Address autocomplete, verification, and customer satisfaction: The unseen connection
“Remote shopping, while entirely feasible, will flop.” Time Magazine (1966). This statement is laughable in today’s society. In the last 60 years, online purchasing has become a daily event, and more online purchases are being made every year.
In fact, In 2024, total ecommerce sales in the United States reached approximately $1.19 trillion, marking an 8.1% increase from 2023. Notably, ecommerce accounted for 16.1% of total retail sales in 2024, up from 15.3% the previous year.
These purchases aren't just small dollars anymore. People are becoming more and more comfortable making large purchases online—the average order value on desktops is $155, and on mobile devices, it's $112.
Everyone loves their phone. Undoubtedly, technology will develop more ways to make placing orders via phone easier. Mobile shopping is projected to account for 59% of retail ecommerce sales, equating to $4.01 trillion by 2025. Wowie!
As the customer’s comfort level increases, so does the order amount. At the end of 2024, Amazon reported that Kobe Bryant's signed sneakers were sold for over $115,800, and other collector items are currently listed for over $1M online!
Speaking of Amazon, they've raised the bar for customer satisfaction and “easy purchasing” in the online world that many businesses struggle to match without much hope of surpassing. According to Statista, 21% of U.S. customers highlighted Amazon's streamlined checkout process as a key aspect of its customer service.
A new standard for the ideal online customer experience, user experience, and checkout has been set.
Every time customers enter their information during checkout, they subconsciously judge your brand. While they might not consciously notice a smooth address entry experience, they certainly remember a frustrating one.
This first touchpoint sets the tone for the entire post-purchase journey.
Not only is it essential to make a good first impression, but both the users and the sellers immediately benefit from a best-in-class address entry experience, and the positive effect impacts the entire customer and brand experience from that moment forward.
- Checkout friction is gone
- Customer communication is accurate
- Inventory was in stock
- Shipping estimates are on point
- Packages arrive on time
- Operations run smoothly
- Shipping and logistics can confidently send orders
- Fewer package returns/item restock/reship orders
- Customer service spends less time answering “Where is my order?” calls and chats and then needing to make things right for the customer.
- Marketing materials reach their targeted destinations
- Customers return for another great experience
Competing in this “get-it-now” world is tough. Customer expectations are higher than ever. 72% of customers want immediate service and expect it, and 57% of customers say they would switch to a company’s competitor due to just one bad customer experience.
You have to be on top of your game just to survive. But, to really thrive in such a saturated market, you need to prioritize exceptional customer experiences and adapt to the growing demand for immediacy without losing quality.
You can start by offering a better checkout with address autocomplete and verification.
Real-world success stories of a better checkout with autocomplete
Companies implementing address autocomplete and verification (*Ahem* Fabletics, anyone?) see reduced cart abandonment rates, fewer customer service inquiries, and improved delivery success rates. Conversion rates soar when you make the road to buying bump-free for your customers and maintain a database you can rely on.
The investment in address tools pays dividends across multiple business metrics while silently elevating the customer experience behind the scenes.
The importance of accurate data
Accuracy with address data, in general, is essential and can save money and lives. But just like our streaming and shopping platforms (and pretty much everything else), we want that accuracy now.
Address autocomplete transforms the tedious task of address entry for your customers and internal teams into a quick, intuitive experience and reduces the window for errors. After 1 keystroke, verified, correctly formatted address suggestions appear for selection to reduce the possibility of mistakes and enable your users to quickly go through checkout (or fill out any type of address form).
While some customers initially believe they prefer manual address entry for greater control, data shows that autocomplete actually gives users more confidence in their input.
"You want to correct my address? Yeah, OK. Maybe I fat-fingered a part of it."
Speedway Motors significantly improved conversion rates and overall customer satisfaction using autocomplete technology at checkout.
Pairing address autocomplete with verification gives your business the ultimate address security. After submitting the address form, address verification will check the information entered against authoritative databases. If a typo has snuck in, or a fat finger added an extra 3 (because, despite all efforts, even with autocomplete, people can still make mistakes), address verification fixes these mistakes and ensures every address is correctly formatted to USPS standards.
If a mistake is found, the verification will kindly suggest in a pop-up, “Did you mean this instead?” Once the customer selects the updated address, they’re on to the next thing.
Shippo has reduced undeliverable packages by 22%, with over 420M+ accurate addresses verified in a year!
Incorporating address verification into your processes after autocomplete ensures certainty that each address is accurate and deliverable, all without hindering customer experience and maintaining speed.
Every second matters when it comes to online purchasing. Customers get a better checkout with autocomplete. It makes a critical difference as an address is often the longest form in the checkout process. Organizations that offer address assist tools see higher conversion rates and fewer delivery issues than those relying on manual address entry.
The cost of bad data
We mentioned it earlier, but accurate address data goes beyond providing the best possible customer experience. It reduces shipping errors and re-shipping costs (paying postage again, buying more packaging supplies, potential lost business, greater potential damage to products being sent on the road AGAIN, etc.), which can decrease customer and CEO satisfaction.
Some organizations check their address database for mistakes and inaccuracies once a month or once per quarter. Sounds reasonable, but it creates a big ol’ window of error in our fast-paced society. Addresses change over time, people move, and well-meaning employees can make typos when interacting with your data. An outdated database causes issues for your company, such as wasted resources, misplaced marketing, and undeliverable packages.
Every misdelivered package tells a customer, "We don't care enough to get it right." When shipments get lost due to address errors, the impact goes beyond the frustration and the angry support call—it erodes trust in your brand. It increases the likelihood that customers will choose competitors for future purchases. NPS scores dive into the pit of despair.
Many organizations invest in product quality control but not customer data quality control. Address verification acts like a digital quality control system, catching potential delivery problems before they occur. By confirming addresses against postal databases, organizations can ensure packages start their journey with the correct destination on the box, eliminating a major source of customer service headaches.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease. So, you probably only hear about undelivered packages and mail. Customers rarely praise a successful delivery, but they'll NEVER forget a failed one.
You have the tools. Nip that in the bud by preventing bad address data from being involved in your processes in the first place. Create a reliable service that builds long-term loyalty (more money) while reducing support calls (saving money).
A personalized approach
Let's look beyond the basic delivery of mail.
With good address data tools, you can give your customers a unique and personalized experience. That's right; we claim that accurate address data is a foundation for meaningful personalization.
Put that on a vinyl sticker and post it on your fridge.
When retailers know exactly where their customers are, they can create tailored experiences. This can include same-day delivery where available, suggesting nearby pickup locations, or even providing region-specific services that make customers feel special.
Benefits go beyond what customers experience. Address data could help you better understand your customers' demographics, evaluate an area's buying habits, and make your CEO happy that you saved them a bunch of time and money.
Data shows that customers overwhelmingly prefer buying from organizations that understand and cater to their specific circumstances. Everyone wants to feel special. Prioritizing your customer’s wants and needs creates a connection that most others can't match. It makes your customers feel seen.
Unseen, completely avoidable costs
Let's take a moment to really put the microscope on the worst-case situation.
When customers have to write their entire address on a form, they may already be frustrated, especially if their address is Office Of Governor & Lieutenant Governor, 75 Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Ste 130, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55155-1611. (Yes, that’s an actual address)
Making them painfully find every letter (especially on a tiny phone or tablet screen where most purchases are made) gives your brand negative vibes, especially if you don't store that address for their next purchase.
Next, imagine they mistype the address, and their package fails to arrive on time or at all.
This triggers a costly chain reaction that involves customer support, shipping, finance, and additional time and fees. But more costly than all this is the fact that the customer has now had 2 bad experiences with your organization.
This is difficult to measure in dollars because it’s an opportunity cost. Still, the erosion of customer confidence that occurs with each delivery failure is the most expensive part. They’ll be upset and tell their friends and family, and those people may also spread the bad word if someone else were to ask about it. “No, don’t order from them. One time, my friend told me…” You get the gist.
Address errors create a hidden tax on customer service teams, too. Employees spend valuable time tracking down correct addresses, managing reshipments, and attempting to salvage customer relationships. While necessary, these interactions represent missed opportunities to focus on more valuable customer engagement, improving relationships instead of trying to save them.
Consistently having to defend mistakes from bad data to angry customers can be exhausting, and you may have a lot of turnover in your customer service teams. Finding new people (and paying to retrain them) will add additional costs to this bad address conglomerate.
Conclusion
Every misdelivered package tells a story about your attention to detail. Customers might forgive a one-off mistake, but repeated delivery issues erode trust—and regaining it costs far more than preventing errors in the first place. After two failed deliveries, they won’t risk buying from you again, even for a Klondike Bar.
Address autocomplete and verification do more than reduce shipping errors—it builds trust. When customers experience an easy, smooth checkout experience and receive their orders on time and as promised, they buy more and refer others.
A seamless, reliable checkout experience with address autocomplete reinforces professionalism and increases your brand reputation across all devices and touchpoints.
One address—one commerce experience. Accurate data improves everything from online orders to in-store pickup. Higher conversion rates, fewer customer service headaches, and stronger brand loyalty follow.
The data tells a compelling story. Companies that implement address verification and autocomplete consistently report:
- Higher conversion rates from smoother checkouts
- Reduced customer service burdens
- Stronger customer lifetime values
- More reliable delivery experiences
- Better omnichannel coordination
Accurate address handling isn’t a luxury—it’s a competitive necessity. Every misdelivery, manual correction, and frustrated customer is a lost opportunity. The question isn’t whether to invest in address verification—it’s whether you can afford not to. 🎤⬇️
