Invalid address?

bricksinbins

I always do a quick sanity check on a customer's address and now I have one where the listed address appears to be invalid. Google Maps can't find it and I have tried some other searches and checks too. Everything indicates there's no matching street and postal code.
I have sent messages to the customer but no reply so far. I don't feel comfortable shipping to an address where everything indicates it's invalid. Any of you faced this before?

Thanks,
Ken

Hoddie

I know from personal experience that it can take months for new builds to appear on Royal Mail's address database, and presumably it then takes time for third party users to introduce the new data into their own applications. It'll probably be similar the world over. You might struggle to arrange tracked shipping to an address the courier doesn't recognise.

I've only ever really struggled to confirm addresses when the customer is from the far east. Singapore, Malaysia and places like that, which western 'one size fits all' address input forms don't tend to cope well with.

bricksinbins

I got a reply back and he gave me a similar address that exists on Google Maps. This is in France and I don't know if they have cases where a street can have more than one "official" name. Hopefully he will confirm that both names will work. It's not a high value order but I of course still want to avoid problems if possible.

robernat

@bricksinbins
Google Maps can run years behind, they don't check every street each year ;-)
Try a GPS (preferably one that has had recent updates) to look up the address if you're unsure, allthough it also can take several months before new streets are registered in it.

bricksinbins

In this case the street exists in Google Maps, just with a slightly different name. It starts with Rue instead of Lotissement. But Rue seems to mean "street" so I guess not really too important to the actual main name.

robernat

@bricksinbins
A 'lotissement' is a 'parcel zone': it is used by governments when new construction zones are being created. Not unlikely a new street was build from a T-section in the existing street, in that case they use the 'parcel' name as long as there is 't an official street name (which might be the same if the numbering in the street allows it). If the buyer used 'lotissement' in his address, it is better to use that, as his local postservice would know where to go...

bricksinbins

That's good to know. Buyer said either way will work so hopefully all goes well.