Few experiences are as frustrating as eagerly awaiting an international package, only to have it delayed or returned due to an incorrect address. What begins as a simple clerical error can escalate into wasted time, money, and potentially disrupted business operations. Address errors remain one of the most common pitfalls in cross-border shipping, but with proper knowledge, you can minimize their impact.
Common Address Errors That Trigger Rerouting or Returns
Understanding these frequent mistakes can help prevent shipping mishaps:
- Missing or incorrect basic information: Omitting postal codes, entering wrong street numbers, misspelling city/country names (e.g., "Lodon" instead of "London"), or incorrect recipient names.
- Incomplete details: Partial addresses without building numbers, invalid phone numbers, or missing company department/floor information (e.g., omitting "Front Desk, Marketing Department").
- Remote or invalid locations: Addresses in carrier-excluded areas or nonexistent locations (abandoned streets, fictitious buildings).
- Formatting mistakes: Failing to follow destination-specific conventions (e.g., U.S. addresses require "ZIP code + city + street," while Japanese addresses need "prefecture + city + town").
Rerouting Services: Salvaging Your Shipment
When possible, address correction and rerouting prove more efficient than returns. Rerouting modifies the delivery address before final attempt, subject to conditions like same-region redirection and timely request submission.
Cost Structure
- Express carriers (DHL/FedEx): $11-$28 per shipment, plus potential remote area surcharges ($4-$14). Cross-country rerouting incurs full recalculated shipping costs.
- Specialty carriers: $7-$21 per shipment, with weight-based fees ($0.30-$0.70/kg) for parcels exceeding 20kg.
- Postal services: $4-$11 for same-region corrections, with many European and North American routes prohibiting rerouting entirely.
Time Considerations
Rerouting typically adds 2-5 delivery days. Major metropolitan areas (London, New York) may experience only 2-3 day delays, while remote locations could face 5-7 day extensions. Requests processed at final distribution centers minimize delays to 1-2 days.
Return Services: The Costly Last Resort
When rerouting proves impossible—due to international address changes, invalid locations, or unreachable recipients—returns become inevitable, carrying significantly higher expenses.
Financial Implications
- Return shipping: 1.5-2 times original freight costs, plus potential remote area fees.
- Customs clearance: Additional $7-$28 per shipment for re-entry processing.
- Storage fees: Daily charges of $0.70-$2.80 during foreign warehouse holds, potentially doubling after seven days. Some jurisdictions automatically destroy goods unclaimed after 30 days without compensation.
Timeframe Impact
Returns require 2-3 times the original transit duration: 15-30 days for Europe/North America, 20-45 days for Middle East/Africa routes. Unpredictable factors like return flight availability and customs processing create further variability.
Prevention and Damage Control Strategies
Implement these measures to avoid or mitigate address-related issues:
- Pre-shipment verification: Cross-check all details against destination country formats, utilizing carrier validation tools when available.
- Immediate action: Request corrections within 24 hours of dispatch when packages remain at sorting facilities for lowest-cost adjustments.
- Clear communication: Specify error types and corrected addresses precisely when requesting service changes, documenting all correspondence.
- Strategic decision-making: Prioritize same-region rerouting, evaluate return costs versus merchandise value for cross-border corrections, and consider abandonment for low-value items.
- Redundant contacts: Provide recipient backup phone numbers and alternative delivery contacts (neighbors, reception desks) to prevent failed delivery attempts.
While international shipping errors may seem minor, their consequences can prove disproportionately expensive. Proper preparation and timely response remain the most effective safeguards against delivery disruptions.