Service Area Analytics Playbook

This feature is new and still in development; refinements to the data recorded and improvements to how it is displayed will be made in the future.

Every time a customer performs a search that returns 2 or fewer outlets, Redbox records it as a Failed Search. These entries are logged in a dedicated report, giving you clear visibility into where customers are searching and not finding enough choice.

A customer's failed search isn't a problem; it’s an opportunity. Every failed search represents real demand: a customer actively seeking to find something your marketplace could be providing. Meeting existing demand is always easier, cheaper, and more effective than trying to create new demand from scratch.

By capturing this data, Redbox gives you clear insight into where people want to order, when they want to order, and what fulfilment types they’re looking for. This allows you to make informed, high‑impact decisions that directly grow your marketplace.

Why Failed Searches Matter

Failed Search data is one of the most valuable indicators of unmet demand across your marketplace. It helps you understand:

• Where users are searching with no or few available outlets

• When customers cannot order due to closed opening hours

• Which fulfilment types are underserved

• Whether guests or returning customers are being turned away

Delivery Zone Coverage Failures Report

Each row in the report includes:

• Search Type
  The method used by the customer, e.g. Postcode, Address, or Coordinates.

• Search Term
  The exact location value entered by the user. Linked terms open that location directly in Google Maps, making it easy to see the precise area your customers were searching.

• Hit Count
  The number of outlets returned by that search, 0, 1, or 2. (Searches returning 3 or more outlets are not included.)

• Customer
  Whether the search was performed by a Guest User or a logged‑in user. Logged‑in users appear with their name and a link to their customer profile.

• Search Date
  The date and time the search occurred.

• When Type
  The fulfilment timing selected, Anytime, Now, or a Pre‑order time.

• Fulfilments
  The fulfilment types the customer was browsing for (Delivery, Collection, Table). Multiple options may be included depending on the search.

Failed Searches Heatmap

Each Failed Search is also displayed visually as part of your marketplace’s Failed Searches Heatmap. The heatmap helps you:

• Spot high‑traffic areas without enough outlet coverage

• See geographical patterns of unmet demand

This visual layer makes it easy to prioritise expansion based on real customer behaviour.

How to Use This Data

You can act on Failed Searches in several impactful ways:

• Expand delivery areas
  Ask existing outlets to widen their delivery radius to cover postcodes that regularly appear in the report. Outlets could consider increasing delivery costs to these wider areas if needed.

• Recruit new outlets
  Identify high‑demand regions where customers are searching but low options exist.

• Review outlet opening hours
  If many failed searches happen late at night or early morning, you may encourage suitable outlets to extend their operating hours.

• Increase fulfilment coverage
  If customers repeatedly fail searches for Delivery Now, you can ask your delivery outlets to increase their ASAP opening hours.