Address Verification

Address Verification, also known as Address Validation, is the process of confirming the accuracy and existence of an address.

What Address Verification does:

• Checks existence: Verifies the address matches an entry in an authoritative database, typically from postal services or other official sources. This ensures the address is recognized and deliverable.
• Corrects format: Standardizes the address format according to official guidelines. This includes formatting elements like street names, abbreviations, and postal codes.
• Completes missing information: Fills in missing details like apartment numbers, directional indicators, or postal codes based on the database and standard formats.
• Detects potential errors: Identifies inconsistencies or unlikely elements in the address, flagging them for review.

Learn more in our article: What is Address Verification? 

Why Address Validation is important:

• Reduces delivery failures: Ensures packages and mail reach the intended recipient, minimizing lost or returned items.
• Improves data quality: Maintains accurate and standardized address information in databases for better organization and analysis.
• Enhances customer experience: Ensures smooth deliveries and communication, leading to customer satisfaction.
• Reduces costs: Saves expenses associated with failed deliveries, returned shipments, and data corrections.
• Complies with regulations: Certain industries, like e-commerce, may have regulations requiring address verification for fraud prevention or tax purposes.

Address Validation can be used for a variety of purposes, including:

• Fraud prevention: Address validation helps prevent fraudulent transactions by checking that the billing address provided by a customer matches the address used for their credit card.
• Marketing: By using address validation, you'll improve the accuracy of your marketing lists, mitigating wasted spend and meaning customer communications reach their target.
• Shipping: Using validated address means your packages will be delivered to the correct address - and lost or returned shipments are a thing of the past.

How are addresses validated? 

There are a number of different ways to verify an address, including:

• Comparing the address to a database of known addresses: The most common method of address verification. Businesses will typically purchase access to databases of addresses from a variety of vendors and then check against them to ensure accuracy.
• Using a geocoding service: A geocoding service can be used to convert an address into a latitude and longitude. This can be helpful for verifying that an address is located in a valid area.
• Contacting the postal service: The postal service can also be used to verify that an address is deliverable.

The best method of address verification will vary depending on the specific needs of the business or organization, but typically a geocoding service is the best way to ensure accuracy and integrate quickly with existing operations.

As we hope we've outlined, address validation is a crucial tool for businesses and organizations dealing with physical deliveries, data management, and customer interactions. Loqate's Verify solution is the perfect way to get started with incorporating address validation in your business, accurately verifying addresses at the point of entry.