what3words: Mapping the World with Three Words and WooCommerce

Streamlining Location Sharing

When musician Chris Sheldrick first faced a band that couldn’t find a festival backstage area, he knew this was a problem many face every day. No postal address or street name can pin down a precise spot on a beach or in a remote area. He teamed up with a mathematician friend to sketch a solution on a napkin.

The Three-Word Grid

Their plan was simple: split the world into squares measuring three meters by three meters and assign each a unique three-word tag. Users type or say three words like ahead.domino.freckles and they get an exact map pin, even where no street exists. A single typo in spelling is less likely than errors in a long numeric coordinate and the words are easier to remember.

Launching the App and API

Once the basic grid and word list were in place, the founders built a free mobile app for iOS and Android. They also released an API for businesses. Early adopters included global carmakers, emergency responders, and delivery services. Mercedes-Benz and Ford drivers can speak a three-word address into their navigation while UK ambulance services use it to dispatch crews instantly. Domino’s in Sint Maarten now delivers pizza faster by asking customers for their what3words address.

E-commerce and the WooCommerce Sign Shop

To let people show off their unique address, what3words opened a sign shop powered by WooCommerce. Buyers pick materials, colors, and sizes then preview their three words live on the product page. A custom plugin captures those words at checkout and embeds them in the order details, so each sign prints correctly and ships without extra back-and-forth.

Driving Adoption with Real-World Signs

Thousands of hotels, restaurants, parks, and food trucks have added their three-word tags to their websites, social posts, and even storefront signs. Seeing a physical plaque or sticker sparks curiosity and drives new app downloads. As more people spot these tags in public, they join the network and share their own locations with ease.

Business Impact and Efficiency

For e-commerce merchants, the free what3words plugin adds an AutoSuggest field to checkout so customers enter precise three-word addresses. This extra layer of detail cuts down on delivery errors and customer support tickets. Companies that adopt the API also report faster routing and fewer failed deliveries.

Global Reach and Future Growth

Supported in over 26 languages and deployed across North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, what3words has given many communities their first stable addressing method. Emergency responders, humanitarian agencies, logistics providers, and drivers across industries now rely on three words instead of house numbers. The team continues to refine word lists and expand coverage to every corner of the globe.

Looking Ahead

With each new integration and sign displayed in the wild, what3words grows more familiar. Businesses can instantly improve location accuracy by installing the free WooCommerce plugin or integrating the SaaS API into their own systems. As downloads climb and partnerships expand, the vision of a global addressing standard inches closer to reality.