usually more practical.
| Feature | Delivery Zone | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Setup complexity | ✓ Paste a postcode list or import CSV | Requires geocoding every address |
| Coverage accuracy | ✓ Matches real postal boundaries | Circle may include areas you don't serve |
| Handles rural areas | ✓ Yes — each postcode is explicit | Radius can miss or include wrong areas |
| Requires full street address | ✓ No — postcode only | Yes — needs a geocodeable address |
| Maintenance | ✓ Postcode list updated as new data becomes available | Radius stays fixed but postal changes affect it |
| Privacy implications | ✓ Postcode only — lower personal data risk | Full address needed — more personal data in transit |
| Works with Finnish postal system | ✓ Yes — built for Finnish postcodes | Depends on geocoding quality for rural FI |