Address Correction

Address correction occurs when a carrier fixes an incorrect shipping address to successfully deliver a package. While helpful, this service typically comes with a fee charged back to the shipper.

Common Address Errors

Missing information:

• No apartment/unit number
• Missing suite or floor
• No directional (N, S, E, W)
• Incomplete street name

Incorrect information:

• Wrong ZIP code
• Misspelled street
• Old/outdated address
• Wrong city

Formatting issues:

• Number transposition
• Abbreviated incorrectly
• Missing street type (St, Ave, Blvd)

Address Correction Fees

Note: Fees are per package and can add up quickly for multi-package shipments.

How Address Correction Works

1. Package arrives at facility - Near destination
2. Address doesn’t match - System flags issue
3. Carrier researches - Database lookup, local knowledge
4. Address corrected - Updated in system
5. Package delivered - To corrected address
6. Fee charged - Added to shipper’s invoice

When Corrections Aren’t Possible

Package returned if:

• Address completely wrong
• Person doesn’t exist at address
• No valid address found
• Recipient refuses correction

Results in:

• Return to sender
• Return shipping charges
• Lost sale/delayed delivery
• Customer frustration

Preventing Address Corrections

Use Address Verification

• Validate addresses at checkout
• Use USPS Address API
• Implement autocomplete
• Flag suspicious addresses

Standardize Addresses

• Follow USPS formatting
• Use proper abbreviations
• Include unit numbers
• Verify ZIP+4

Customer Communication

• Confirm address before shipping
• Ask for apartment numbers
• Verify new move addresses
• Double-check international addresses

Address Verification Tools

Best option for shippers:

• I’d Ship That - Validates addresses automatically when you compare rates. Catches errors before you pay for a label, saving you $18-$21 correction fees.

Other free options:

• USPS Address Lookup
• Google Address Autocomplete

Commercial solutions:

• SmartyStreets (per-lookup fees)
• Melissa (subscription)
• Lob (per-lookup fees)
• EasyPost (requires integration)

E-commerce platform integrations:

• Shopify address validation
• WooCommerce plugins
• BigCommerce apps

Address Correction vs. Undeliverable

Business Impact

Costs of bad addresses:

• Correction fees ($18-$21 each)
• Return shipping costs
• Reshipping expenses
• Customer service time
• Lost customers

A 5% bad address rate on 1,000 shipments:

• 50 corrections × $20 = $1,000 in fees
• Plus returns, reships, and time costs

Best Practices for Shippers

1. Validate before shipping - Use verification APIs
2. Require complete addresses - Make fields mandatory
3. Use standardized formatting - USPS conventions
4. Confirm with customers - Especially for expensive items
5. Monitor correction fees - Track and address patterns
6. Update customer records - After corrections occur