Address Validation and Correction

Address Validation and Correction

Invalid addresses cause delivery failures, returns, and additional costs. AtoShip's address validation helps catch problems before you ship.

Why Address Validation Matters

Costs of Bad Addresses:

• Return shipping fees ($5-15 per package)
• Re-shipping costs
• Lost merchandise
• Customer dissatisfaction
• Carrier surcharges

Common Address Issues:

• Misspelled street names
• Wrong ZIP codes
• Missing apartment numbers
• Outdated addresses
• Non-existent addresses

How Validation Works

USPS Address Matching: AtoShip validates against the official USPS database:

1. Parse address components
2. Standardize formatting
3. Match against database
4. Return validation status
5. Suggest corrections

Validation Responses:

Using Address Validation

Single Address:

1. Enter address in shipping form
2. Click "Validate Address"
3. Review any suggestions
4. Accept or modify

Batch Validation:

1. Import orders
2. Click "Validate All"
3. Review flagged addresses
4. Process corrections in bulk

Understanding Corrections

Automatic Corrections:

• ZIP code completion (5 → 9 digit)
• Street suffix standardization (Street → ST)
• Directional abbreviations (North → N)
• State abbreviations
• City name spelling

Example:

Input:  123 Main Street North, Anytown, California 90210
Output: 123 N MAIN ST, ANYTOWN, CA 90210-1234

Residential vs Commercial

Why It Matters:

• Different carrier rates apply
• Delivery timing differs
• Service options vary
• Some carriers have residential surcharges

Detection: AtoShip automatically detects address type:

• Residential: Homes, apartments
• Commercial: Businesses, offices
• Mixed-use: Reviewed case-by-case

Address Verification Levels

Level 1 - Basic:

• Format validation
• ZIP code exists
• State matches ZIP
• Fast, free

Level 2 - USPS DPV:

• Delivery Point Validation
• Confirms deliverability
• Detects vacant addresses
• More accurate

Level 3 - Full:

• Complete verification
• Suite/unit validation
• Address type detection
• Highest accuracy

Handling Undeliverable Addresses

When Address Can't Be Validated:

1. Check for typos

   • Common: O/0, I/1, similar letters
   • Street number vs ZIP mix-ups

2. Verify with customer

   • Send confirmation email
   • Provide suggested corrections
   • Ask for landmarks/notes

3. Use carrier tools

   • USPS ZIP code lookup
   • UPS address validation
   • Google Maps verification

Address Book Features

Saving Validated Addresses:

• Store for repeat customers
• Skip re-validation
• Auto-complete on entry
• Update when corrections made

Managing Address Book:

Dashboard → Address Book → Add/Edit

International Address Validation

Challenges:

• Different formats per country
• Various postal code systems
• Local language variations
• Less standardized data

Best Practices:

• Include country code always
• Use English transliteration
• Verify postal codes separately
• Include phone numbers

Common Validation Errors

"Address Not Found":

• New construction
• Rural routes
• PO Boxes with errors
• Recent street changes

"Multiple Matches":

• Ambiguous address
• Missing unit number
• Duplicate street names
• Need more specifics

Best Practices

Before Shipping:

1. Always validate new addresses
2. Review all "partial" matches
3. Update customer records with corrections
4. Save validated addresses

Customer Communication:

• Ask for complete addresses
• Request apartment/unit numbers
• Confirm spelling of street names
• Verify ZIP codes

Address Validation API

For developers integrating with AtoShip:

POST /api/v1/addresses/validate
{
  "address": {
    "line1": "123 Main St",
    "city": "Anytown",
    "state": "CA",
    "zip": "90210"
  }
}

Response includes:

• Validation status
• Corrected address
• Confidence score
• Address type (residential/commercial)