Address Autocomplete

Address autocomplete is a type-ahead and addresses validation feature which refers to the ability to suggest a complete and verified address from typing a partial address into a web service portal, such as an e-commerce website for purchasing merchandise online from a retailer.

More simply, when users perform an address search, the autocomplete feature performs a parallel address verification as they begin typing in a form. They can then select the correct address when they see it appear. To recognize street names and towns from just a few keystrokes, an address database is needed.

An address autocomplete API is an application programming interface (API) that gives options for type-ahead search functionality in programmers’ applications. As the program sends queries as the user enters an address, the API provides real-time address predictions with each keystroke.

Address autocomplete feature facilitates the online ordering and checkout process (BOPIS) by reducing the number of keystrokes and the possibility of typographical errors in the billing information. This ensures that orders are always delivered to the right addresses. Because it minimizes the shopper’s potential fatigue and frustration, it enhances user experience and helps decrease cart abandonment rates, which is important to consider for e-commerce. It is also critical when an address is used as the basis for an insurance policy underwriting process.

Combined with geocoding, which assigns geographic coordinates to a postal code, address autocompletion allows for faster and more accurate data transmission, improving data quality, and limiting invalid entries. This is a crucial element of any data governance strategy, as it standardizes addresses to local postal authority formats and validates that an address is real and that it can be mailed to.

Here is an example of an address autocomplete designed by Korem for Jean Coutu:

Choosing to use an address autocomplete API in your website or project is a smart move, but you also need to choose the right API to meet your needs. Even if each user has different needs, it is still possible to identify the most common and useful features of an autocomplete tool.

Here are six of them:

1. Has a geolocation feature to locate a user approximately according to his IP address;
2. Provides secondary unit (apartments numbers) in addition to the primary address;
3. Processes post office boxes (POBs), army post offices (APOs), fleet post offices (FPOs), and diplomat post offices (DPOs);
4. Standardizes and validates addresses;
5. Provides only real addresses;
6. Includes non-postal addresses, i.e., addresses not in the USPS or Canada Post address database.

Auto-correct is a type of software that identifies misspelled words in word processors or messaging platforms. It uses algorithms to identify the words most likely to have been intended by the person and edits the text accordingly.

Just like address autocomplete, auto-correct helps users type faster as they don’t have to go back and correct themselves. It also makes it easier for them to type words on mobile devices with touchscreens and tiny keyboards. Auto-correction is mostly effective with common and straightforward words and typos.

The algorithms of auto-correct programs are not infallible and can introduce mistakes in sentences. This is especially the case with auto spelling correction programs for smartphones, as they are more active to facilitate typing on small keyboards.

With its geocoding function, HERE Location Services enables you to easily search for addresses or points of interest thanks to the autocomplete function. Address Normalization, which ensures that your billing mailings always reach your customers, and Precisely APIs, which allow you to access and integrate geospatial web services on demand, also have a type-ahead feature to correct addresses in real-time.

The St-Hubert success story proves very well the usefulness of having an efficient online ordering platform with a type-ahead function. Indeed, by migrating to the cloud with Korem’s help, the restaurant chain was able to increase its address match rate from 75% to 96%, which, among other things, accelerated order processing time and reduced call center load.

Korem can help you optimize your e-commerce or online ordering website with the help of address autocompletion.

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