fetchify

Turning addresses into strategic insights

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:44:35 GMT

As a customer data verification software provider, we’ve been helping businesses ensure that they deliver products purchased by their customers online, to the right people at the right time since 2008.

Take our longstanding Postcode Lookup service, for example. Businesses that incorporate this at their online checkout enable customers to quickly – and accurately – add their address simply by inputting their postcode.

For the end user making a purchase, it’s a frictionless way to add their address details. For our customers, this translates into smoother conversions and consistently valid data. It also reduces the risk of failed or returned deliveries, because the information entered is drawn directly from Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File (PAF) and confirmed by the end user before they click “buy now”.

In the 18 years since our inception, our products and services have evolved to include email, phone number, and even bank account validations at the point of checkout, too.

At the heart of everything we do is data - and our ability to harness it to improve the end‑user experience while reducing the risk of input errors.

However, no two addresses are the same.

A changing property landscape

The UK and Ireland’s property landscape is not only dense but rapidly evolving. There are more and more properties being built that contain more than one home, and planning volumes pertaining to new properties are continually growing.

The Build to Rent market, for example, surpassed 300,000 homes in 2025, according to Knight Frank . The result? More homes are concentrated in smaller spaces, making delivery logistics harder to navigate.

Whilst the property landscape is evolving, if you’re a business that’s responsible for high delivery volumes, you need to evolve with it in order to maintain checkout simplicity for end-users, and reduce the hassle and cost of failed or missing deliveries to maintain profit margins.

Seeing the full picture with Enriched Data

In line with developing a wider product portfolio, we’ve launched Enriched Data – a suite of individual services designed to delve deeper into the nuances of the UK and Ireland’s growing list of addresses.

Each service is available separately, giving businesses the flexibility to choose the specific enrichment they need. Here are four examples of how these services can help organisations that rely on deliveries.

Multiple residences: Accuracy in Every Unit

As previously covered, apartments, shared housing, and multi-family housing are becoming a larger component of the UK and Ireland’s property makeup. If you’re a business that predominantly targets young adults and those more likely to live in high-density housing and multi-occupancy dwellings, then ensuring that your product actually reaches them is possibly as critical to your business as the sale itself.

Our Multiple Residence Data feature enables your customers to instantly identify and input their property at checkout, as our software includes the postcodes of 900,000 properties that fall under housing of this nature.

We’re living in an age where one postcode doesn’t simply represent one street. There are now many levels and layers linked to one postcode. Enriched Data allows you and the delivery services to see them very clearly.

Not-Yet-built: A glimpse into the future

The Royal Mail’s PAF is comprehensive. However, it only covers existing properties.

This is where our Not Yet Built Data feature comes in, which has been developed around Royal Mail’s Not Yet Built database - a specialised, monthly-updated databank identifying over 700,000 UK properties currently in planning or under construction.

The beauty of this dataset is that it allows businesses to identify future customers, validate addresses for new developments before they appear in the main PAF database, and target new-build areas.

Naturally, our Enriched Data services include this dataset, which means that Fetchify customers can use it strategically to engage with future customers and model anticipated demand volumes – even before the building’s foundations are in place.

Rooftop Geocodes: The finer details

In simpler times, a dropped pin would have provided enough information for a delivery driver to make a delivery. However, as property density increases, pressure on delivery drivers intensifies, and the number of online orders continues to grow, delivery details need to be much more explicit.

Through Fetchify’s Rooftop Geocodes feature, businesses can use geocodes to pinpoint an exact delivery location. Not only does a unique geocode provide a level of accuracy that a dropped pin doesn’t, but latitude and longitude coordinates support better logistics and route planning.

And, when used with other mapping tools, it allows businesses to identify location-specific access restrictions and any other obstacles that may provide barriers to delivery.

Eirecodes: Precision for Irish Addresses

Capturing accurate Irish addresses is critical for reliable deliveries, especially in remote areas where inconsistent addressing can cause delays. Eircodes are Ireland’s official postcode system, and each Eircode is unique to a single building. That level of precision can’t be guessed at - it requires the official Eircode database to ensure accuracy.

With Fetchify’s Eircodes data, businesses gain access to the most up‑to‑date Republic of Ireland ECAF dataset, sourced directly from Eircode. For those needing enhanced location detail, the optional ECAD data add‑on provides additional geocodes to further streamline delivery operations.

Eirecodes Data removes ambiguity, cuts the time associated with delivery drivers trying to find an address, and ensures that there are no failed deliveries.

A simple solution to a complicated problem

According to a report , the average cost of a failed delivery stands at £148.21.

When you consider that around 4.2 billion parcels were shipped in 2024, with around 1 per cent (42 million) being lost or damaged, as outlined in an article by The Standard , failed deliveries represent a significant cost for retailers.

The solution? Enriched Data, of course. If you already use Fetchify, then no additional integration or configuration is required, as it works natively with our Address Auto-Complete plugins.

Ready to turn addresses into strategic insights for your business? Our team can help you unlock the full benefits of Enriched Data - from Not-Yet-Built datasets to geocoding - each designed to tackle a different delivery challenge. Reach out to our team to discover how we can help you streamline your operations, cut administration costs, and give your business a competitive edge.

Why clean data provides a competitive advantage

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:27:59 GMT

In the world of software, which underpins ClearCourse and its growing portfolio of software-led brands, we’re never too far away from a conversation about data. And for good reason, too.

Even in 2021, a government report revealed that 99% of participating organisations agreed that data is important to their success. Five years on, it’s now clear how it’s not just having data that’s important, but having the right data.

Clive Humby’s phrase about how data is the new oil is well understood (and well-used, for that matter). However, we recently came across this unattributed quote that goes a little deeper and is certainly more relevant in the context of this article: data is the new gold, but it needs to be mined and refined before it’s valuable.

The lifeblood of modern organisations

Data is now the main currency of the digital economy. Every call, email, campaign and customer interaction depends on it.

With UK businesses undergoing major digital transformation programmes in tandem with navigating the ever-changing AI landscape, a light is being shone on companies’ data weak spots.

What that light is uncovering is how organisations are still struggling with fragmented systems, duplicate records and outdated details, none of which are conducive to operational efficiency, meeting high standards and delivering world-class performance.

Our view is that whilst organisations are still grappling with data efficiency, there’s an opportunity for those who’ve cracked it to use it as a USP; an indicator of excellence, if you will.

So, with that in mind, here are five data-centric areas that we feel organisations should be prioritising.

1. Data is the customer experience engine

The key to delivering good customer service is good data.

If a phone number is wrong, the call fails. If an email bounces, the campaign underperforms. Multiply this by hundreds, if not thousands, of records, and it goes beyond being merely an inconvenience; it’s a significant engagement failure.

Research by Experian in 2025 highlighted how 74 per cent of organisations are actively prioritising data to drive performance, innovation and real-time decision-making, with 85 per cent seeking even more data to make their business a success.

In 2026, clean data should no longer be regarded as a nice-to-have but a key tool in which to build and maintain brand credibility.

2. You get out what you put in

The UK is good at AI, which is reflected in its ability to effectively use predictive analytics, automated outreach and sophisticated CRM systems.

However, AI doesn’t fix bad data – it amplifies it. Any data weak spots and incorrect records will only be magnified when run through AI-led processes. At best, this is likely to counteract an organisation’s desire to benefit from AI. At worst, it could lead to reputational damage.

In our view, clean data isn’t an AI strategy enhancer. It’s an essential prerequisite.

3. Regulatory scrutiny is intensifying

Given how the Information Commissioner’s Office can issue fines of up to £17.5m or four per cent of global annual turnover under UK GDPR, examples of which can be found here , data governance isn’t just a big issue – it’s big business.

Whether you’re contacting individuals without consent, retaining data longer than permitted or sending sensitive data to the wrong recipient, getting it wrong can be very costly.

In today’s digital landscape, clean data isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about protecting your organisation from a legal and reputational standpoint.

4. The hidden cost of dirty data

Bounced emails, failed calls and even returned post are all frustrating – but that’s generally viewed at a micro level through the lens of an individual or even a team.

Step up for a macro view, and what this actually means is significant amounts of time and cost wasted on inefficient marketing spend and lost opportunities.

Duplicate records distort the true picture, and inaccurate segmentation sends organisational money to the wrong places.

Yes, poor campaign performance is generally frowned upon. But it’s the bigger picture cost that will really rock the organisational boat.

Clean data is way bigger than simply boosting campaign performance. It’s the lifeblood of a solid communications strategy and a key aid at the decision-making level.

5. A mindset change

In days gone by, dealing with data was typically perceived as a nuisance; something that you had to address in reaction to impending regulation, an unsuccessful campaign or even a compliance scare.

However, by taking a proactive approach, not only do you avoid the pitfalls of poor data, but you also reap the rewards of having clean data, of which there are many.

From launching new products faster to engaging with your audience on a deeper level, better data yields better results.

By switching mindset from data management as a reactive to a proactive measure, you’re providing more stable foundations for future growth.

Data collection and maintenance are two very different things

In today’s data-driven world, all organisations collect (mine) data. However, not all of them manage (refine) it appropriately.

Simply having more data doesn’t make your organisation better. Data volume doesn’t necessarily equate to increasing your bottom line or boosting engagement across your supporter base. It’s having clean, usable and relevant data that will help your organisation stand out whilst ensuring that you’re on the right side of the compliance fence.

Data cleansing and ongoing management are now more important than ever before. It helps organisations cut through the noise, avoid costly mistakes and unlock the full potential of their CRM. Not only that, but it also helps provide organisations with a competitive advantage.

Start the year as you mean to go on - with clean, reliable data. Contact our team today to discover how we can help your organisation thrive.

How email marketing turns ecommerce traffic into long term revenue

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:32:32 GMT

Many ecommerce businesses focus heavily on attracting visitors to their website. This makes sense. Without traffic, there are no sales. But what happens after that first visit is often where growth is either unlocked or quietly lost. Even with faster checkout journeys, cleaner address data, and fewer form errors made possible by using Fetchify, most visitors will not convert straight away.

Ecommerce buying decisions are rarely instant. Customers compare prices, check delivery options, and shop across multiple sites before making a decision. They browse, get distracted, or simply decide to come back later.

That behaviour is normal. What matters is whether your business has a way to recognise that interest and follow up once the moment has passed. This is where email marketing plays a critical role in ecommerce growth.

Why email marketing still matters for ecommerce

Email marketing is sometimes underestimated because it feels familiar. Most ecommerce businesses already send emails. But there is a big difference between sending emails and using email strategically.

Email is one of the few channels that allows ecommerce brands to re-engage shoppers without paying again for traffic . Once someone has shown interest, email provides a direct line back to them, whether that interest came from paid advertising, organic search, or previous purchases.

Used well, email marketing supports both conversion and retention , helping businesses get more value from the traffic they already attract.

Not all ecommerce visitors are ready to buy

It is easy to assume that if someone does not convert immediately, the opportunity is gone. In reality, many purchases happen after multiple touchpoints.

Email marketing exists to capture that intent and keep the conversation going.

This might include:

Following up on abandoned baskets
Reminding shoppers about products they viewed
Re-engaging customers who purchased before but have not returned
Encouraging repeat orders and increased lifetime value

Without email in place, these opportunities are often lost, forcing businesses to rely more heavily on paid traffic to generate the same level of revenue.

The ROI case for email marketing

Email marketing consistently delivers strong returns when it is structured correctly.

Industry research supports this. According to Litmus’s 2025 State of Email survey , many companies report very strong returns from email marketing , with a significant share seeing returns of up to 36 times what they spent . While results vary, the pattern is clear. Email performs best when it is automated, behaviour-led, and aligned with the customer journey.

For ecommerce businesses, this means email is not just a communication tool. It is a revenue channel .

What effective ecommerce email marketing looks like

Successful email marketing is not about sending more emails. It is about sending the right message at the right time.

Effective ecommerce email programmes focus on:

Intent-based automation , triggered by real behaviour
Clear segmentation, so messages feel relevant
Timing that reflects where the customer is in their journey

This approach ensures emails support purchasing decisions rather than interrupting them. It also helps build trust, as customers receive messages that make sense based on what they have already done.

Common reasons email marketing underperforms

When email marketing fails to deliver results, it is rarely because the channel does not work. More often, it comes down to execution.

Common issues include:

Over reliance on generic broadcast emails
Poor segmentation
Lack of integration with acquisition activity
Measuring success on opens rather than revenue

Without clear goals and structure, email becomes noise rather than value. With the right approach, it becomes one of the most efficient growth tools available to ecommerce businesses.

How email marketing works alongside paid traffic

Email works best when it supports demand that already exists.

Paid traffic brings visitors to your site. Email ensures that interest is not wasted if a purchase does not happen straight away. Together, they help ecommerce businesses increase return from the same traffic rather than relying on ever higher acquisition spend.

This joined up approach also makes marketing performance easier to measure. Instead of viewing each channel in isolation, businesses can see how traffic, follow-up, and conversion work together.

How this fits with Fetchify

Fetchify helps ecommerce businesses remove friction at checkout by improving data accuracy and reducing form errors. That makes it easier for customers to complete purchases once they are ready.

Email marketing builds on that foundation.

By following up with interested visitors and encouraging repeat purchases, email helps ensure the effort put into acquisition and checkout optimisation delivers lasting value. Together, these elements support a smoother and more profitable customer journey.

As part of the ClearCourse group, Fetchify customers can access specialist email marketing teams who manage ecommerce programmes with performance in mind. These services are designed to complement Fetchify’s role, focusing on strategy, automation, and measurable outcomes rather than one-off campaigns.

A practical next step

Ecommerce growth is not just about attracting visitors. It is about turning interest into revenue and one-time purchases into long term relationships.

Email marketing plays a central role in that process by capturing intent, following up at the right moment, and increasing lifetime value over time.

For Fetchify customers looking ahead, speaking to a specialist can help clarify how email marketing could support their growth plans and where the biggest opportunities lie. The next step is simply a conversation. Contact our team today to discover how email marketing can help you get more from the traffic you already have.

How PPC drives sustainable ecommerce growth

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 08:01:56 GMT

Many ecommerce businesses have already invested heavily in improving their websites. Faster checkout journeys, cleaner address data, and fewer form errors all help remove friction and reduce abandoned carts. By using what Fetchify has to offer, retailers have put strong foundations in place.

But even with those improvements, growth can still stall.

If the right people are not finding your site in the first place, optimisation work can only go so far. Ecommerce success increasingly depends on attracting shoppers who are ready to buy, not just browse. As competition grows and organic visibility becomes harder to maintain, paid advertising plays a critical role in driving consistent demand .

This is where PPC comes in.

Why PPC matters for ecommerce

PPC gives ecommerce businesses direct control over how and when they appear in search results. Instead of waiting for customers to discover products organically, paid advertising allows brands to meet demand at the exact moment it exists.

When someone searches for a product, they are already expressing intent. PPC ensures your products appear at that point of decision, rather than relying on chance or brand familiarity alone.

For ecommerce businesses, this makes PPC one of the most effective ways to attract high-intent traffic at scale .

Traffic quality comes before traffic volume

It is easy to focus on impressions, clicks, and visit numbers. But high traffic does not always translate into high revenue.

Large volumes of low-intent traffic can inflate costs, distort performance data, and create the illusion of growth without delivering real results. Visitors who land on the wrong pages, arrive with unclear expectations, or have no immediate intent to purchase are unlikely to convert.

PPC allows ecommerce businesses to be more selective. Campaigns can be structured around specific products, categories, and search intent, helping ensure that visitors arriving on site are already closer to making a purchase.

When traffic quality improves, everything else improves with it. Conversion rates rise , checkout optimisations deliver stronger returns , and marketing spend becomes easier to justify.

PPC as a revenue focused growth channel

At its best, PPC is not about buying traffic. It is about generating revenue.

Effective PPC campaigns are built around a clear structure, strong relevance, and ongoing optimisation. Rather than running on autopilot, they are constantly reviewed and refined based on performance.

This includes understanding which searches drive sales, which products perform best, and where spend is being wasted. Over time, this approach helps ecommerce businesses scale in a controlled and predictable way .

Within the ClearCourse group, specialist PPC teams manage ecommerce campaigns with this commercial mindset. Over the past 12 months alone, ClearCourse managed paid advertising has generated £6,694,724 in revenue for group customers . That performance comes from focusing on intent, structure, and continuous improvement, not just increasing budgets.

One retailer described the impact as a game changer , pointing to significant improvements in both traffic quality and sales.

This is the difference between PPC as a cost and PPC as a growth lever.

Common reasons PPC underperforms

Many ecommerce businesses have tried PPC before, often with mixed results. In most cases, poor performance is not caused by the channel itself, but by how it is managed.

Common issues include poorly structured campaigns, weak tracking, and a focus on clicks rather than revenue. Without clear measurement and ongoing optimisation, it becomes difficult to understand what is working and what is not.

PPC requires regular attention. Search behaviour changes, competitors adjust their strategies, and product ranges evolve. Successful campaigns adapt to these changes rather than staying static.

How PPC works alongside on-site optimisation

Fetchify helps ensure that when customers are ready to buy, the checkout process does not get in their way. Faster forms, accurate address data, and fewer errors all help turn intent into completed orders.

PPC builds on that foundation.

By bringing high-intent visitors to an optimised site, PPC helps ecommerce businesses get more value from the improvements they have already made. When traffic quality and checkout experience are aligned, conversion rates improve and wasted spend is reduced.

This joined up approach allows ecommerce businesses to focus on growth without sacrificing efficiency .

Accessing PPC support through Fetchify

As part of the ClearCourse group , Fetchify customers can access specialist PPC teams who manage ecommerce advertising with performance in mind. These services are designed to complement Fetchify’s role in improving the checkout experience, not replace it.

Support covers strategy, campaign setup, tracking, and ongoing optimisation, all focused on driving measurable outcomes rather than surface level metrics.

For ecommerce businesses looking to grow in an increasingly competitive market, this provides a clear and practical next step.

A practical next step

Ecommerce growth today is about attracting the right customers and making it easy for them to convert. PPC plays a central role in achieving that by putting products in front of shoppers who are already searching to buy.

When combined with strong on-site optimisation and accurate data, PPC becomes a powerful driver of sustainable growth.

For Fetchify customers planning, speaking to a specialist can help clarify where PPC could have the biggest impact and how to approach it effectively. The next step is simply a conversation. Contact our team today to discover how managed PPC can support your ecommerce growth plans .

How PPC and email marketing work together to drive ecommerce growth

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:03:50 GMT

Many ecommerce businesses have already done the hard work. By using what Fetchify has to offer, they have invested in faster checkout experiences, cleaner address data, and fewer form errors. All of this reduces friction at the most critical point in the journey and helps prevent abandoned carts.

But removing friction alone does not guarantee growth.

If the wrong people are arriving on your site, even the best checkout experience will struggle to convert as expected. And if interested visitors leave without any meaningful follow-up, potential revenue quickly slips away. As ecommerce competition increases and acquisition costs rise, growth depends on two things more than ever before: the quality of traffic arriving on your site, and what happens after that first visit.

This is where PPC and email marketing come in. Not as isolated tactics, but as complementary parts of a single growth system.

Traffic quality matters more than traffic volume

For years, ecommerce growth has often been measured in visits. More sessions, more clicks, more impressions. But volume on its own rarely tells the full story.

High traffic numbers can look impressive, yet still deliver disappointing results if that traffic lacks intent. Visitors who are browsing casually, comparing prices with no urgency, or landing on irrelevant pages are unlikely to convert. Worse still, they can distort performance data and inflate acquisition costs.

PPC allows ecommerce businesses to be more deliberate about who arrives on site. Instead of waiting for organic demand to appear, paid search and shopping campaigns capture users who are actively searching for products. These are shoppers already signalling intent through their behaviour.

When traffic quality improves, everything downstream performs better. Conversion rates rise, checkout improvements deliver stronger returns, and marketing spend becomes easier to justify.

PPC as the foundation of scalable ecommerce growth

PPC sits at the very top of the ecommerce funnel . It controls which searches your brand appears for, which products are surfaced, and how demand is captured at the moment it exists.

When managed well, PPC is not about driving as many clicks as possible. It is about prioritising revenue over volume . That means focusing on structure, relevance, and continuous optimisation rather than set and forget campaigns.

Within the ClearCourse group , specialist PPC teams manage ecommerce campaigns with a clear commercial focus. Over the past 12 months alone, ClearCourse managed paid advertising has generated £6,694,724 in revenue for group customers. That performance has been driven by targeting high intent searches, refining campaign structure, and constantly testing what actually converts.

One retailer described the impact simply as a game changer for their business , highlighting significant improvements in both traffic quality and sales.

This is the difference between PPC as a cost and PPC as a growth lever.

Why email marketing still plays a critical role

Even with high quality traffic, most ecommerce visitors do not buy on their first visit. This is normal behaviour, not a failure of the site or the offer. Shoppers compare, get distracted, or simply need more time.

Email marketing exists to bridge that gap.

Rather than allowing interest to disappear after a single visit, email captures and nurtures it. It follows up abandoned sessions, reminds customers of products they have already shown interest in, and encourages repeat purchases over time.

Industry research consistently supports this role. According to Litmus’s 2025 State of Email survey , many companies report very strong returns from email marketing, with a significant share seeing returns of up to 36 times what they spent. While results vary, the pattern is clear. When email is structured around behaviour and intent, it remains one of the most effective revenue drivers available to ecommerce brands.

Email as an amplifier, not a standalone channel

Email works best when it supports demand that already exists. On its own, email has a limited ability to create new interest. But when paired with PPC, it becomes far more powerful.

PPC brings the right visitors to the site. Email ensures those visits are not wasted.

This might mean reminding a shopper about an abandoned basket, following up after a product view, or re-engaging a previous customer at the right moment. In each case, email increases the value of traffic that has already been paid for.

Without this follow up, ecommerce businesses often end up paying repeatedly to reach the same users through ads alone. With email in place, lifetime value increases, and acquisition costs become easier to manage.

Why PPC and email perform better together

Individually, PPC and email are effective. Together, they form a much stronger system.

PPC without email leaves revenue on the table. Email without PPC limits scale . When combined, they support both acquisition and retention in a way that feels joined up rather than fragmented.

This integrated approach helps ecommerce businesses reduce wasted spend, improve conversion rates, and generate more predictable growth. It also creates clearer data, making it easier to understand which channels are driving results and where further optimisation is needed.

Most importantly, it aligns marketing activity with the real customer journey rather than treating each channel in isolation.

How this fits with Fetchify

Fetchify plays a crucial role in reducing friction at checkout and improving data accuracy. Faster forms, cleaner addresses, and fewer errors all make it easier for customers to complete purchases once they are ready.

PPC and email build on that foundation.

They ensure the traffic reaching that optimised checkout is worth converting, and that interest is followed up when a purchase does not happen immediately. Together, they help ecommerce businesses turn operational improvements into measurable revenue growth.

As part of the ClearCourse group, Fetchify customers can access specialist teams who manage PPC and email marketing with ecommerce performance in mind. These services are designed to complement Fetchify’s core offering, not distract from it.

A practical next step

Ecommerce growth today is not about chasing every possible tactic. It is about combining the right levers in the right order.

PPC improves traffic quality. Email increases the value of that traffic. Fetchify removes friction at the point of conversion.

When these elements work together, ecommerce businesses are better placed to grow sustainably in an increasingly competitive landscape. For Fetchify customers looking ahead to 2026, speaking to a specialist can help clarify where the biggest opportunity lies and how PPC and email can support their next stage of growth.

If you want to understand how this approach could work for your business, the next step is simply a conversation. Contact our team today to discover how we can help you take your marketing to the next level.

Clean Data, Clear Impact: Why Charities Thrive on Accuracy

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:07:04 GMT

Donor data is one of the most valuable assets a charity holds. Managed well, it can prevent supporter churn, boost revenue, sharpen analytics, and help organisations thrive even in leaner times. But keeping that data clean is an ongoing challenge - one every nonprofit must prioritise. Research shows that 91% of organisations struggle with data quality, and with donor records degrading at around 2% per month, as much as a quarter of your database can become inaccurate in a single year if left unchecked.

The benefits of cleansing data are well documented - from fundraising efficiency to compliance and cost savings. But for charities, the story doesn’t end there. The real power of clean data lies in its human impact : the way it strengthens relationships, builds trust, and connects supporters to the causes they care about.

That’s why we’re sharing five fresh angles on charity data cleansing. Each one shows how better data can do more than save money - it can transform the way you engage with supporters. After all, if you already have a supporter database, you’ve done the hard work of building those connections. Now it’s time to capitalise on them. Let’s explore the areas where data cleansing can help charities beyond the obvious.

The Donor Experience

Donations are the lifeblood of any charity - but behind every donation is a person who wants to feel respected and valued. That’s where clean data comes in. You might be wondering, what does data have to do with donor love? Well, everything.

Because when data goes bad, so does the experience. Instead of building emotional trust that lasts all year, poor data can chip away at it. Here’s how:

Duplicate messages : Donors receive the same letter twice.
Name slip‑ups : Being misnamed (or worse, left nameless) in a thank‑you note.
Ignored preferences : Still being contacted after opting out.

Individually, these might sound like small mistakes. But in today’s world, where everyone’s inbox and mailbox are overflowing, they add up fast. And instead of feeling appreciated, supporters feel overlooked. Clean data is the difference between “just another message” and “ this charity really knows me .”

The Volunteer Connection

Volunteers are the heartbeat of a charity. They’re not just helping out - they’re driving fundraising, building relationships, and often doing the heavy lifting that keeps everything moving. Yet, volunteer data is one of the most overlooked parts of a charity’s database.

Think about it: clean data doesn’t just help you track donations; it helps you reconnect with past volunteers who might become future donors, and it ensures current volunteers are properly recognised, thanked, and re‑engaged. Because just like donors, volunteers want to feel special, appreciated, and energised to keep giving their time.

After all, they’re the boots on the ground - forging connections with new supporters, inspiring potential donors, and even standing shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the people your charity is there to support. When you get their data right, you’re not just organising names in a system… you’re showing volunteers that they matter, and that their contribution is seen.

The Legacy Giving

What could be more meaningful than leaving a gift in a Will? For many UK charities, legacy income isn’t just important - it’s transformational. In fact, it’s often reported as the l argest single source of voluntary income, contributing billions each year. Surveys suggest that legacies can make up anywhere from 10% to 60% of a charity’s voluntary income.

That’s why clean data matters so much here. Outdated records don’t just mean missed mailings - they mean missed opportunities to nurture relationships with the very supporters who might one day choose to leave a legacy. Without accurate data, charities risk:

Missing chances to steward older supporters who may be considering gifts in wills.
Losing touch with this critical donor segment at the exact moment when connection matters most.
Not being front of mind to spark the idea for a new supporter to leave a legacy gift.

Legacy giving is deeply personal. It’s about trust, respect, and lasting impact. Clean data ensures charities stay connected, show genuine care, and remain part of the conversation when supporters are making one of the most meaningful decisions of their lives.

The Environmental Impact

Think for a moment about the sheer scale of supporters a charity can have - sometimes running into the millions. Now picture a big marketing campaign, with thousands of letters flying out the door. If your records include duplicates, outdated contacts, or even deceased supporters, that’s a mountain of wasted mail. And wasted mail doesn’t just drain budgets - it drains the planet too.

Clean data changes the story. By reducing wasted mailings, charities can save tens of thousands of pounds and dramatically improve campaign ROI. But the benefits don’t stop at the balance sheet:

Wasted mailings = wasted paper, ink, and transport emissions.
Data cleansing becomes part of your sustainability strategy - cutting carbon footprint while saving money.

It’s a win‑win. You protect your budget, you protect your reputation, and you protect the environment. In a world where supporters care deeply about sustainability, showing that your charity takes this seriously can be just as powerful as the campaign itself.

And finally…

The Supporter Journey Mapping

Every supporter is on a journey with your charity - one that, hopefully, lasts for years. Through thick and thin, they’ll be there to back the cause they care about most. But here’s the question: do you really have the visibility to see that journey unfold ?

Without clean data, it’s almost impossible to track a supporter’s path, from their very first donation to regular giving, to long‑term engagement. You risk losing sight of who they are, how they’ve interacted with you, and what keeps them connected.

Data cleansing changes that. It gives you the clarity to:

Spot patterns of engagement and understand what keeps supporters loyal.
Segment effectively , so communications feel personal and relevant.
Reduce donor churn by nurturing relationships that have been built up over the years.

When you can map the supporter journey with confidence, you’re not just crunching numbers - you’re telling the story of how someone’s connection to your cause grows deeper over time. And that story is the foundation of lasting trust, loyalty, and impact.

Conclusion: Clean Data, Real Impact

So, there you have it - five fresh ways to look at charity data cleansing beyond the usual talk of compliance and cost savings. From donor experience to volunteer connection , from legacy giving to environmental impact , and finally, supporter journey mapping - each angle shows that clean data isn’t just about tidy spreadsheets. It’s about people, trust, and the stories that keep your charity alive.

When your data is clean, donors feel valued, volunteers feel recognised, legacies are nurtured, campaigns are greener, and supporter journeys are visible from start to finish. That’s not just operational efficiency - that’s emotional connection.

And here’s the best part: if you already have a supporter database, you’ve done the hardest work. You’ve built the relationships. Now it’s about capitalising on them - making sure every record reflects the respect and care your charity stands for.

Start the year as you mean to go on - with clean, reliable data. Contact our team today to discover how we can help your organisation thrive.

Smarter Data Cleansing Decisions for Smarter Data

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:04:30 GMT

New Year. New Approach.

The countdown to 2026 is on, and if you want to hit the ground running, it’s time to think about the one thing that can make or break your year: your data.

We’ve all heard the saying “start as you mean to go on.” Well, if that start involves messy, inaccurate data, you’re already tripping before you’ve left the starting gates.

Clean, accurate customer data is the foundation for everything: smarter campaigns, smoother deliveries, and sales that actually reflect the effort you put in. Without it, you’re fighting uphill from day one.

The truth? Bad data isn’t harmless. Every failed delivery, bounced email, or wrong phone number chips away at your bottom line. In the UK alone, dirty data drains an eye‑watering £900 billion a year from businesses. And with 1 in 5 records typically incorrect, each one costs around £81 annually in wasted spend, lost opportunities, or compliance risks.

Why it matters?

Still need convincing? Here are the stats that show why clean data is non‑negotiable:

Confidence in every customer record :
Royal Mail PAF makes 3,000–5,000 updates a day - over 1 million a year.

Compliance and reduced risk :
UK GDPR requires customer data to be accurate and up to date.
Get it wrong, and you risk fines of up to £17.5M or 4% of global turnover.

Lower delivery failure and service costs :
UK businesses lose £1.6 billion a year to undelivered parcels.
At £125 per parcel, even small errors add up fast.

Protect marketing ROI :
50% of customers walk after a single failed delivery, and 80% won’t come back at all.

The Challenge

That’s why starting 2026 with a data cleanse isn’t just smart - it’s essential.

Clean data means clear visibility, fewer delivery failures, better targeting, and reduced compliance risk - without the operational headache. By tackling bad data upfront, you give yourself the perfect launchpad for growth, instead of joining the many organisations that end up spending 10–30% of their revenue fixing problems after the fact.

So here’s the challenge: make 2026 the year you stop letting bad data hold you back. Cleanse it, validate it, and set yourself up for campaigns that connect, deliveries that delight, and results that truly count.

The message is clear: dirty data costs growth, trust, and opportunity. By cleansing upfront, you protect your ROI, strengthen compliance, and give yourself the platform to launch a year of real momentum.

Improving customer onboarding and fraud prevention in financial services with Fetchify

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 12:05:20 GMT

The Background

A leading financial services provider needed to strengthen the accuracy of customer information during digital onboarding. They handle thousands of new applications every month and rely on fast, frictionless sign-up journeys that still meet strict compliance, risk and verification requirements.

Their existing process struggled with poor quality address and bank details, leading to increased manual checks, slower approvals and higher abandonment. Incorrect or incomplete address data was also creating downstream issues for customer communications, account documentation and regulatory reporting.

The organisation wanted a solution that could improve data quality at the point of entry, reduce friction in the onboarding journey and support their compliance teams with more accurate source information.

The Solution

The client selected Fetchify to enhance customer onboarding with accurate, validated address and bank data as soon as a user enters it.

Fetchify provided:

Global address validation
UK enhanced datasets where deeper detail is available
Bank account validation to check the sort code and account number accuracy
Simple integration into their digital onboarding flow
Consistent formatting to support KYC, AML, and compliance checks

By validating information early, Fetchify helped streamline the entire customer journey.

The Result

After implementing Fetchify, the organisation achieved:

Reduction in applications failing due to incorrect address or bank details
Faster onboarding with fewer manual reviews
Greater confidence in customer identity information
Better outcomes for compliance and risk teams
Improved data quality flowing into internal systems
A smoother experience for new customers

Why Fetchify?

The organisation chose Fetchify because it offered:

Reliable global address validation
Additional UK data where extra detail helps accuracy
Fast and predictable performance
A simple, low-effort integration
A single platform for address and bank checks
Helpful and responsive support
A cost structure that fits digital volume growth

The Outcome

Fetchify now supports the business with ongoing customer onboarding, ensuring address and bank details are accurate before progressing to further checks. This has reduced operational workload, improved customer experience, and strengthened compliance processes across the customer lifecycle.

Frictionless Footwear: Delivering Checkout Speed and Trust Online

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:21:51 GMT

“The service and support we’ve received have been excellent. The accuracy of the data gives us confidence, and the plug‑and‑play products are so simple to implement. We’ve consistently experienced 99.9% uptime, with no admin headaches and really strong service levels - it’s been a seamless partnership.”
– Samuel Quinn, ShoeStation Direct, Company Director

The Client

ShoeStation Direct

The Background

For nearly four decades, ShoeStation Direct has been more than just a family‑owned business - it’s been a trusted name in footwear, workwear, and accessories.

Generations of customers have relied on them for quality, and that loyalty shines through in their impressive Trustpilot score of 4.9/5 from over 500,000+ customers.

Sixteen years ago, they took a bold step into the digital world, bringing their business online. Since then, they’ve never looked back. What started as a traditional store has grown into a thriving online presence, offering over 14,000 products nationwide.

Behind the scenes, trust has been just as important as growth. Customers trust ShoeStation Direct to deliver, and they trust us to help make that happen. For the past eight years, Fetchify’s Address Auto‑Complete and Email Validation have been part of their journey, ensuring smooth, reliable customer experiences. And as their online footprint expanded, migrating to BigCommerce gave them the scale they needed - with Phone Validation added to keep every interaction seamless and secure .

The Project

As sales increased, ShoeStation had to keep pace and recently settled into a brand‑new, purpose‑built 10,000Sqft warehouse where everything is managed in‑house. But growth wasn’t just about space; it was about experience. They knew their website had to be quick, seamless, and, in their own words, “basically idiot‑proof.”

That’s why they’ve reinvented their site three times, with the latest version set to launch in the new year. After eight years, the old platform lacked functionality and was no longer fit for purpose. The new site needed to be mobile‑friendly, scalable, and built for speed, because customers expect nothing less.

Here’s where Fetchify’s products made the difference: Postcode Lookup streamlined checkout, while Email Validation reduced back‑office admin by ensuring addresses were valid before submission. Most recently, Phone Validation for BigCommerce was added and implemented in seconds with a simple script change, delivering a much‑needed reduction in failed deliveries.

With 70% of customers using digital wallets and 80% shopping via mobile, speed is everything. From picking a shoe, choosing the right size, and paying with a wallet, the journey is now lightning‑fast - a frictionless experience that keeps customers coming back.

The Result

Partnering with Fetchify has delivered measurable improvements for ShoeStation Direct and their customers:

Checkout speed → Reduced from nearly 2 minutes to just 10 - 20 seconds , creating a frictionless buying journey.
Higher conversions → A cleaner, simpler look and feel with integrated validation tools improved the user experience, driving conversion rates up by 1.5 – 2% .
Fewer failed deliveries → Telephone Validation cut wasted postage costs and boosted ROI - pay only when validation is needed.
Trusted accuracy → A secure, regularly updated system that reduces user error and builds customer confidence.

Together, these changes have transformed ShoeStation Direct’s online presence into a fast, reliable, and customer‑friendly experience, strengthening both trust and growth.

“ShoeStation Direct shows exactly what’s possible when exceptional customer experience is backed by accurate, dependable data. Fetchify helps remove friction, cut delivery issues, and keep every order running smoothly. Supporting their growth and BigCommerce migration has been a privilege, and they continue to set a benchmark in online retail.”
– John Griffiths, Account Manager at Fetchify

The Curious Case of Counties: When Address Accuracy Meets Human Geography

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 12:22:10 GMT

Counties are one of those quiet curiosities of UK addressing - the kind of data field that often sparks more debate than you’d expect. Should they be included? Which kind? And do we even need them anymore?

As with so many things in data, the answer is: it depends.

Three Counties, One Country

In the UK, the word “county” doesn’t describe one single thing. It describes at least three - each with its own history, purpose, and quirk:

Postal counties were once the backbone of the Royal Mail’s sorting system. They helped machines (and people) get mail to the right place efficiently. But in 1996, Royal Mail officially dropped them, and by 2010, county data was removed from the official address dataset entirely. For the postal system, counties simply no longer exist.
Traditional (or historic) counties trace their origins back centuries — the counties of record, land, and local identity. They don’t match today’s administrative borders, but they persist in cultural memory and local pride. To some, these are the real counties of England.
Ceremonial counties , meanwhile, are what most modern maps and local authorities recognise today. They loosely align with lieutenancy areas — the basis for everything from local government to BBC weather maps.

And just to add another layer, the UK also has metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties used for administration, because nothing in British geography would be complete without a little complexity.

So… Do We Still Need Them?

For Royal Mail, the answer is simple: no. County names are ignored by modern sorting systems, and they don’t affect delivery.

But in the real world of databases, integrations, and overlapping address systems, the answer is less clear-cut. Counties still appear because:

Some legacy systems require a county field for validation.
Some organisations and couriers still use them for regional routing.
And sometimes, humans just like them — they help people orient themselves, especially in places with duplicate town names.

It’s a reminder that addresses aren’t just for machines. They’re for people, too — and people often bring context, emotion, and memory into their sense of “place.”

The Bigger Picture: One World, Many Formats

Counties are just one example of how geography, history, and technology collide in addressing. Every country — sometimes every region — does it differently.

Some use regions, provinces, or prefectures. Some rely on hierarchies of towns and municipalities. Others have no subdivisions at all.

For global platforms and data validation providers, that diversity creates a fascinating challenge: how do you standardise something that isn’t standard anywhere?

It’s the quiet work of address intelligence — understanding not just where something is, but how people describe it.

Why This Matters

The goal of address accuracy isn’t to erase local identity or force uniformity; it’s to understand and support variation intelligently. Whether you’re sending a parcel, mapping customer data, or building systems that work across borders, knowing how and why these differences exist is part of getting the data right.

So next time you’re faced with that little “County” field — think of it not as a relic, but as a reminder. Behind every address is a history, a structure, and a story.

And understanding that story is where true data quality begins.

New tool to boost GDPR compliance and cut retailers losses

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 12:21:24 GMT

Fetchify is delighted to announce that we have enhanced our product portfolio with the launch of our data cleansing services designed to help companies remain compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), maintain accurate customer addresses, and limit financial and reputational losses resulting from lost parcels.

Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File (PAF) sees over 1,000,000 changes to address data each year. Against the backdrop of GDPR regulations, which stipulate that customer data must be kept up to date, there is increasing pressure on organisations to maintain an accurate picture of their customer database at all times.

Businesses failing to comply face fines of up to £17.5 million or four per cent of global annual turnover.

Furthermore, with UK businesses losing an estimated £1.6 billion each year due to lost or undelivered parcels, and 50 per cent of customers abandoning a brand after one poor delivery experience, the stakes are increasingly high when it comes to maintaining accurate address details.

Data Cleansing tackles this by checking the addresses companies have on file against the PAF, ensuring that every matched address is complete. Not only does the report help businesses maintain accurate records continually, but it also fills in missing details, such as street information and postcodes, and standardises entries to Royal Mail’s specific formatting.

Fetchify’s latest service is expected to help retailers stay on top of their GDPR obligations, minimise failed deliveries, cut returns costs, and improve the customer experience.

John Griffiths, Account Manager at Fetchify, comments:

“Duplicate records cause confusion, missing data undermines marketing efforts, and incorrect formats lead to delivery and communication errors. Perhaps more compelling is the fact that businesses are legally required to maintain accurate details, so it’s imperative that they get it right. Data Cleansing will address all of these issues whilst streamlining the operational efficiency of companies that use it.”

The Dungeons & Dragons Adventurer: A spotlight on … Tracey Moir

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 11:40:28 GMT

I’m approaching my 10th anniversary at Fetchify, having joined the business in 2015 when it was called Crafty Clicks.

It was just the three of us back then: the founder, Adam Stylo, a developer, and me. Adam’s children and mine went to the same school, and we became friends. As I was ready to get back to work, Adam was looking for someone to fulfil a face-to-face client role, so he asked me to join the business, and I’ve never looked back.

10 years on, as the Senior Business Development Manager, I oversee new business and manage a team of two account managers, Debbie and John, who are absolutely fantastic.

I’ve witnessed many changes over the decade that I’ve spent with Fetchify. New products have launched, and team members have come and gone. However, without a doubt, the biggest change is that ClearCourse acquired the business in 2020, which has provided the financial backing for future growth and enabled us to explore new opportunities. We’re now linked to the Group’s sister companies, all of which have made Fetchify compulsory, so it’s an incredibly exciting time for us.

A dependable business

Not only is Fetchify renowned for its Postcode Lookup service, but it’s also well-known for its customer service, too. All of our clients know John and Debbie well, and they know that they’ll always reach people who care when they call us.

That’s our USP; we’re a dependable business, which, because we’re not too big, enables us to remain agile and go the extra mile. As an ex-copywriter, I always remember a campaign by a car rental business with a tagline that said second best always tries harder. We’re not the biggest, but we work extra hard to keep our clients happy and deliver a fantastic service. And we still have an enviable client list too, which includes Royal Bank of Scotland, Natwest, Brandy Melville (my daughter knows that one!), Gousto, Casio, and Little Greene.

Our technology is outstanding. Despite being the second biggest, the way in which it manages human error at the point of checkout is second to none. Our Address Auto-Complete service, which enables customers to search for their address by its first line at checkout, is incredibly popular and can find any address in 240 countries worldwide.

We’re also moving into bank validation, email validation, and phone number validation, too.

A great future ahead

Adam and I remain friends. And, as you might expect, he’ll quite often check in to see how the business is doing. It was his baby, after all. However, the business has a new leadership team, and it’s changing the way we work.

Under Rich Mullens and Laura Lutener, the business is moving in an upward trajectory, and the rest of the team, myself included, know that we’re all heading in the right direction. I say here’s to another 10 happy years; we certainly have a great future ahead.

Of course, it’s not all work. And when I’m not working, much of my time is spent walking my dog, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Billie, who moved in with me during Covid. She’s lovely, but very co-dependent (and very much my third child).

Oh, and I’m a self-confessed nerd, having become a big gamer. In fact, Dungeons & Dragons is my out-of-work addiction. It’s really technical, which is what I love about it. I really got into it to support my young son, who began to show an interest in it and was in the process of joining a club at school. Now he’s older and too cool for Dungeons & Dragons, but I’m hooked!

BigCommerce integration helps major UK retailer go from strength to strength

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 10:39:54 GMT

“We’ve stayed with Fetchify for over 12 years because their UK Postcode Lookup service has consistently delivered on reliability. The ease of integration, straightforward testing, and the support of a dedicated account manager have all contributed to a seamless experience that continues to meet our needs.”
– David Winstanley, Director at Winstanleys Pramworld

The Client

Winstanleys Pramworld

The Background

Over almost seven decades, Winstanleys Pramworld has built a reputation as a family-owned retailer that specialises in offering one of the UK’s largest selections of prams, pushchairs, car seats, and nursery furniture.

Since 2012, Winstanleys Pramworld has relied on Fetchify’s UK Postcode Lookup service to streamline the online checkout process, improve address accuracy, minimise re-delivery costs, and reduce the number of items lost in the post.

However, with a rapidly growing online presence, over 6,000 products available via its website, and a truly national customer base, Winstanleys Pramworld decided to migrate to BigCommerce – a larger platform with the capability to scale in line with its own growth plans.

The Solution

For 12 years, Fetchify’s Postcode Lookup service has helped Winstanleys Pramworld instantly retrieve accurate address data from a UK postcode at the point of checkout.

Having established that the Postcode Lookup service was an essential component of its continued growth plans, and that it wanted to continue working with Fetchify, Winstanleys Pramworld needed support with migrating it to a BigCommerce environment.

With experience of working with multiple major retailer platforms, Fetchify was not only able to support Winstanleys Pramworld’s transition to BigCommerce, but also deliver continuity of service by ensuring that the Postcode Lookup facility was operational from the moment it began trading within a BigCommerce environment

The Result

Fetchify has helped Winstanleys Pramworld by:

Transitioning is an integral part of its digital infrastructure to a BigCommerce environment
Ensuring that operational efficiency is maintained across fulfilment and customer communications
Continuing to reduce misdeliveries and missing orders through the provision of accurate address data
Guaranteeing that the retailer’s customers can quickly access their address at the point of checkout, reducing friction and positioning Winstanleys Pramworld for future growth as address lookups continue to increase (address lookups have grown by 282 per cent over the last 12 years)

“High-value items such as prams can cost upwards of £1,000, so it’s essential that they aren’t misdelivered and don’t go missing in the post. Since 2012, we’ve been helping Winstanleys Pramworld achieve this through our Postcode Lookup Service. So, when the retailer decided to move to BigCommerce, we had to ensure that our service integrated with it.”
– John Griffiths, Account Manager at Fetchify

Why slow data entry could be killing your conversions

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:53:05 GMT

When your ecommerce store is attracting visitors, products are going into carts, but sales still aren’t landing, it’s time to take a closer look at the final step. You’ve already checked the big issues - page speed, pricing strategy, shipping options - but what about the moment that matters most?

The checkout.

All too often, what feels like a small UX detail ends up becoming a major conversion killer. And one of the biggest culprits is slow, manual data entry.

What's the hidden cost of manual data entry?

In retail and ecommerce , where speed equals sales, every unnecessary click or keystroke is potentially a dropped checkout and a lost customer. If it requires too much typing, confusing form fields, or any guesswork, this adds unnecessary frustration for the customer, especially on mobile devices. In fact, 86% of shoppers on mobile fail to make it to checkout , making it the highest card abandonment rate of all devices.

Here’s how all this friction adds up and how it directly impacts your business:

More typing means more customer frustration

Checkout is meant to be the finish line, so when a customer has to pause and think about how to add their address, retype an error, or endlessly scroll on a small screen, they’re more likely to just give up entirely.

Typos and errors cost you later on

When customers manually type in their details, mistakes happen. A wrong digit in a postcode, or a misspelled email address, may seem harmless, but the ripple effects that follow can mean failed deliveries, undeliverable order confirmations, increased pressure on your customer service team, and negative customer reviews - all leading to depleted trust in your brand..

Unclear formatting increases drop-off risk

When your checkout form doesn’t communicate clearly - or adapt intelligently - it slows users down and creates uncertainty. Your customers don’t want to guess. They just want clarity. So if they have no choice but to trial-and-error their way through the checkout process, it undermines confidence in your brand at a critical moment.

Eliminate the possibility of typos or errors

Mistakes happen, especially when we type information manually. If, for example, a customer accidentally adds an incorrect digit to a postcode, this will not only cause operational issues but can have an impact on your customer support team and your brand’s reputation, not to mention lost revenue.

By adding a Postcode Lookup tool to your checkout that pulls data from a reliable source, you can make sure that human error is eliminated. It will pull a list of ready-verified addresses from the customer’s postcode so that they can easily select the correct address and carry on to complete their purchase.

Time to get in the fast lane to sales

When it comes to slow, manual data entry, your potential customer isn’t just comparing your ecommerce checkout to your competitors - they’re comparing it to every other frictionless digital experience they’ve ever had. And the slower or more awkward your checkout process feels, the more likely they are to bounce.

But the good news is that you don’t have to completely overhaul your site to speed things up and increase checkout conversions. Most of these friction points are down to small inefficiencies - the kind that smart data validation tools will eliminate.

Here’s how they work:

Address Auto-Complete suggests accurate details as users type, speeding up form-filling and reducing dropped checkouts.
Postcode lookup returns full addresses from a UK postcode, cutting down on typing and errors.
Email and phone validation checks data in real time to prevent undeliverable order confirmations and missed opportunities to re-market to customers.

These small changes make a proven impact on your checkout journey, your conversion rate, and most importantly - your bottom line.

Want to optimise your checkout?

See how these data verification tools will speed up data entry and use our step-by-step plan to optimise your checkout. It’s all here in our free guide - The fast lane to sales: reducing dropped checkouts with data validation, and fixing the friction points that are costing you conversions.

What's causing cart abandonment at checkout?

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 08:27:06 GMT

You and your team have done the work - attracting visitors to the site, capturing their interest, and convincing them to add products to their cart. But when it’s time to buy, something stops them in their tracks.

It’s the checkout experience - the last and most critical part of the customer’s journey. But this is often where things fall apart. So what exactly is causing cart abandonment at this late stage in the buying journey?

The fickle nature of ecommerce

Let’s take a look at the latest research. According to the Baymard Institute , 70% of online shoppers abandon their shopping cart. So, just 3 out of 10 customers who fill their shopping carts complete their purchase.

That appears to be a significant amount of potential revenue slipping through the cracks. But as most ecommerce retailers know, this amount of drop-offs is just a natural result of the way that users shop online. Perhaps they’re browsing, comparing prices, or just holding off till payday. But what about the users who are abandoning their cart due to real challenges at checkout?

Key checkout challenges causing cart abandonment

These are just some of the reasons given by users when explaining the factors that contributed to abandoning a recent purchase.

ADD IMAGE from eBook

19% - didn’t trust the site with their credit card info

Trust signals (or a lack of) play a major part in why a user might abandon their cart at checkout.

19% - had to create an account

Forcing users to create an account before they buy can be a major barrier to completing a purchase.

18% - the checkout process was too long or too complicated

If your customers need to fill out lengthy forms, navigate through too many steps, or are struggling with confusing formatting, they won’t put their time or energy into completing a purchase.

But this is where you can make small changes to your checkout that will have a big impact on your conversion rate.

3 quick fixes for a speedier checkout

If your checkout has too many form fields or is tricky to fill out, there are quick changes you can make, with minimal coding, to speed things up. Here’s how you can recover the 18% of users who will abandon checkout due to it being too long or too complicated.

1. Reduce the time it takes to enter a delivery address

If you’re expecting your customers to manually fill out all of their address details, you’re probably expecting too much. Users are increasingly familiar with fields that automatically suggest data as they type, or inputting minimal information, such as their postcode, so that they can select their address in just a couple of clicks.

By integrating Address Auto-Complete functionality, you significantly reduce the time it takes for a customer to input their delivery address, removing frustration and getting them closer to completing their purchase.

2. Eliminate the possibility of typos or errors

3. Reduce uncertainty around how to format

Don’t leave any room for doubt when it comes to formatting, whether it’s unclear phone number layout or hesitation around spacing in postcodes. If you don’t guide your customers on how to enter their details at checkout, it slows them down and leaves them guessing about the reliability of your brand.

The best thing you can do is take the guesswork out of filling out forms completely. If you add data verification software to your platform, customers will get instant error feedback. So when an email address is misspelled or a phone number is missing an area code, customers know instantaneously, helping them correct the mistake and move swiftly through checkout. Plus, you can be confident that all the contact information you have is correct.

Want to know more about data validation at checkout?

To help you understand why your customers are abandoning their carts at checkout and how to address this issue, we’ve created a free guide: The Fast Lane to Sales: Reducing Dropped Checkouts with Data Validation . It’ll give you practical ideas of how to optimise your checkout using data validation, plus a 14-day plan to help get you started.

Fetchify boosts e-commerce capability of major UK outdoor clothing brand

cbutanescu@clearcourse.co.uk (Cristina Butanescu) — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:52:22 GMT

“The migration from Fetchify to Shopify was smooth and well-managed. The credit transfer process was clearly explained and completed efficiently, and ongoing account support by our Account Manager has been responsive and helpful throughout. It’s been a very positive experience overall.”
– Anthony Stodart, Managing Director

The Client

ArdMoor Limited

The Background

Having gained a following for a product selection that is hand-picked to meet the rugged demands of country life, ArdMoor continues to grow in line with demand for its outdoor clothing and country supplies.

ArdMoor has worked with Fetchify since 2021, when it incorporated the Address Auto-Complete function into its checkout process, enabling its customers to pinpoint their address in real-time and avoid operational issues such as failed deliveries and missing products.

As the company scaled and looked to future-proof its operations, the team made the strategic decision to migrate from Shopify to Shopify Plus - gaining access to a more robust and scalable platform to support their growing product catalogue and customer base.

However, knowledge gaps around the new platform led to transition issues. As a result, the UK-wide brand turned to Fetchify for support

The Solution

Fetchify worked closely with ArdMoor to fine-tune its Shopify Plus platform, which resulted in the business establishing a new digital infrastructure that can now efficiently support its future growth plans.

This seamless transition, which saw Fetchify help ArdMoor migrate a number of core services and credits to Shopify Plus, was behind the business’s subsequent decision to invest further in Fetchify’s technology.

In 2025, ArdMoor will bolster its checkout experience by incorporating Fetchify’s Email Address Validation tool, which will alert customers when they have incorrectly inputted their email address at checkout.

In doing so, ArdMoor will reduce administration time associated with having to manually locate correct email addresses, and ensure that there is no breakdown in communication at critical points such as despatch and delivery notifications.

The Result

Fetchify has helped ArdMoor by:

Reconfiguring its system to effectively integrate with Shopify Plus
Providing proactive technical support throughout the transition
Reducing operational issues by ensuring that all key details are correctly inputted at checkout
Enhancing the customer experience by ensuring that critical communication outreach, such as delivery updates and marketing information, reach the intended recipient
Preparing the rollout of Email Address Validation services

“We’ve worked with ArdMoor for several years and continue to see them go from strength to strength. However, when they moved to an unfamiliar platform, they drew on our team’s expertise to guide them through the initial hurdles. As a team of experts with vast experience in other providers’ platforms, we were able to work on a consultative basis to ease them through the transition.”
– John Griffiths, Account Manager at Fetchify

The High Cost of Lost Parcels – And How Better Address Data Validation Can Save Your Ecommerce Revenue

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 12:52:16 GMT

An article in Ecommerce News recently put a number to something every online retailer dreads: lost parcels. In Q4 2024 alone, European ecommerce retailers lost €500 million in revenue due to 3.72 million undelivered parcels. That’s roughly €145 per parcel in direct and indirect logistics costs.

And while the official rate of “lost” parcels is just 0.06%, the reality – accounting for misdelivery, theft, and reporting gaps – is likely closer to 0.7%. That’s 1 in every 143 parcels.

The Hidden Costs of a 'Lost' Delivery

For enterprise-scale ecommerce operations, the implications scale fast:

Lost product and packaging costs
Repeat fulfilment and reverse logistics
Customer service team time and refunds
Increased churn and checkout abandonment
Damage to brand reputation and online reviews

So Why Are Parcels Going Missing?

Many issues originate in the last mile of the delivery process. The root cause is often poor data quality:

Incomplete or inaccurate delivery addresses captured at checkout
Manual amendments to address fields by warehouse or courier staff
Ambiguous delivery locations (e.g., "front porch")
Lack of precise geolocation data for drop-off
Inadequate or unverifiable proof of delivery

Some losses are unavoidable, but most stem from gaps in ecommerce data validation and fulfilment process transparency.

What Retailers Can Control with Smart Logistics Data

While you can’t eliminate theft or accidents, you can reduce missed deliveries and failed first attempts through better data validation and delivery insights:

Real-Time Address Validation at Checkout
Fetchify’s ecommerce address validation tools connect directly with official data sources including Royal Mail PAF and the Multiple Residence dataset. This ensures accurate delivery details for apartment blocks, HMOs, student housing, and more. Unlike generic autocomplete tools, this is verified delivery point data.
Rooftop-Accurate Geocoding for Pinpoint Delivery
Fetchify’s Rooftop Geocodes assign precise latitude and longitude to verified addresses – helping carriers reach the exact doorstep, not just the postcode centroid.
Proof of Delivery with Location and Time Stamping
Our data solutions integrate seamlessly with POD technologies, supporting timestamped, geo-tagged delivery images. Customers can also submit geo-located photos during disputes, enabling faster, fairer resolutions.
Map-Based Address Confirmation for Shoppers
By embedding a zoomed-in map in the checkout process, ecommerce brands allow customers to visually confirm their delivery location. This prevents ambiguous or misentered addresses from the start.
Audit Trails and Address Change Tracking
Fetchify tracks address field edits and changes across the fulfilment chain, helping to pinpoint where a delivery went wrong and maintain data accountability.

Marginal Gains. Major Ecommerce Impact.

Smart logistics and address data validation might only reduce parcel loss by fractions of a percent – but the impact is huge:

A 0.1% improvement = thousands of saved parcels = millions in recovered revenue
Fewer failed deliveries = less pressure on customer support teams
Accurate addresses = better first-time delivery success and lower last-mile costs

Conclusion: Delivery Accuracy is a Data Challenge

Lost parcels aren’t just a logistics challenge. They’re a symptom of poor data validation in ecommerce. From checkout to doorstep, the journey must be powered by precise, verified data.

Fetchify helps online retailers solve this problem with address validation, geolocation, and enhanced fulfilment transparency.

If you want to stop asking “Whose front door is this?” – start with smarter ecommerce data.

Want to improve delivery success and reduce failed parcels? Contact Fetchify to book your free address data health check.

Inclusive eCommerce: Best Practices to Make Your Site More Accessible

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 09:52:53 GMT

As the world increasingly moves online, eCommerce retailers face an important challenge – and opportunity. Accessibility isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the key to unlocking your store’s full potential. By making your website more inclusive, you can reach a broader audience, improve user experiences, and demonstrate your commitment to creating a welcoming space for all.

This guide will walk you through the essentials of eCommerce accessibility, offering actionable steps to ensure your online store is usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. Let’s dive into why accessibility matters, the principles of inclusive design, and practical strategies to implement it effectively…

Why eCommerce accessibility matters

Accessibility isn’t just a nice-to-have; in fact, it’s often a legal requirement. Laws like the Equality Act in the UK and the European Accessibility Act mandate that websites and digital platforms accommodate users with disabilities. Non-compliance can result in lawsuits, fines, and damage to your reputation.

Beyond compliance, accessibility opens your site to a much larger audience (which makes good business sense). Did you know that over one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability? By making your online store more accessible, you’re opening your business to a vast, often underserved customer base. At the end of the day, accessibility improvements enhance the user experience for everyone, not just those with disabilities.

Think of closed captions on videos – not only helpful for people with hearing impairments but also for those watching in noisy environments. Many accessibility improvements, like image alt text and semantic HTML, also overlap with search engine optimisation (SEO) best practices, making your site easier for search engines to crawl. This can ultimately help your site rank higher in the search results, boosting your brand’s online visibility and driving more traffic to your store.

Accessibility 101

The UK’s 2010 Equality Act requires businesses and organisations to make their websites accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. This means removing barriers that could make your site difficult or impossible for some users to navigate.

Website owners are obliged to make “reasonable adjustments” to accommodate disabilities, such as adding text-to-speech compatibility for visually impaired users or ensuring keyboard navigation for those with motor impairments. If these adjustments aren’t made, this could be considered discriminatory.

The Act applies to all sectors, from online commerce to government services. While it doesn’t lay out specific technical rules, it often references the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAGs) as a benchmark for what constitutes a reasonable level of accessibility.

The principles of inclusive eCommerce design

To create an inclusive eCommerce experience, your site should follow the four guiding principles of the WCAGs.

Perceivable

All users, regardless of their abilities, must be able to access the information presented.

Provide text alternatives for images and multimedia (e.g., alt text, captions)
Offer alternatives for audio and video content (e.g., transcripts, subtitles)
Ensure content is adaptable and easy to view, such as by allowing zooming without losing content clarity
Use sufficient colour contrast for readability.

Operable

Users must be able to interact with your site using a variety of tools, such as keyboard navigation or assistive technologies like screen readers.

Make all functionality accessible via keyboard (not just a mouse)
Give users enough time to read or interact with content
Avoid design elements that can trigger seizures, such as flashing images
Provide clear, consistent navigation aids (e.g., menus, search functions).

Understandable

Make your site’s content and navigation intuitive.

Use simple language
Provide clear instructions
Ensure web pages behave in predictable ways (e.g., no unexpected pop-ups)
Provide clear instructions for filling out forms or correcting errors
Error notifications should be easy to interpret.

Robust

Ensure your site is compatible with a wide range of assistive devices and adaptive technologies, both now and in the future (as technology evolves).

Use clean, semantic code for screen readers and other assistive tools
Test compatibility with a range of devices and assistive technologies.

Simple steps to an inclusive shopping experience

To create an inclusive eCommerce experience, your site should follow the four guiding principles of the WCAGs.

1. Use alt text for images

Alt text provides a textual description of an image that can be read by screen readers, enabling visually impaired users to understand the content even if they cannot see it. For instance, instead of saying "image of shoes," a better description might be, "Red high-heeled shoes with a glossy finish." For decorative images that don’t convey essential information, using a null alt attribute (e.g., alt="") ensures that screen readers skip these images, reducing unnecessary clutter.

2. Optimise keyboard navigation

Test your site by navigating it without a mouse. All essential functions, such as navigating menus, accessing the shopping cart or completing checkout , should be operable with keyboard-only input. Use visible focus indicators (e.g., a highlighted outline around the currently selected element) to show where the user is on the page.

3. Add ARIA labels

Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to enhance screen reader compatibility. ARIA labels provide additional context for interactive elements like buttons and links, making it easier for screen readers to interpret their purpose. For example, a button that simply says “Click here” could be enhanced with an ARIA label that specifies “Click here to add this item to your cart.”

4. Ensure colour accessibility

Users with visual impairments, including colour blindness, may struggle with low-contrast text or interfaces that rely solely on colour to convey information. Choose colour combinations with high contrast and use patterns or text labels to supplement colour-coded indicators. For instance, instead of using only green and red to indicate availability, add text labels like “In Stock” or “Out of Stock” to ensure all users can interpret the information.

5. Create accessible forms

Label all form fields clearly and use placeholder text sparingly. For example, "First Name" should be a visible label, not just a placeholder. Error messages should also be descriptive and provide guidance on how to correct issues. For example, instead of a generic “Invalid input” error, a more helpful message might say, “Please enter a valid email address in the format name@example.com.”

6. Design for screen readers

Use semantic HTML to structure content logically and ensure that screen readers can interpret your content effectively. Headings (<h1> to <h6>), lists, and tables should follow a clear hierarchy and avoid overly complex layouts or elements that may confuse or mislead screen reader users.\

Best practices for specific eCommerce features

Accessible eCommerce features can significantly improve the user experience. Product pages, for example, should include detailed descriptions that go beyond marketing copy to provide essential information in plain language. High-resolution, zoomable images are also beneficial for users with low vision. Your site’s search functionality should also be flexible and intuitive. Predictive text and autocorrect features can help users find what they need, even if their search terms aren’t exact matches.

For mobile accessibility , ensure your site is optimised for smaller screens, with larger buttons and adequate spacing to accommodate touch interactions. And during the checkout process, simplicity is key. Reducing the number of steps and providing clear instructions at every stage minimises barriers for users with cognitive or physical disabilities. Descriptive error messages are particularly important during checkout, as they guide users to resolve any issues quickly.

Data validation is an oft-overlooked aspect of accessibility. Fetchify's tools, like address and phone number validation, streamline the user experience by reducing the risk of input errors during checkout. This benefits all users, including those with cognitive or motor disabilities, by minimising frustration during checkout. For example, Fetchify’s address auto-complete automatically completes addresses in real-time, reducing the effort required from users. This is especially beneficial for individuals with motor disabilities or cognitive challenges who may struggle with typing lengthy information accurately.

Accessibility isn’t a one-time project

Accessibility is an ongoing commitment. Regularly audit your site, stay updated on WCA guidelines, and prioritise user feedback. Inclusive eCommerce not only demonstrates social responsibility but also strengthens your business by fostering loyalty and trust among all customers. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be well on your way to creating a shopping experience that’s welcoming, inclusive, and enjoyable for everyone.

Ready to start your journey toward accessibility? Explore how Fetchify’s tools can help you build a more inclusive eCommerce site today.

Data Cleansing and International Address Standards

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 12:17:21 GMT

In the digital age, data is a critical asset for any business. Clean, accurate data is essential for effective communication, streamlined operations, and enhanced customer experiences. Data cleansing involves detecting and correcting (or removing) corrupt or inaccurate records from a database. It ensures that your data is consistent, accurate, and useful. Integrating address lookup software into your data management practices is also essential for maintaining accurate and up-to-date address data.

Data cleansing can help in various ways:

Improved Accuracy: Ensures all data entries are correct and complete.
Enhanced Efficiency: Streamlines operations by eliminating errors and inconsistencies.
Better Decision-Making: Provides a reliable basis for analysis and strategy.
Cost Savings: Reduces the costs associated with incorrect data, such as returned mail or undeliverable shipments.
Customer Satisfaction: Enhances customer experience by ensuring accurate delivery information and personalised communications.

Using address lookup software can significantly enhance the accuracy and reliability of your data. This is especially important for businesses that handle large volumes of customer information and need to ensure that all addresses are correct and formatted properly.

What is UPU S42 and Why Should You Care?

Now that we understand the importance of data cleansing , let's delve into UPU S42 and its relevance in this context.

First, what does UPU stand for? The Universal Postal Union (UPU) is the second oldest international organisation in the world, founded in 1874. (For context, the oldest is the International Telecommunications Union, founded in 1865.) With 192 member countries, the UPU’s mission is to bring standardised and efficient postal systems to countries around the world. The organisation helps member countries develop and implement addressing standards and grow their mail, parcel delivery, and financial services. The UPU acts as a forum for international discussion and collaboration in the postal sector.

UPU S42 is the international addressing standard developed by the UPU’s Postal Operations Council and experts from its Addressing Group. It breaks down postal addresses into the generic component parts commonly used by all UPU member countries:

GIVEN NAME > SURNAME > STREET NUMBER > STREET NAME > STREET TYPE > FLOOR > TOWN > REGION > POSTCODE > COUNTRY

The second section of UPU S42 provides templates of how these components are arranged according to the standards of each country. With over 200 different addressing systems in the world, this database is vital as it provides a framework by which international shipments can be efficiently processed.

Implementing UPU S42 standards in data cleansing solutions ensures that addresses in customer databases are not only validated but also reformatted, where necessary, to the precise standards of their country.

A simple example is addresses in Germany, where the street number generally comes after the street name. If someone in the UK types in a German address, they may use their local form and place the street number first. After data cleansing, the address will be formatted in the standard format for Germany.

Locally formatted address:
Hienz Wolff
167A Königstraße
Berlin
14109

Standardised address for Germany:
Hienz Wolff
Königstraße 167A
Berlin
14109

Why is this important?

Collecting data in your chosen format, likely the standard format of your country’s address system, might result in technically valid but improperly ordered data for the destination country, potentially causing delivery delays.

Data cleansing verifies the format of every address as an automatic step in data processing systems. This is particularly vital for logistics and fulfilment companies that do not capture address data directly from customers but receive orders via retailers. Validating address data and ensuring the correct format for the destination country streamlines shipments and reduces lost or delayed deliveries.

The Fetchify difference

We process millions of data transactions weekly for thousands of clients, from small e-commerce start-ups to large household brands such as LG, Heinz and RBS. Our flagship products, Address Lookup  and UK Postcode Lookup , reduce friction on checkouts, leading to increases in conversion rates, and help to reduce failed deliveries and customer frustration.

Our address looku p software is designed to integrate seamlessly with your business systems, ensuring accurate and up-to-date address data. We are proud to offer fit-for-purpose plug-and-play integrations with most leading business software platforms. We enjoy global coverage in over 250 countries, with businesses from various industries benefitting from our address finder offering.

Accurate address data is essential for smooth business operations, and our address lookup software makes this achievable. Get in Touch  and experience the Fetchify difference – like thousands of e-commerce businesses around the globe.

Could you be losing customers with an outdated address verification system?

Tue, 07 May 2024 08:58:04 GMT

In the bustling world of online commerce, every detail matters. From enticing website design to lightning-fast shipping, success hinges on delivering a seamless customer experience. Yet, one often-overlooked detail could be silently sabotaging your efforts: your address lookup software.

The hidden dangers of outdated systems

Picture this: a new homeowner eagerly navigates to your online store, ready to furnish their newly purchased home. But as they reach the checkout, excitement turns to frustration when their address isn't recognized. It's a scenario playing out across the UK, where hundreds of thousands of new homeowners face the same ordeal annually.

Behind the scenes, the culprit is often an outdated address finder database. While new homes are added to the Royal Mail's Postcode Address File (PAF) daily, it can take weeks or even months for businesses to update their systems. The result? Lost sales, frustrated customers, and a tarnished reputation.

Thankfully, there's a solution: Fetchify's Address Lookup . By daily syncing with the UK PAF, Fetchify ensures no address is left behind. With our address finder software, businesses can bid farewell to manual entry errors and embrace a future of seamless transactions.

Address Lookup beyond eCommerce

But the impact of accurate address lookup extends far beyond online shopping carts. In sectors ranging from public services to finance, the importance of precise customer data cannot be overstated. A single digit error could lead to missed bills, wasted postage, and plummeting customer satisfaction.

With Fetchify's address finder software, businesses gain access to real-time validation of their customer address data. Seamlessly integrating data from the UK PAF with worldwide databases, Fetchify empowers customers to effortlessly find and input their address, reducing friction, and enhancing user experience across various industries.

The consequences of inaction

Failure to tackle address finder issues can have dire consequences. Research shows that lengthy and complicated checkout processes are a leading cause of cart abandonment, with every second of delay translating to lost sales. In a world where 53% of mobile site visitors will flee from slow-loading pages, optimizing the checkout experience is paramount.

By leveraging Fetchify's Address Lookup , businesses can turn the tide. With up to 90% fewer keystrokes required for address entry, checkout processes become faster, smoother, and more conversion friendly. Whether customers are on desktop or mobile devices, the Fetchify difference is clear: increased conversions, reduced cart abandonment, and a streamlined user journey.

The Fetchify difference

We process millions of data transactions weekly for thousands of clients, from small e-commerce start-ups to large household brands such as LG, Heinz and RBS. Our flagship products, Address Auto-Complete  and UK Postcode Lookup , reduce friction on checkouts, leading to increases in conversion rates, and help reduce failed deliveries and customer frustration.

We are proud to offer fit-for-purpose plug-and-play integrations with most leading business software platforms. We enjoy global coverage in over 250 countries, with businesses from various industries benefiting from our address finder offering. Make sure to  Get in Touch  and experience the Fetchify difference – like thousands of e-commerce businesses around the globe.

What is an Eircode?

Wed, 01 May 2024 09:35:11 GMT

Ireland’s postcode network, Eircode, was established in July 2015. A seven-character alphanumeric postcode is known as an Eircode. Every Eircode is specific to a mailing address and its area.

In Ireland, almost 35% of properties share their address with at least one other residence, making it very difficult to locate a specific address. Unlike in other nations, where postcodes establish a group of addresses, each home and commercial postal address in Ireland is allocated an individual Eircode, aiding in address verification .

Eircodes, like postcodes in other nations, aid the shipping and postal industries in locating accurate addresses. The Routing Key, the first three characters of the Eircode, specify the postal region associated with a building or property’s postal address. In Ireland, there are 139 separate postal regions. These postal areas are not limited to a single county and may cross over county lines.

How do Eircodes work?

A Routing Key and a Unique Identifier are the two elements of an Eircode. Three characters make up the Routing Key. The significant post town associated with a business or property’s postal address is identified by this sequence of numbers and letters, facilitating address lookup. All Eircodes issued to locations within that postal region have the same Routing Key characters.

Each unique identification is distinct and specific to your residence or business. They aren’t in any particular order. This is to avoid a situation where a new building is built between two old ones, and the code sequence is disrupted, necessitating the changing of all Eircodes in the region.

Except for the postal districts in Dublin, which have had their current postal codes translated into a routing key format such as D03, D12, and D22, the letters are not related to a county or city designation.

What is the difference between Eircode and Postcode?

Postcodes and ZIP codes are numerical and alphabetical sequences that symbolise groups of people in specific geographical locations. Companies can use postcodes for a variety of key use cases because they are a strong resource of demographic data.

However, they frequently encompass several dwellings, making it more difficult to locate a customer’s proper location if homes are named rather than numbered. This challenge underscores the importance of address verification .

Eircode, on the other hand, assigns a unique identity to every property in Ireland, making it easier to locate residences and companies, especially in rural areas.

Why use Eircodes for deliveries in Ireland?

The increase in online shopping is excellent news for online retailers, but with a higher rural population than the EU average, precisely locating clients in Ireland can be difficult. Any company delivering goods in Ireland must have Eircode data. Those who use the address lookup software with Eircodes add-on to collect clients’ addresses should expect to see: 

A reduction in failed deliveries 

It’s obvious that incomplete or inaccurate delivery details will result in failed deliveries. Eircode gives another level of concrete data to help drivers deliver correctly and on time, hence enhancing the brand image.

Customer experience 

If your address lookup software can’t locate their address, Irish customers are likely to abandon their transaction. Making the checkout process as simple as possible and providing extra data sets like Eircode would not only improve the customer experience, but also satisfy customers and increase conversions for your brand.

Reduced costs

As a business, providing proper delivery details to your courier operator ensures that you won’t be held accountable for unsuccessful deliveries. Some couriers will only cooperate with retailers who supply confirmed addressing data or will give them a discount if they do.

Address lookup with Eircode validation from Fetchify  

ECAF (Eircode Address File) and ECAD (Eircode Address Database) can now be added to the Fetchify Address Lookup  as one of our premium data sets to guarantee accurate address verification and validation within Ireland, resulting in quicker checkouts for customers and accurate delivery addresses for drivers. 

To activate Eircodes on your Fetchify account please contact your account manager or our Customer Service team to ensure seamless address verification .

The Fetchify difference

We process millions of data transactions weekly for thousands of clients, from small e-commerce start-ups to large household brands such as LG, Heinz and RBS. Our flagship products, Address Auto-Complete and UK Postcode Lookup, reduce friction on checkouts, leading to increases in conversion rates, and help reduce failed deliveries and customer frustration.

We are proud to offer fit-for-purpose plug-and-play integrations with most leading business software platforms. We enjoy global coverage in over 250 countries, with businesses from various industries benefiting from our address verification offering. Make sure to  Get in Touch  and experience the Fetchify difference – like thousands of e-commerce businesses around the globe.

The best part is you can try out our 14-day Free Trial  before committing to our services. Our excellent technical and customer support team is on hand to answer your burning questions. Make sure to  Get in Touch  and experience the Fetchify difference – like thousands of e-commerce businesses around the globe.

Is your eCommerce store mobile friendly?

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:17:19 GMT

Mobile continues to play an increasingly important part in eCommerce success. According to Statista forecasts, retail sales from mobile eCommerce (mCommerce) in the UK are expected to exceed £100 billion by 2025, aligning with the widespread use of mobile devices.

Customers use their mobiles to investigate purchasing decisions before making purchases in-store or on a desktop, in addition to completing the entire buying journey on their mobile devices. In 2023, nearly all individuals aged 16 to 54 in the UK owned a smartphone, and mobile appears to be the preferred channel for online shopping in the country.

Customers’ comfort with mobile buying is ever-increasing, and as a result, the industry cannot disregard mobile’s importance in the eCommerce market when it comes to the design and user experience of their websites. Integrating data verification software, such as address verification , can also help create the experiences that keep customers coming back.

Mobile sites vs responsive sites

You’ve probably seen the “m.website.com” domain before; it denotes a separate mobile website. That means the mobile version of your site is hosted on a different domain from the desktop version. Mobile websites are distinct from the desktop version of your website since they are developed exclusively for mobile devices.

Responsive sites are much more inclusive for the modern-day user. Responsive websites can detect the type of device a visitor is using and automatically alter the layout of the content to fit the user’s screen size.

Separate mobile sites can be more difficult to manage than responsive sites. Any updates to a single URL in responsive sites are made to that site rather than having to go in and update two distinct sites. Most crucially, a responsive site’s functionality and content are consistent across all versions. There will be no more debates over which features are best for desktop and which are best for mobile. The look and feel of the site will be consistent across the board.

If the website is consistent for mobile users, they’ll be able to access all products and services wherever they are, which in turn makes your business completely accessible. Additionally, implementing address lookup software can enhance the user experience you deliver to your customers.

Tips to make your website more mobile-friendly

Website speed

According to research, 53% of customers will abandon a mobile site that takes longer than 3 seconds to load. You can do a few things to discourage the majority of those visitors from abandoning your site due to latency.

Above-the-fold components can be served while elements farther down the page are loaded in the background. This is known as lazy loading, and it’s a frequent method for hiding the true loading time.

However, when it comes to using lazy loading to hide latency, be mindful. Google warns that if you use lazy loading on your mobile site incorrectly, it may prohibit Google from crawling your content. So make sure you do your homework and get it right.

You can also serve smaller-sized images for mobile pages. Techniques such as srcset (which defines a set of images for the browser to choose between, and what size each image is) make it possible to display larger images on desktops while serving smaller versions of the same images on mobile devices. Because you’re offering a smaller total page, you can use this to your advantage to reduce the loading time on mobile devices.

Moreover, integrating address lookup software can streamline the user experience by reducing keystrokes by 90%.

Minimise forms and make use of address verification

The more effort required to complete a form, the less likely users are to complete it. That’s why the first guideline of form design is to make it as short as possible and eliminate all non-essential fields.

An address lookup software can make the mobile checkout process so much quicker and easier. Instead of filling in up to 6 individual fields, the customer just begins typing their address (from any point, whether they start with the town or the street number doesn’t matter) and the type-ahead address verification makes suggestions from the first character. Once the correct address has been located using the address finder software, the customer simply needs to select it, and the entire address form will be automatically populated with validated information.

Optional fields

Consider whether you truly need to add optional fields in your form. Determine what data you truly require rather than what you want. In a perfect world, your form would have no optional fields. By minimizing the information required from customers, especially with the aid of address finder software, you not only enhance their experience by expediting the process but also increase the likelihood of their return.

Optimise your mobile eCommerce with address lookup

After browsing the above knowledge to optimise your mobile experience, you should consider the many benefits of an address verification or postcode lookup software. The main benefit of using a mobile device is that it’s already right in front of you, whether you’re at home or on the commute to work.

Giving customers the ability to enter their full, correct, validated address with just a few keystrokes is the perfect finish to the convenient ease of a mobile commerce experience. It is the quick-fire tool your business needs to increase conversion rates and decrease cart abandonment. And of course, another financial gain your business will receive as a result of an address finder API is a reduction in failed deliveries as the human error of entering the incorrect address will be eliminated.

Make payment methods easy

Payments can be problematic for mobile users because large number sequences, such as those required for a credit card, are typically challenging to type. Instead, you may invite visitors to create an account on your website, where you can store their credit card information. Although be sure to also offer guest checkout, to avoid deterring customers who just want to get on with the transaction as quickly as possible. 

You may also make use of mobile payment methods like PayPal, Google Wallet, or Apple Play for customers. Offering wallets not only makes the UX smoother and simpler on mobile devices, but it also increases customers’ trust in your website, an important factor in mobile commerce. Integrating an address finder software into your checkout process can further enhance user experience by automatically suggesting accurate address options in real-time, preventing typos, missing characters and abbreviation.

The Fetchify difference

We process millions of data transactions weekly for thousands of clients, from small e-commerce start-ups to large household brands such as LG, Heinz and RBS. Our flagship products, Address Lookup   and UK Postcode Lookup , reduce friction on checkouts, leading to increases in conversion rates, and help reduce failed deliveries and customer frustration.

If you’re looking to boost conversion rates, eliminate failed deliveries, minimise human errors, and provide a seamless experience for customers on your platform, then look no further than the experts in customer data validation and address verification solutions – Fetchify.

Why lowering the number of failed deliveries is crucial for your business

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 09:22:49 GMT

Have your customers ever ordered something online and eagerly awaited its arrival, only to discover it was lost or delivered to the wrong address? It can be frustrating and time-consuming to deal with failed deliveries, and it's an issue that affects both customers and businesses. In fact, Citizens Advice recently reported that over 13 million people faced a delivery problem with the last parcel they received. But what if we told you that many of these issues could be prevented simply by using an address lookup software at checkout?

It's true – if someone inputs the correct address at checkout, there will be fewer delivery failures. This is because delivery companies rely on accurate address information to deliver packages to the correct location. When a package is delivered to the wrong address, it not only causes frustration for the customer but also results in a loss for your business.

That's where address lookup and data validation products come in. Another report by Channel X revealed that 12% of UK residents experience missing parcels, and a third of UK residents reported concerns about sending or receiving parcels due to loss or theft. By using a reliable postcode lookup and data validation service like Fetchify, you can minimise these risks and provide your customers with a better experience.

Why entering the correct address at checkout is crucial

Entering the correct address at checkout is crucial to ensuring a smooth delivery process. When a customer inputs an incorrect or incomplete address, it can lead to a range of problems that can cause delivery failure. For example, if a customer accidentally inputs the wrong postal code or street name, the courier may not be able to find the correct address and may end up delivering the package to the wrong location.

Additionally, incomplete addresses can also cause problems. If a customer forgets to input their apartment or unit number, the courier may not be able to deliver the package to the correct recipient. Incomplete addresses can also lead to packages being returned to the sender if the courier is unable to deliver the package to the intended recipient. However, with the integration of address finder software at checkout, many of these issues could be prevented simply by ensuring accurate address input.

Delivery failures caused by incorrect or incomplete addresses can lead to a range of negative consequences. The package may be delayed or lost, which can result in frustration and dissatisfaction for the customer. It can also result in additional costs for the merchant or courier, who may need to resend the package or refund the customer. Ultimately, delivery failures can damage your reputation and result in lost business.

Ensuring that customers enter accurate and complete addresses at checkout is essential for reducing delivery failures. Address lookup and data validation software play a pivotal role in this process. By integrating these products into the checkout process, you can automatically validate and correct customer addresses in real-time, ensuring that the correct information is captured and reduce the risk of delivery failures.

Merchants can leverage postcode lookup and data validation products to ensure accurate and complete address information is captured during the checkout process, reducing the risk of delivery failure and improving customer satisfaction.

How losses are reduced with accurate address lookup at checkout

When online customers enter correct delivery addresses at checkout, it can lead to several benefits that help businesses reduce losses. Here are a few ways this can happen:

Fewer failed deliveries
When the customer's address is correct, it’s more likely that the delivery will be successful. This means that the package won’t need to be returned to the seller due to an incorrect or incomplete address, reducing the risk of failed deliveries.

Reduced shipping costs
Failed deliveries can be expensive for businesses, as you may need to pay for the package to be shipped back and then re-shipped to the customer once the correct address is obtained. By integrating an address finder tool and reducing the number of failed deliveries, you can save on these extra shipping costs.

Improved customer satisfaction
When a customer receives their package on time and without any issues, it can lead to increased satisfaction and loyalty. In contrast, failed deliveries can result in frustrated customers, negative reviews, and a damaged reputation. By incorporating a postcode lookup software and ensuring that the customer's address is correct, you can improve the overall experience for the customer and reduce the risk of negative feedback.

Reduced fraud risk
Correct addresses can also help reduce the risk of fraud. By validating the customer's address at checkout using an address finder tool, businesses can ensure that the package is being shipped to an existing address. This can help prevent fraudulent orders and reduce the risk of chargebacks. In a nutshell, entering correct delivery addresses at checkout can lead to significant benefits for both businesses and customers.

The Fetchify difference

Fetchify offers fast, accurate and intuitive customer data verification software to help businesses save time, work even smarter and deliver a superb customer experience. Data verification products help you reduce failed deliveries and boost checkout conversion, too. These are also easy to integrate with most leading business software platforms through plug-and-play integrations – such as Magento, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce. This means that businesses can easily incorporate Fetchify's products into their existing systems without having to make significant changes to their workflow.

Failed deliveries can be a significant issue for businesses, resulting in lost revenue and frustrated customers. However, by using address finder and data validation software like Fetchify, businesses can ensure that their customers' addresses are accurate, reducing the possibility of failed deliveries. With easy integration with a variety of platforms, it's a solution that's accessible to businesses of all sizes.

We process millions of data transactions weekly for thousands of clients, from small e-commerce start-ups to large household brands such as LG, Heinz and RBS. Our flagship products, Address Lookup and UK Postcode Lookup , reduce friction at checkout, leading to increases in conversion rates, and help reduce failed deliveries and customer frustration. We enjoy global coverage in over 250 countries, with businesses from various industries benefiting from our address finder offering.

If you’re looking to boost conversion rates, eliminate failed deliveries, minimise human errors, and provide a seamless experience for customers on your platform, then look no further than the experts in customer address data validation and postcode lookup solutions – Fetchify.

Increasing your checkout conversions with Fetchify

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 07:33:49 GMT

As an online business owner, you know how important it is to capture accurate customer data during the checkout process. Not only does it help with shipping and billing, but it can also help with marketing efforts in the future. However, manually entering information can be a hassle, and even minor typos can lead to failed transactions and lost sales. 

E-commerce entrepreneurs know how important it is to have a smooth and seamless checkout process. The last thing you want is for potential customers to abandon their carts due to a cumbersome and frustrating checkout experience. One of the most significant factors that can cause customers to abandon their carts is the hassle of filling out long and complicated forms during checkout. This is where Fetchify’s address lookup and data validation solutions come in to play.

Fetchify can help increase checkout conversions with its range of fast, accurate and intuitive data verification products. With various integrations for the leading eCommerce, CRM, and software platforms, streamlining your checkout process couldn’t be simpler. Our software products include global address auto-complete, UK postcode lookup, geocodes, eircodes as well as phone, bank, and email address validation – ensuring that the customer data you collect is accurate and up-to-date.

Let’s dive into some details of how Fetchify can help to increase your web conversions.

Reduce the Hassle of Form Entry

We all know how tedious it can be to fill out long checkout forms, especially on mobile devices. With our address finder , you can reduce keystrokes by up to 90%, making the checkout process faster and easier for your customers. Not only does this save your customers’ time, but it also reduces frustration and increases the chances of completing a purchase.

Fetchify’s address lookup helps businesses capture the most accurate addresses at checkout while reducing the time and effort it takes for customers to enter their address information, resulting in faster and more accurate order fulfilment, reduced cart abandonment rates, and increased customer satisfaction.

Validate Email Addresses

Email marketing is an important part of any business’s marketing strategy, but it’s only effective if the email addresses are correct. Fetchify’s email address validation helps ensure that the email addresses collected during the checkout process are accurate and valid. This reduces the likelihood of bounced emails and increases the chances of successful email marketing campaigns.

By reducing friction through email address validation, streamlining the checkout process, and ensuring accurate customer data capture, we help increase conversions in the checkout process. Every sale, and all increases in your conversion rate can have a significant impact on your bottom line.

Reduce Friction and Human Errors

Friction in the checkout process can be a major barrier to completing a sale. Our address lookup and data validation products help to reduce friction by streamlining the checkout process , making it easier for customers to complete their purchases. The less friction there is, the more likely customers will complete their purchase and become repeat customers.

Fetchify’s address verification software uses real-time address finder and geocoding to help customers quickly and easily fill out their address information during checkout – thus reducing friction effortlessly. When a customer starts typing their address into the form, our address verification software suggests, in real-time, complete and verified addresses. This allows customers to select their address from a dropdown menu instead of typing it out manually – lowering the likelihood of human error like typos, missing characters and abbreviation.

Purchase Faster with Address Lookup

In today’s fast-paced world, every second counts, especially when it comes to making a purchase online. A slow and tedious checkout process can lead to frustration and cart abandonment, ultimately affecting your business’s bottom line.

Time really is of the essence when it comes to completing an online purchase. Fetchify’s address verification and data validation products can help speed up the checkout process, reducing the chances of cart abandonment. The faster the checkout process, the more likely customers are to make a purchase.

Manually entering an address during checkout can be time-consuming and frustrating for customers. Our address finder functionality reduces the number of keystrokes required to enter an address. This will ensure that customers can quickly and easily find their address and complete the form with just a few clicks.

With Fetchify, you can reduce the time it takes for your customers to enter their details during checkout, ultimately leading to a faster purchasing process.

Speed of Checkout vs Conversion Rate

The Baymard Institute found that on average, an e-commerce cart abandonment rate is about 70%. The study found that among the top reasons for cart abandonment, a lengthy and complicated checkout process was a leading cause.

A study by Google revealed that 53% of mobile site visitors would leave a page that takes longer than three seconds to load. A slow checkout process can be a major contributor to this and negatively affect conversion rates. This is further illustrated by research conducted by Kissmetrics, who discovered that every one-second delay in page load time could result in a 7% reduction in conversions. 

Essentially, these studies reveal that even small improvements to the checkout process can significantly impact sales – the longer it takes for a customer to complete a purchase, the more likely they are to abandon their cart. Fetchify’s address finder and other data validation products like email address validation can help speed up the checkout process, reducing the chances of cart abandonment and increasing conversion rates.

The Fetchify difference

With global e-commerce sales projected to reach over $6.9 trillion by 2025, online businesses that can streamline their checkout process are likely to see significant revenue gains through increased conversions.

It is clear that a faster and simpler checkout process can be a major driver of sales and conversions for e-commerce businesses. By using a service like ours to streamline the address verification and data validation process, businesses can significantly reduce the time it takes for customers to complete their purchases and improve the overall checkout experience.

Reducing the time it takes for customers to enter their information will undoubtedly improve your conversion rate and ultimately boost your sales. Your business will benefit from a more efficient and precise user journey, with happier customers, a greater rate of successful deliveries, and a remarkable increase in sales from returning customers.

We process millions of data transactions weekly for thousands of clients, from small e-commerce start-ups to large household brands such as LG, Heinz and RBS. Our flagship products, address lookup   and UK postcode lookup , reduce friction on checkouts, leading to increases in conversion rates, and help reduce failed deliveries and customer frustration. Moreover, with our email address verification , you can improve the quality of your data and prevent invalid or incomplete account registration.

The best part is you can try out our 14-day free trial  before committing to our services. Our excellent technical and customer support team is on hand to answer your burning questions. Make sure to  get in touch  and experience the Fetchify difference – like thousands of e-commerce businesses around the globe.

Fetchify provide the Workplace Depot with essential Postcode Lookup

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 09:32:52 GMT

"I don’t think we could be without Fetchify now. It’s an essential part of our business – particularly as we grow." – Steve Needham, Purchasing Manager

The Workplace Depot is a UK-based family run business, specialising in workplace products supply schools, universities, construction companies and even people doing a little DIY at home.

Everyone from the BBC to football teams and scout groups benefit from their services. Started 27 years ago by Ken Miller and originally named Central Source, the company started out creating print catalogues for their distributor network. Around 2010, they started their website and, what started as a small area of the business, has quickly grown to be their main channel. In 2019, they shifted fully online. With the change in name to more accurately reflect their business, the business has gone from strength to strength. Working entirely through their Magento website, they are now turning over roughly half a million pounds every month.

Our aim at Fetchify is to help your online customers to enter addresses correctly and quickly. For The Workplace Depot is means:

Trustworthy and up to date address data including the latest new builds
Saving admin time spent identifying incorrectly entered addresses
Reduce failed deliveries caused by customer data errors

The challenges

With high volumes of orders going through the website and heading out for delivery every day, valuable time was lost in finding and verifying addresses based on incorrect or incomplete data entered at checkout. Providing workplace equipment, The Workplace Depot delivers to many new builds and construction sites, the addresses of which they were previously unable to search and verify, causing delays to deliveries.

They needed a reliable and regularly updated database to ensure the latest addresses would always be available. Their previous address validation provider simply didn’t update regularly enough to keep up with the ever-growing number of new builds and thousands of other changes to the UK’s address database every single day.

With hundreds of deliveries heading out every day, failed or delayed deliveries can easily become a real business pain point, costing The Workplace Depot time and money in administration and delayed deliveries.

"What we need is something that is very trustworthy and always up to date and Fetchify Postcode Lookup has always been brilliant for us."

How Fetchify helps

Fetchify is a pioneer in SaaS address lookup and validation solutions and offers a range of data verification solutions.

Recommended by The Workplace Depot’s own in-house tech consultant, Fetchify works with only the best data providers. In the UK that is the Royal Mail PAF database which Fetchify further supplements with Ordnance Survey and armed forces data. This is updated daily including the addition of new build details which The Workplace Depot say has been an “unbelievably helpful” addition to their business process. Integrating Fetchify’s postcode lookup guarantees The Workplace Depot is now capturing accurate and verified addresses at checkout every time.

Not only does this save admin time in finding and fixing data entry errors, it also eliminates failed deliveries caused by those errors. Where drivers would previously have needed to call back to head office asking for assistance in locating the delivery point, the addresses are now verified at point of entry, ensuring a smooth delivery and, ultimately, happy customers.

As a primarily B2B business based in the UK, The Workplace Depot chose to use Fetchify’s Postcode Lookup address validation solution. The simple interface is a household staple of UK-based online shopping.

"You put your postcode in, you the option to choose the house number and you click on that. I think people have got used to that and they expect it at every checkout."

The key benefits delivered by Fetchify’s Postcode Lookup are:

Reliable data with daily updates
Recognisable interface for a smoother customer journey through checkout
Huge saving in admin time needed to verify addresses entered by customers at checkout
Eliminated delays and failures in delivery caused by bad address data

"We get on average 200-300 orders a day. You can imagine for a driver, trying to check postcodes, it would just take all day. We can’t say with how pleased we are with you guys and what you do for us."

Results, return on investment and future plans

With Fetchify’s Postcode Lookup integrated into their checkout and eliminating the costs in time and money previously caused by errors in address data, The Workplace Depot’s technical and admin teams can use their time instead to focus on continuing to build and promote the brand. Fetchify are proud to be an integral part of The Workplace Depot’s business and support them as they continue to grow.

Fetchify & SportsOnline increase checkout completions for 12 years not out

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 09:25:58 GMT

"Fetchify makes the checkout process so much quicker. You know how impatient people are and every time they go to a checkout and have to type everything out you risk losing them. " – Jamie Harvey, Managing Director

Established in 1999, SportsOnline is a family-run business selling cricket and hockey sports equipment internationally from www.cricket-hockey.com as well as a bricks-and-mortar shop and warehouse in Wiltshire, UK.

They launched their first online shop in 2000, one of the first cricket and hockey specialists to be online, they’ve grown exponentially to one of the world’s largest cricket and hockey retailers, dispatching tens of thousands of orders worldwide every year. They also produce their own highly successful cricket and hockey equipment range – Funky. Famed for their service and expertise, it’s no wonder there’s a great match with Fetchify.

Having installed Postcode Lookup from CraftyClicks (the previous name of Fetchify) in 2008, they recently updated to Fetchify’s global solution, Address Auto-Complete , as they grow internationally with sales to Australia, New Zealand, US, Netherlands and Germany in particular.

Fetchify is installed via a plugin for their eCommerce platform, PrestaShop, which they run completely in-house.

Fetchify helps SportsOnline achieve:

Increased conversion rates from a faster checkout
Improved overall customer service due to fewer addressing errors
Reduced customer frustration and wait times
Reduced administration issues caused by shipping

The challenges

Prior to installing Fetchify, SportsOnline were frustrated by the amount of customer-led data errors in address entries. These issues have been resolved by installing first the Postcode Lookup and then the Address Auto Complete plugins ensuring only verified addresses can be input.

"The amount of people who type the wrong postcodes and then three days later ask, “Where’s my order?” is surprising. Put that with mistyping house numbers as well – it was not good. It’s always easier when you can select it, isn’t it."

Another challenge easily solved was how to continue when SportsOnline decided to upgrade their eCommerce platform to PrestaShop. A phone call was made to Fetchify to find our ready-made plugin for Prestashop already created and ready for instant use. Fetchify have ready-made plugins for most major eCommerce platforms and they can be easily customized for non-standard use.

"After 12 years of use, SportsOnline have never had to contact Fetchify for technical issues. The only time we’ve made contact was for the original install and then update for PrestaShop. Nothing goes wrong with it!"

How Fetchify helps

Fetchify is a pioneer in SaaS address lookup and data validation solutions and offers a range of data verification solutions.

Address Auto-Complete is a simple plugin that is easy to install and supports your online customers to ensure their address is correct every time. It also speeds up the checkout process.

The key benefits delivered by Address-Auto Complete are:

Addresses are easy and fast to add to registration or order pages

The source of addresses updates daily for accuracy

Fetchify verifies the address for accuracy and correct postal formatting

Results, return on investment and future plans

Having used the automatic address completion plugin tool from Fetchify, SportsOnline have enjoyed a greater number of checkout conversions – faster and easier address entry for buyers which means a better conversion to the payment stage.

A recent conversion to the PrestaShop eCommerce platform and greater international sales required a change to the international version of Address Auto-Complete to cater for their buyers all around the world.

"We’ve never received a customer complaint about address entry since installing Fetchify. It’s only increased our conversion and given us less admin to do!"

Fetchify Address Auto-Complete helps Gill Marine’s global eCommerce stay shipshape

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 09:20:28 GMT

"Once we had Fetchify and we put it in and tested, it was, ‘Wow, that was easy'. It does exactly what we want.’" – Oliver Cole, Global Head of eCommerce

Gill Marine embodies the ethos that the company was founded on, back in 1975 by Nick Gill – a desire for better. A dinghy sailor, he wanted clothes that could protect him while out sailing. He started experimenting modern textiles to start producing clothes that were waterproof, light and durable. First advertised as made “by sailors for sailors”, that enthusiasm for sport and their practical utility still defines them today.

The brand quickly grew and has since been the watersports clothing of choice for athletes (they have sponsored the US and GB SailGP teams as well as Team GBR, the British Olympic Sailing teams in Sydney, Athens and Beijing), celebrities and even royalty.

In recent years, they have widely expanded around the world, and especially in the US with the launch in 2020 of Gill Fishing , catering for one of the largest sports sectors in the world. Gill are also expanding their product ranges beyond marine sailing and watersports although they are still focused on their core market.

The challenges

Gill recently updated their whole eCommerce platform and strategy, launching six new B2C storefronts and two B2C apps in the last 12 months including the US, UK, and fully-translated stores for France and Germany.

Part of this was a platform upgrade from Magento 1 to BigCommerce, working with Williams Commerce as their digital agency. Another part of their strategy has also been to launch new eCommerce apps using JMango360, a key partner of BigCommerce.

To cater to global eCommerce customers, they required an address look and verification tool that was easy to install and would work across all their online storefronts and apps. Gill already knew the value of address verification tools and were using a competitor to Fetchify in their Magento 1 stores but that competitor did not support them in their move to BigCommerce, so BigCommerce recommended Fetchify.

Any solution being added to a checkout needs to be simple for users to use. For Gill, they believe the expectation is that any checkout would now have an address lookup facility just for the user experience alone. Of course, they are also well aware of the confusion that can come from not having correct addresses, and wanting to avoid shipping issues around the world.

" We put that in store fairly quickly and it worked pretty easily and quickly. It literally took me five seconds to get it to work and forget about it. "

How Fetchify helps

Fetchify is a pioneer in SaaS address lookup and data validation solutions and offers a range of data verification solutions.

The one selected by Gill was our international Address Auto-Complete which enables a user to find their address quickly using any part of an address including postcodes, zip codes or starting to type the street. This system also ensures all addresses are verified by local postal services and are in alignment with the local addressing formats for faster delivery.

Fetchify provides a simple plugin for the BigCommerce platform which delivers these benefits:

An easy to install pl ugin with international address lookup
Accurate address data for more than 240 countries
Streamlined checkout forms for address entry
Outputs an exact, formatted & verified address

Results, return on investment and future plans

The key benefits to Gill Marine and their online store users are:

A smooth and easy user experience at checkout
A solution that will work across all their shopfronts and apps
Easy to install
A decrease in shipping issues

As Gill marine grows throughout the world, Fetchify’s Address Auto Complete is the perfect integration to help optimize the online experience.

"We literally plugged it in and it works throughout the entire chain."

How Fetchify's Postcode Lookup helps QANW members ensure perfect addresses

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 08:45:38 GMT

"Our addresses have to be well laid out and correct to ensure that our policies reach the policy holder. Fetchify’s Postcode Lookup makes this happen." – Gemma Swankle, Business Executive

Quality Assured National Warranties has been protecting home improvement investments for over 15 years. They provide homeowners with vital consumer protection in the form of insurance backed guarantees (IBG) covering contractors installing everything from a small porch builds to large commercial projects.

They are one of the UK’s largest IBG providers. IBGs protect homeowners in the worst-case scenario; should the original installing contractor cease to trade and a defect with the installation appears. Having an IBG means that the homeowner can claim against the policy to rectify the faults, often saving the homeowner’s thousands of pounds. As IBGs form an insurance policy, it is vital that the policy documents get to the homeowner. This is done via the Quality Assured National Warranties (QANW) website where their members (the contractors who supply the services) enter the homeowner details. For this purpose, QANW have been using Fetchify’s Postcode Lookup for the last 12 years as a tool for their members to accurately register addresses of properties they are working on in order for QANW to post the policy documents.

The challenges

Every address that the contractor enters into the QANW website needs to be accurate and properly-formatted. They use a third party to print their envelopes and need to ensure that no addresses are rejected as being inaccurate. They had to find a solution that enabled their members to quickly and accurately enter addresses.

"It actually saves us money for postage because we don’t get any rejections, and then we are not having to resend."

How Fetchify helps

Fetchify is a pioneer in SaaS address lookup and data validation solutions and offers a range of five data verification solutions. As QANW operates wholly in the UK, Fetchify’s Postcode Lookup tool is ideal for their needs. It uses a well-established system that guides the member to enter the correct details, prompting with addresses. As the data backing Postcode Lookup is the Royal Mail PAF , it ensures that the address is in alignment with all local postage formats.

The key benefits to QANW and their online members and users are:

Accurate address data, correctly formatted, for the entirety of the UK
Easily recognisable interface for their members to use
Peace of mind to members that the policy will go to their client

Results, return on investment and future plans

QANW invested in Postcode Lookup 12 years ago to cut back on address errors. The result is cost savings by cutting back on returns and resending of policies. Time is also saved by having the insurance policy addressed to the right person, the first time.

The easy to install plugin was installed in their online portal so that their members had an easier and guided method of entering accurate addresses. QANW can continue to focus on ensuring that the homeowners receive the protection they need.

"It is vital that we get names and addresses correct in order for insurance policies to be delivered promptly to policy holders."

Fetchify helps Cadet Direct improve conversions, reduce incorrect addresses and reduce dispatch costs

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 10:10:40 GMT

"Our customer website conversions and our customer satisfaction have rocketed with Fetchify’s Address Auto-Complete." – James Munday Managing Director

Cadet Direct is a growing multi-store business whose main site supplies sea and air cadet uniforms and accessories, generating a significant volume of international postage activity.

Their second site www.survivalaids.com is aimed at military personnel and the survivalist community and they also run two additional brand sites www.planostore.com and www.creativeoptionsuk.com .

Their main challenge was errors in customer delivery address data submitted at checkout compounded by the use of browser autofill. Since the installation of Fetchify the address issues have been resolved generating cost savings and increasing customer satisfaction.

Fetchify helped Cadet Direct to achieve:

20% increase in basket conversions
100% decrease in incorrect addresses and failed deliveries
Increased efficiencies in our packaging and dispatch team

The challenges

Before working with Fetchify, Cadet Direct’s challenge was the number of wrong addresses that were entered by customers. As international shippers this was costly in terms of postage, returns and staff hire.

Browser Autofil functions compounded the issue as, although they are undoubtably effective in reducing form filling times, it became clear that the mapping of addresses to our forms was not always accurate and customers were not always spotting their mistakes. Simply choosing a different phone number could change the address details without the customer realising.

"Fetchify were easy to work with and they’ve made it possible for us to ensure that our customers were able to receive their products on time. We believe that the Fetchify address auto-complete solution has led to cost savings."

How Fetchify helps

Fetchify recognises the importance of getting addresses correct the first time around. Delivery expectations of customers challenge every e-commerce business. Fetchify makes it possible for e-commerce businesses to increase their efficiency and delivery timelines, decrease costs and achieve better commercial outcomes, even in an uncertain economy.

The key deliverables to Cadet Direct were:

Quick and easy set-up with a ready-made plugin for Magento
Helpful technical advice when required for a customised UX
Best quality data sourced compatible with couriers globally

Fetchify was recommended to Cadet Direct by their Magento design and development agency, R&W Media . Cadet Direct decided to use Fetchify’s Address Auto-Complete to utilise the daily updated address data for over 240 countries.

R&W Media integrated the prebuilt Magento plugin into the Cadet Direct sites quickly. They later worked with the Fetchify support team to add customisation to the out of the box plugin.

Results, return on investment and future plans

Cadet Direct found the benefits of using Fetchify Address Auto-Complete immediate. Basket conversions increased by 20% while fewer delivery issues has helped increase customer satisfaction with review ratings at 95%.

The main benefit has been improved delivery with their customer services team reporting a dramatic drop in the number of address related customer enquiries as soon as the system went live.

Staff efficiencies in the packing and dispatch operation have led to cost savings that have been reinvested into the business for further growth. Fetchify are exceptional.

"Everything just works out of the box and allowed seamless integration but when we wanted to customise our solution their team made things easy for us."

Fetchify helps leading credit card payment machines supplier collect accurate client data

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 10:09:37 GMT

"Easy to set up and easy to use. The pricing is clear and not overcomplicated. It does what it needs to and we like it. It was very easy to add bank account, email and phone validation."

The client is a leading credit card payment machine supplier in the UK, established in 2013. They provide credit card machines and payment solutions to small and medium businesses such as hairdressers and garages.

Partnering with one of the UK’s major financial institutions, their solutions provide complete security and the latest card processing technology. Fetchify provides a full suite of address lookup and data validation solutions in the client’s application forms. Accurate customer data is essential for the secure processing of financial data. Our aim at Fetchify is to help your online customers to enter their details correctly and quickly.

For a credit card processing business is means:

Postal addresses , phone numbers , email addresses and bank account details validated against gold standard data sources
Quick and easy integration for the development of new products
Accurate and user-friendly validation interface with a clear “data-valid” indicator for their customers

The challenges

Before the pandemic, the client operated mostly by going to meet business owners in person to get them signed up for the credit card processing service and would take all their details manually. With COVID 19, face to face meetings became impossible for a time and continue to be less popular than before. So, the client set up an online solution that allows customers to sign themselves up remotely.

As with all processing of financial data and payment applications, anti-money laundering and anti-fraud checks are essential. But these can be lengthy and costly, so it is vital for the client that as much as possible of the customer data they submit is verified at point of entry to save time and money.

Initially the client used Fetchify for postcode lookup and another solution provider for their phone and email validation. They consolidated all of their validation tools over to Fetchify, enjoying its ease of installation to their Formstack forms , its ease of use and the fact that all the validation is controlled in one account. Also, they found Fetchify’s visual confirmation of accurate data – the green tick – appealin g and seamless within their application form.

" We use Fetchify because it is very simple to implement. We just dropped the JavaScript codes into Formstack, it’s seamless."

How Fetchify helps

Fetchify is a pioneer in SaaS address lookup and data validation solutions and offers a range of data verification solutions.

The credit card processing business requires accurate customer details in the applications they submit to their financial institution partner in order to allow their customers to take card payments. Fetchify is integrated into their Formstack application form. The client uses UK Postcode Lookup to search and verify postal addresses as well as phone number validation, email address validation and UK bank account validation services.

The client runs further checks and requires more detailed information including copies of bank statements, but the initial verification of bank account details in particular, helps to catch mistakes and ensures applicants don’t enter dummy data.

Fetchify provides a simple plugin for Formstack which delivers these benefits:

An easy to install plugin with UK only or international address lookup capability
Accurate address data updated daily
Streamlined forms for address entry and data validation
Real time data validation and visual feedback cues for phone numbers email addresses and bank account details

Results, return on investment and future plans

Using Postcode Lookup and Fetchify’s suite of data validation tools during registration saves the client time and money on the application process of each customer. By ensuring that only real and accurate contact information and banking details are collected, the extensive background checks required for payment processing are more efficient and less likely to be rejected.

With the rise of cashless transactions, the client is developing a new solution allowing small business owners such as nannies, dog walkers, window cleaners etc to accept card payments via an app on their mobile phones. This allows businesses that have traditionally taken cash to continue doing business without needing a full VAT credit card payment machine and printer.

When this new project is launched, the service provided by Fetchify will be even more vital. No matter the size of the customer’s business, whether a sole trader or a larger enterprise, the anti-money laundering etc checks run by financial institutions are still extensive. So it is essential to make the parts of the process that our client can control as seamless as possible to handle the increased traffic smoothly and efficiently.

" Fetchify a good partner to have. The products perform well, they are fast, there are no delays and it allows us to engage with our customers more effectively. "

Welcome to the new-look Fetchify

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 09:53:02 GMT

Over time, businesses evolve. New products are created, and new customers won.

And, as a business evolves and matures, so too does its purpose, its identity, and its appearance.

Back in 2008, when the business now known as Fetchify was launched, we were called Crafty Clicks.

That identity was perfect for an early-stage, disruptive start-up – but in 2020, we felt it was time for a new name to reflect where the business had evolved to.

Fetchify was born, because we ‘fetch’ and ‘verify’ data for our customers.

The name change coincided with our acquisition by software and payments group ClearCourse, and over the past year, we’ve been working on a whole new brand identity that reflects a ‘grown up’ Fetchify.

Of course, we’re still the same people with the same great range of products, but our new visual identity demonstrates that we’re part of ClearCourse, and aligned with the group’s purpose of helping our customers build great businesses with industry-specific software.

Our new logo, which utilises a modern, sans-serif font, incorporates the ClearCourse compass, which points north-east – a sure sign in business that things are moving in the right direction.

From a visual perspective, we’ve heroed people. Why? Because, while we provide tools that verify data quickly and accurately, people are at the heart of everything we do.

It’s your customers who have a more enjoyable website experience thanks to fast data verification online. It’s your delivery drivers who’ll have a stress-free day because they’ve got accurate, validated address data. It’s your admin and customer service teams who are able to increase customer satisfaction and achieve more than ever before.

Across our brand-new website, which stands alone while clearly part of the ClearCourse brand family, we’ve simplified the information on-screen, putting our products – and the benefits they deliver for your business – at the front and centre.

As a brand, very little has changed. We’ve still got our brilliant range of products, and continue to put customer service right at the heart of everything we do.

And we’ll continue to develop and innovate, to make sure we’re delivering the fastest, most accurate and most intuitive data verification products to help your business be the very best it possibly can be.

New brand identity gets first outing at September’s eCommerce Expo

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 09:33:17 GMT

Fetchify is headed to London’s eCommerce Expo this month – and, alongside our market-leading range of data verification software we’ll be debuting our brand-new look.

The eCommerce Expo, which takes place at ExCeL London on 27-28 September, is the UK’s only event that covers everything related to online trade. It attracts more than 11,000 B2B and B2C senior eCommerce professionals across the two days, and the theme of this year’s event is ‘The Future of eCommerce’.

“This is an incredibly important event in the calendar, and attracts the top eCommerce brands as well as the very best tech providers,” says Andre Venter, Product Director of Fetchify.

“We’re looking forward to reconnecting with current customers as well as introducing Fetchify’s range of data verification products to potential new clients.

“For eCommerce clients, Fetchify can add a tremendous amount of value, by helping increase online conversion, improve delivery accuracy, enhance data quality and saving money, and we’re looking forward to demonstrating this face-to-face.”

The eCommerce Expo, which features a number of high-profile speakers from brands including Adobe, Specsavers, Ralph Lauren and Dominos, will also see the first outing for Fetchify’s new look, after undergoing a makeover during 2023.

“Our brand aesthetic is incredibly important in communicating the value proposition of Fetchify,” says Andre.

“We have a number of software offerings that all enable our clients to achieve different outcomes and it was important for us to share that story clearly in a way that potential clients can easily understand.”

Visit the Fetchify team on Stand F45 at the eCommerce Expo at ExCeL London on 27-28 September 2023.

How and why you need to measure your abandonment rates

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 07:34:28 GMT

Write me a tragedy in three words… abandoned shopping carts.

Is there anything worse than knowing that a customer got all the way to your checkout and then changed their mind and left the website? Abandoned carts are the greatest tragedy for any eCommerce business. And yet our recent insight report found that a massive 42% of retailers aren’t even measuring this metric. Knowing the extent of the issue is the first step to improving on it and winning back those sales!

A third of the surveyed participants that weren’t measuring cart abandonments said it was because they don’t know how. This blog is for you!

At Fetchify we talk a lot about helping businesses to improve checkout conversion rates (reducing abandonment rates) but today we’re going to take a step back and look at measuring those rates so you have your starting point to improve from.

What are conversion rates and abandonment rates?

So the first thing to understand about these metrics is that they are two sides of the same coin – conversions are the customers that started the checkout process and completed the transaction, abandonments are the people that started the checkout process but then left without making a purchase. We don’t just want to celebrate conversions, we want to tackle the abandonment rate – the money that is walking away from your checkout.

Everything about your online shop is carefully designed to entice the visitor, to persuade them to buy your products. How many potential customers are being won over by your website and your products, adding items to their basket, but then being put off by something in the checkout journey and leaving?

How do you measure your abandonment rate?

Depending on your eCommerce platform, your metrics and reports will take different forms, but have a look at your specific reporting and find these two important numbers.

The number of initiated transactions – that is the number of visitors who place items in their basket
The number of completed transactions

Then you need this simple equation to work out your aban donment rate:

1 – (number of completed transactions / number of initiated transactions) x100 = abandonment rate

Once you have that figure, you have a black and white incentive in front of you to streamline your checkout UX and win back those customers before they leave. A clear indicator of the ROI to be g ained through conversion rate optimisation.

How does your store measure up?

The industry average across eCommerce is an abandonment rate of 68%. That’s 68 out of every 100 customers that start the checkout journey and then leave without finishing the transaction. How does your store measure up?

If your abandonment rate is lower than this average congratulations! But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still room for improvement. Every tweak that makes your checkout more user-friendly, will convince more potential customers to stick with you and cross the finish line of the transaction.

A high abandonment rate can indicate issues with your checkout process that are turning customers away. Perhaps your shipping costs are too high, your payment options don’t meet expectations, or your forms are too long and challenging. But now you know what your starting point is, you will be able to tell if any adjustments you make are improving the experience for your customers. They will tell you with their wallets.

The good news is, we can help

57% of the businesses we surveyed in our Checkout Insight Report claimed a higher than average conversion rate/lower than average abandonment rate. Of the adjustments they had made to improve their checkout, the three ranked most highly by our participants were :

Address Lookup t o speed customers through form-filling
Abandoned cart discounts to entice customers back
Alternative payment optio ns such as digital wallets to make payments easier and suit any preference.

If you are already a Fetchify customer, you are already ahead of the curve. Our Address Auto-Complete API, when added to your checkout means your customers can add their shipping and billing addresses with fewer keystrokes. That means less dwell time and less time to reconsider a purchase. Getting customers through your checkout quickly and efficiently is the key to great conversion and our Address Auto-Complete can reduce keystrokes by as much as 80%.

Sound good? You’re just a few simple steps from a better optimised checkout and even better conversion rates. Get in touch today .

8 tips to optimise your checkout for mobile traffic

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 07:33:42 GMT

Mobile users make up more than 50% of web traffic. In fact during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend 2021, mobile accounted for over 68% of online retail traffic.

The pandemic has only increased this weighting. Working from home has made desktop devices feel like the office. Mobiles feel like a place to catch up with friends, play games, and shop. Mobile eCommerce or mCommerce has an average cart abandonment rate of 86%. That’s 16% higher than desktop devices. With these statistics, it would be easy to simply assume that most mobile visitors are just window shopping, with very low intent to buy. This could be why many eCommerce businesses don’t give enough thought to the mobile checkout journey of their stores.

But with mobile traffic volumes increasing all the time, the high abandonment rate will hurt businesses more and more. Savvy eCommerce managers could make modifications to their checkout to better accommodate mobile shoppers, enticing them to buy. Currently, according to research done by Baymard Institute on average, for every 100 mobile visitors that add an item to a basket, only 14 are completing their purchase. If even 10 of those abandonments are for reasons other than window shopping and could be helped through their checkout journey by small changes, it could make big differences for businesses.

According to Baymard, 18% of cart abandonments are due to long and complicated checkout forms. With small screens and cramped keyboards of mobile devices, unwieldy forms are a much greater obstacle. Optimising the checkout user experience for mobile device users is more vital than ever for businesses.

Here are our 8 tips for optimising your checkout UX for mobile devices

1. Bigger buttons

It is important to make the call-to-action buttons proportionately larger compared to the rest of the screen content on a mobile device than on a larger screen. They need to grab the attention to clearly signpost the visitor through their checkout journey. Bear in mind that most mobile users will be navigating using their thumbs so the buttons must be of a size that takes the average thumb size into account.

2. Vertical alignment and segmentation

Make sure customers only need to scroll up and down to navigate checkout, not side to side as well. In fact, it is preferable to have multiple short steps split along several pages rather than one long checkout that needs to be scrolled through. This makes it less likely that a customer will miss a step or an important piece of information.

3. Progress bar

Show customers how far they have come and how much they have left to go. They are more likely to complete the checkout journey if they know how much more time and effort it is going to take than if they feel like they are being presented with page after page with no clear direction.

4. Declutter

Only ask the absolutely vital information. Depending on your product, is the customer’s birth date really necessary for example? What about a phone number? Only ask for the information that will be used to offer the best service and don’t take up extra time and space asking for unnecessary personal details. Also, consider removing additional prompts such as upsells. The more opportunities customers have to be drawn away from their purchase, the less likely they are to complete the process.

5. Do not force account creation

One of the biggest reasons for cart abandonment, on any device, is the need to create an account before checkout. If the customer enjoys their experience and is happy with their purchase, they can choose to sign up later for extra rewards and loyalty schemes. But when it comes to the checkout journey, don’t discourage prospective customers by forcing a sign up when they might just want a one-time purchase. Allow guest checkout and social login options. Particularly on mobile devices, a person’s social media account will be integral to their device and usage, allowing them to sign up using their facebook account saves time and will also immediately provide more of their data without taking any more of their time.

6. Offer wallets

Consumers often feel less secure using mobile devices to complete transactions than they do on desktops. Therefore, offering wallets like PayPal and apple pay will reinforce trust in the security of the website as well as speed up the payment process by removing the need to type in long credit card numbers.

7. Display security badges

A lock icon, the words “secure checkout”, security badges such as McAfee or Norton, encrypted https instead of http. All of these signs help to build trust with customers and make them feel safer and more secure when providing their personal information and payment details.

8. Address validation

One of the biggest challenges with mobile checkout is data capture, the small screens make large amounts of typing unwieldy. Autofill may seem like a clear solution, however, it is still essential to validate the address at checkout to guarantee efficient delivery.

For one thing, autofill is not guaranteed to populate forms in the correct order depending on the number of fields in the form and how they compare to the stored information.

For another thing, autofill will default to the saved address. If the purchase is a gift, for example, then the customer will need to be able to find and select an address other than their own stored one.

An address auto-complete or postcode lookup address validator will find the correct address in just a few keystrokes and ensure it is valid and authentic. Saving precious time that could otherwise have lost a customer, as well as eliminating failed deliveries caused by bad address data.

What is email validation and why is it important?

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:55:31 GMT

Valid email addresses are essential for any company hoping to succeed with email marketing and customer communication. It’s critical to double-check your email address list is correct, error-free, and that the emails actually exist.

People make mistakes, it happens, it’s not uncommon for your customers and subscribers to make typos in their email addresses during input. And if these typos go unnoticed and uncorrected into your database, you will not only lose contact with that customer, but also have an overall bad effect on your overall deliverability score as more of your emails bounce.

We’ve put together a handy guide advising how to check if an email is valid, why it’s important for your marketing strategies and sales communications, and how Fetchify could make life so much easier for you.

What is email validation?

Email validation is a method of determining whether or not an email address is reachable and valid. It executes a quick process that detects typos, whether they are honest errors or deliberate misdirection. It also verifies whether a specific email address is associated with a reputable domain. This tool not only checks email addresses at point of entry into your database, it also protects your email sender score, allowing you to get the most out of your email software.

It’s not enough to simply be checking for an @ symbol in your email field, or for a full stop and a standardised suffix. These only verify that a customer’s email address is properly formatted. Just identifying correct format doesn’t check if an email address works and is linked to a valid, frequently used inbox. This means you won’t realise it’s invalid until you try to contact the customers or prospect. Whether it’s for signup confirmation or an email campaign, if too many of your emails bounce back, you could end up automatically being filed into junk folders .

Why is email validation important?

Email marketing is essential for eCommerce firms because it allows you to connect with customers instantly without depending on social media algorithms or search engine results. It has a significantly lower risk than social media advertising. Your subscriber list is yours to keep and your communications are delivered directly to them, even if you switch platforms. That implies you can’t lose your ability to interact with them due to an algorithm change, a failure of an external firm, or an arbitrary ban.

Here are some great benefits of email marketing:

It boosts brand recognition – consumers who follow you indicate that they are interested in your business.

It is incredibly measurable, allowing you to diagnose issues and identify areas where you can improve
It’s cost-effective
Because some purchasers are in the research, comparison, or ready-to-buy stages, personalised messaging is possible, customised to their stage in the buyer journey.

Whether email marketing is your main method of communicating with clients or just one of several different channels, verifying customer email addresses at the time of entry/capture is a primary priority in order to maximise your campaign’s contactable audience and readability. Having verified email addresses could reduce your bounce rate by up to 98% , which is a staggering statistic. It can also help with increasing your conversion rate as you can be sure your campaigns are going to the correct email addresses every time.

How Fetchify can help with email validation

We are experts in data validation with over 13 years of experience. When you choose us for your email address validation , you can expect immediate results and enhanced engagement. Our systems work worldwide, checking the email that your subscriber has entered is active and deliverable. As incorrect formatting or addresses are rejected in real time, users are prompted to correct the information immediately, allowing for quick and easy corrections to take place and deterring deliberately wrong information.

But what about the emails already in your database?

Don’t worry, we’ve got your back there too, with our data cleansing service. We can cleanse your existing contact list to reduce bounces caused by old, bad data, as well as ensuring only clean data is added to your database moving forward. Get in touch with our helpful team of experts to find out more about how our email validation and suite of data services can benefit your business.

Address lookup for smoother payments

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:28:04 GMT

Having the correct postcode at the point of payment is crucial for a smooth shopping experience for your customers, and even more importantly, reduced cart abandonment. Using postcode lookup or address auto-complete to capture a full address is far faster and more accurate than customers manually entering their data.

However, address lookup isn’t only beneficial for eCommerce businesses, it can also make online processes such as bank account registration and mortgage applications much easier. Reducing any stress and frustration for potential customers is bound to make a positive impact on your business, regardless of what product you have on offer.

Benefits of postcode lookup and address validation

There are many benefits of using an address lookup API – we’ve listed the top ones here:

Compatible across devices

From laptops to tablets to smartphones and EPoS kiosks, a postcode address lookup solution works on every internet-enabled device and provides the optimum user experience.

Scalable

Address lookup technology scales quickly on demand, processing hundreds of enquiries per minute. You can rest assured that our address finder will keep up with your customers even during big seasonal events or Black Friday sales.

User location detected

Address Auto-complete has the ability to sort results by distance from the user, detect which country users are in, and start with the closest matched addresses. If the customer is buying a gift for a friend overseas, for example, they can easily switch the country and the search tool will focus on matches in the selected country instead of their own location. This enables you to build one checkout form for all of your customers, regardless of where they are in the world.

Top tip: If your business trades internationally, choose Address Auto-Complete rather than UK Postcode Lookup to take advantage of our address data for over 240 countries.

Why use address validation?

Address lookup and validation for customer satisfaction

Streamline your checkouts by filling out forms faster and more accurately. Address Auto-Complete can reduce the number of keystrokes by up to 80%, this speeds your customers through the checkout, increasing conversions and reducing basket abandonments.

Accurate contact data

Collect accurate email addresses and phone numbers to boost customer relations and LTV. This can also have a positive impact on your marketing campaigns.

Accurate shipping address data for deliveries

You can reduce the number of failed deliveries with accurate address data, putting less stress on your delivery drivers. This in turn reduces wasted costs of reshipment and time handling customer complaints for missing items.

Easier and quicker for staff

Address and postcode finders are also useful for customer service employees, who are under pressure to search through a database of millions of addresses and locate the relevant location quickly. Businesses will benefit from address and postcode finders because they can quickly filter search results between commercial and residential addresses, enhancing the productivity of direct marketing.

Things to consider for improved payment page UX

Consider errors

If a lot of individuals type O instead of 0 or insert a space where one isn’t needed, their address might not be shown. To avoid this, implement a system that anticipates typical errors like these, ensuring their address is identified, irrespective of any typos.

Make sure to update regularly

If your address directory isn’t updated on a regular basis, you could be missing out on your customers’ new, updated and changed addresses, which translates to orders that you’re losing by losing touch with your existing customer base.

Take advantage of predictive search with Address Auto-Complete

Predictive search is far faster than typing out a whole address, displaying relevant addresses and allowing the user to select theirs is key to efficiency. Furthermore, some people may not know the delivery postcode, with Address Auto-Complete, they can start typing from any part of the address and the tool will present addresses as you type.

Mobile experience

It’s critical that this system functions well on mobile devices, especially since many people shop online using their phones these days. A good mobile UX means that they don’t have to scroll very far, that icons and fields are large enough to click smoothly, that the form works in landscape and portrait mode, that various mobile models’ keyboard features are fully integrated, and that required fields are clearly identified and explained.

How Fetchify’s address lookup and data validation works

Fetchify can implement a simple address lookup API into your business system, so you never have to worry about customer payments failing due to address errors again! With Address Auto-Complete , your users begin typing at any point of the address and suggestions are presented as they type.

With UK Postcode Lookup , all your users have to do is enter their postcode and we’ll display a drop-down menu of matching addresses. Once the user has clicked the correct address, the rest of their details will automatically be filled into their form. For more information get in touch with us and one of our expert team members will be happy to help.

6 ways to make your last mile delivery more sustainable

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:23:32 GMT

The last two years have bought many changes to our lives and the world of ecommerce, it is unsurprising that the number of home deliveries have increased and are expected to continue to rise over the coming years.

However, at the same time, there in an increased awareness of environmental factors and a drive towards increasing sustainability across the ecommerce and logistics industries. There is no quick fix that will take your business to net zero, every step of the process needs individual attention and optimisation. Here we’ll have a look at five changes you can implement to optimise your logistics chain, for more sustainable last mile delivery.

1. Route optimisation

A longer route means more miles which means more fuel and more time spent on the road. More efficient route planning, for the best delivery routes between the warehouse and all drop off points can provide significant savings in mileage. This will not only save time and money, but also have an impact on the carbon footprint of deliveries, helping work towards a greener overall logistics chain. Solutions like Fetchify’s GeoCoding provide latitude and longitude coordinates for each customer address which allows couriers to calculate the shortest route between all points. As well as saving the company time and money, optimised delivery routes also reduce overall congestion contributing to wider sustainability in urban areas.

2. Reconsider your packaging

The obvious thought is of course to switch to recycled or recyclable packaging, but that relates to the sustainability of your business as a whole and is a subject for another blog. When thinking specifically about your last mile delivery, there is another aspect of packaging to consider: space-efficiency.

With the race for ever-faster delivery, one-size-fits-most packaging may seem the most time-efficient solution, but every time a single item is shipped in a delivery box that could also fit a three piece set, that is dead space in the van which could be carrying more individual orders and increasing the efficiency and therefore the sustainability of the whole journey. Achieving most sustainable last mile deliveries is achieved by adjusting and tweaking at every stage of the process.

3. Parcel Lockers

One of the biggest reasons for failed deliveries is customer absence. We’ve all come home and groaned to find that “sorry you were out” note. Missed deliveries are not only extremely frustrating, they are also a waste of time and fuel for the delivery company. One solution to the problem is to use parcel lockers. These are usually situated in busy, central areas such as train stations or shopping malls and most are accessible 24/7. Customers can pick up their parcel as part of a larger trip to buy groceries or on their commute, increasing fuel efficiency of the entire delivery even further with less mileage required by that one package.

4. Real-time tracking

Lockers aren’t the only answer to the absent customers issue. Just because your customer has ordered something online doesn’t mean they have time to wait by the door all day till it arrives. Often delivery windows are several hours long or even “anytime between 9am-5pm”. Some tracking systems allow the customer to let the driver know up to the last hour whether they will be home or not which saves a failed delivery if something unexpected were to come up. But before you can make sure your clients are receiving the most accurate delivery updates, you need to make sure you are collecting accurate contact details from them at checkout, up-to-the-minute messages that are going to an incorrect phone number or email are not going to help optimise the delivery. Fetchify’s phone validation and email validation solutions plug quickly and easily into your checkout ensuring your capture only accurate and validated contact details every time.

5. Low emission delivery vehicles

Possibly the most obvious problem with last mile deliveries is the sheer number of vehicles on the road at any one moment, bringing goods to people’s homes.

According to a government survey* there were 4.1million licensed vans on the roads between 2019-2020 which racked up 5.5billion miles. 85% of that mileage was for commercial purposes.

The same study stated that only 10,400 of those vehicles were ultra-low emission vans (ULEV).

As an industry, there is still a long way to go in increasing sustainability. Route optimisation as stated above, can help reduce mileage, but switching your fleet to ULEVs or using a carrier that employs only ULEVs, will make a huge difference to the carbon footprint of your last-mile delivery.

6. Address validation

You can finesse every part of your delivery process, from warehouse to the front door, but if you captured the wrong address at checkout, even a perfectly optimised route won’t get the delivery to the right place. It is important to get in the foundations to build the rest of your sustainability plan on top of. In the case of greener last-mile logistics, your foundation has to be accurate and validated customer data.

Fetchify’s type-ahead address search and validation tool, Address Auto-Complete , provides the customer with suggestions as they type and correctly auto-fills the checkout form when they click on the right address suggestion. This not only speeds your customers through the checkout process, reducing abandoned carts, it also ensures you capture 100% accurate address data so you can get your deliveries to the right place, every time.

5 of the best eCommerce plugins for Shopify

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:19:13 GMT

Known as the world’s leading eCommerce platform and with hundreds of thousands of businesses trusting it to fuel their business, Shopify is a platform that allows anyone to create and sell using an online store. Basic Shopify packages can be improved with plugins and there are thousands on the market that are designed to make your user journey, and eCommerce website, a roaring success.

Let’s dive into the world of plugins, with five of our favourite eCommerce plugins for your Shopify site. Boost your conversion rate, increase your sales, and keep your business running smoothly.

1. Tidio

Invest in the power of a chatbot to improve conversion rates. Tidio is a user-friendly plugin which is available as soon as someone enters the site. Boasting a range of features you would expect from a leading chatbot, Tidio provides customers with someone to speak to about your products or services before making a purchase.

Don’t leave your customers with nowhere to turn – with Tidio, you can set up pre-programmed answers that cover for you when you’re not available. The interface allows you to connect the server with Facebook Messenger and an email address, including an in-phone app, so you never miss a message.

Additionally, you can set up an automatic message to customers who abandon their shopping carts, with the option of adding a discount code to help sway their decision. It can also be configured so that returning visitors receive discounts!

2. Judge.me

Judge.me is a plugin used for gathering reviews from your customers. Sitting around and waiting for a review is near impossible, so with Judge.me, you have the opportunity to encourage customers to review your product or service after they’ve invested in it.

What’s great about this plugin is the automated email feature that allows you to set up a scheduled email reminder to customers about leaving a review. Plus, it gives you the option of offering discounts to people who provide you with a personalised review.

More reviews on your site is only half the battle – you still need visibility for potential customers. As well as showing your reviews on Facebook, Judge.me integrates these reviews into rich snippets which could show up in search engine results pages, thus improving your click through rate and your rankings, which ultimately leads to more conversions.

3. Personizely

A clever exit intent interface that can tell when users are about to leave the site, following AI and user navigation. Exit intent plugins like the one from Personizely track the users activities to determine when to show the popup. These include; how many times they hit the back button, if the visitor consistently scrolls up to the top of the page, tab switching and idle time.

This is intended to prevent popups from being shown to those who are not planning on leaving or are midway through a purchase. It’s a good method to spark the attention of potential customers that competitors may have got to before you. You can tailor your popups exactly how you want them – offering discounts is beneficial to keep them interested.

A good chance to grow your email list is by using an exit intent popup, triggering popups before customers try to leave. This is an effective way of dropping your bounce rate whilst boosting your conversion rate.

4. Smart SEO

While any online Shopify site demands a real-time push and strategy for SEO and marketing, having a plugin is another method to stay on top of this and discover metrics that you may have little to no visibility into.

Smart SEO has some beneficial features installed into the plugin, including the automatic meta tags and alt tags throughout your products. If you have an eCommerce site with hundreds of products, this can be a time-consuming task to complete manually. Of course, you may want to go in and change their descriptions after, but it is a handy way to get set up on Shopify.

5. Fetchify Address Validation

Address validation is one of the most user-friendly plugins for ease of shopping online, but is often forgotten about. At the stage of order confirmation, Fetchify validates the client’s delivery address and provides the customer with a single best-match corrected and validated alternative.

With correct addresses and fewer unsuccessful deliveries or returns, customer complaints and other questions are less likely to occur, allowing you plenty of time to care for existing and prospective customers, while spending less time dealing with returns and more time maintaining a smooth internal operation. Fetchify is easy for your developers to set up, and for your teams and customers to use.

Take a look at our proven business case studies for a more in-depth study into how Fetchify has helped eCommerce businesses.

GeoCoding: Greener logistics starts with accurate data

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:18:33 GMT

Fetchify is known in the eCommerce industry for their best-in-class address lookup tools which streamline the checkout process, increasing conversion rate and eliminating failed deliveries caused by customer errors at checkout. Adding another string to their data validation bow, Fetchify launch their new GeoCoding solution at this year’s Internet Retailing Expo at Birmingham NEC.

GeoCoding, which translates a postal address into latitude and longitude coordinates, allows retailers to calculate the closest store or warehouse to the customer’s location, and logistics companies to plan the most efficient delivery routes.

Greener, more sustainable logistics and delivery is a hot topic in the world of eCommerce and a major theme at IRX2021. There are many ways retailers can reduce their carbon footprint but before you begin finessing your last-mile delivery process, you need accurate customer address and contact data. You can use the most eco-friendly vehicles, but if your customer entered the wrong address by accident at checkout, it’s still a wasted trip. You can install the best tracker and communications API to keep your customer updated on delivery time to the minute, but if you didn’t capture the right phone number, those updates won’t be received.

Consumers are becoming more and more conscious of their own carbon footprint and that of the businesses they choose to buy from. It is ever more vital for retailers to be able to share their roadmap and the steps they are taking towards sustainability with their customers.

Many larger changes to the logistics chain such as shifting warehouses to more central locations or switching courier can be time consuming and costly. Simple checkout APIs such as Fetchify’s data validation and new GeoCoding services are quick and easy to install and will make an immediate difference by eliminating failed deliveries caused by data-entry errors, increase customer engagement with accurate contact details, and increase last-mile efficiency and route planning with rooftop-level geocoding.

Why your customer support team needs Address Validation

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:28:14 GMT

You may be asking why you’d need an address lookup and autocomplete system in your CRM. Allow us to indulge for a moment.

Salesforce and other CRM platforms place a priority on speed and usability. Fast and simple-to-use features help to keep customers satisfied and, as a result, could bring about more sales. Adopting an address lookup and validation system allows your customers and customer service team to input accurate data in as few taps and clicks as possible. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of Fetchify’s address lookup feature… we guarantee it’s worth the read.

What is an address check and validation API?

Fetchify’s address lookup allows you to verify, repair, and update shipping addresses in your CRM. This provides a valuable experience, resulting in satisfied customers and increased sales. The address validation tool checks your customers’ addresses at point of entry and auto-fills the form with a certified and correctly formatted match, based on accurate data from Royal Mail, USPS, and other leading global address suppliers .

This address auto-complete product saves the customer and your support team time, making phone calls and visits to your site more enjoyable and encouraging return visits. In your CRM, the tool allows your team to enter customer data quickly and accurately, and also to search your database by accurate addresses, making customer service phone calls quicker and easier.

Why should you validate addresses?

There are several reasons why validation is not only important, but paramount, to business success and reputation. Having a proper address validation system not only brings peace of mind to customers but to distributors, too. Fetchify aims to:

Validate shipping addresses – correct mistakes and errors in address input, with a properly formatted and validated shipping address at checkout, and auto-update orders before shipment. The post-checkout address validation tool for Shopify Standard-Advanced also alerts buyers that an error was fixed prior to the item being shipped.

Reduce failed shipments – the automated input of accurate address data from Royal Mail, US Postal Service, and other leading sources reduces the chances of unsuccessful deliveries and returns.

Improve operations – reduce administration and costs by reducing shipment complaints and increasing customer satisfaction. Customer phone calls are also streamlined with easy and accurate data retrieval in your back-office system.

With proper addresses in place and fewer unsuccessful deliveries or returns, there’s less chance of customer complaints and other issues, leaving you with plenty of time to look after current and potential customers, as well as maintaining a smooth internal operation.

Why Fetchify?

This real-time address verification tool is powered by the market’s most comprehensive global location data and has proved effective and efficient for customers, to optimise form entry, checkout flow and increase conversion. Other benefits include:

Improve data quality – customers may search for and rapidly validate their address in your online checkout, enhancing user experience, lowering cart abandonment rates, and ensuring precise delivery information.

Increased conversions – Fetchify’s address lookup tool has helped numerous businesses improve website usability and reduce cart or form abandonment rates by making it easier to enter address information.

Save admin time – integrated into your CRM, Fetchify’s data validation tools will save your customer service team valuable time, inputting customer data efficiently and accurately.

Easy integration – our address verification solution captures, parses, standardises, verifies, cleans and for mats address data using a single, simple-to-integrate API.

Here at Fetchify, our expert teams have a proven track record of helping a wide variety of businesses from ecommerce to finance, non-profit to hospitality. Get in touch with us today and one of our dedicated team members will be happy to help.

How Fetchify’s technology is helping Promedics deliver medical products during Covid-19

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 07:45:15 GMT

"Our entire team have been delighted with the service Fetchify offers and we’ve seen an improvement in our online user experience we are able to offer." – Martin McLeod, Marketing Manager

Promedics Orthopaedic is a UK-based, market-leading supplier to the NHS, specialising in orthopaedic products and medical devices. It manufactures and delivers a large range of innovative products that have been designed specifically for the UK medical market and patient needs.

The company recognises the important of easy online shopping for its customers. It has a team of 150 people working to deliver high-quality products to patients all over the country, and they understand the necessity of quick turnaround times for customer deliveries that are helping people with treatment and recovery from injuries and illness.

Promedics Orthopaedic operates an online retail store as part of its business processing hundreds of orders per month, a volume that has been growing rapidly during the pandemic as patients look to order made-to-measure health solutions to their homes. One of the most popular products on the online store is wrist braces, which can relieve symptoms of conditions such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Arthritis, Wrist Tendonitis, fractures, sprains and strains. Given the nature of the products they sell, the team at Promedics has always prioritized good customer support and free delivery across the country.

Challenges

Promedics products must be delivered to their customers promptly as they are often recovering patients. The pandemic meant overloaded services and more people wanting delivery of medical devices to home.

Many of their customers, especially those in the more elderly range, were entering incorrect address and delivery details, causing confusion at dispatch and longer lead times. The Promedics team were spending time verifying customer orders and became concerned about customers needing to wait longer when they were possibly suffering or in pain.

"It has saved our team countless hours on the phone trying to track down missing data, and has helped our website look and work better. The Fetchify technology was simple and easy to integrate and we continue to get support from their proactive customer support team."

How Fechify helps

Fetchify made it possible to increase the accuracy of customer inputted address data in real-time at the point of customer purchase.

Fetchify offers Postcode Lookup for any UK location, powered by the official Postcode Address File (PAF) from the Royal Mail. This allowed Promedics customers to simply enter their postcode then select the correct address.

Fetchify provides the following solution and services to the client:

An easy to install plugin with postcode and address lookup
Fast verified address entry for all UK locations.

Results

The key benefits to Promedics are:

Faster delivery turnaround with reduced admin work
Less friction for a seamless user experience
Increased efficiencies in the packaging and dispatch team

This simple add-on has created efficiencies for the Promedics online store when online ordering was dramatically rising. The postcode and address lookup integration technology has ensured clean, validated data entry which in turn has improved shipping and delivery services. The technology has saved time spent fixing payment and customer support issues, with more time allocated to looking after its customers.

As the 'DIY' home doctor trend is likely to stick around for a while, Fetchify’s solution is the perfect integration to help optimize the customer experience as the business continues to grow.

"Fetchify have helped us deliver much needed medical products for our customers during challenging time."

Address Auto-Complete improves Tile Giant’s online sales & customer experience

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 07:20:29 GMT

"It aids conversion and makes the checkout process more streamlined and easier to use from a customer experience point of view, and that’s why we use it." – Peter Swain, Head of Digital

Established in 2003, Tile Giant has been selling online in the UK and Ireland for over a decade. Having more than 80 stores nationwide, the company’s proportion of online sales have seen rapid growth since the beginning of the pandemic. They have Fetchify’s Address Auto-Complete plugin installed on their Magento 2 eCommerce platform setup.

Fetchify Address Autocomplete enables their online buyers to pass through the online purchase system faster and provides these benefits:

Increasing conversion due to frictionless checkout

A streamlined checkout process for greater ease and speed

Accuracy of delivery addresses

Less time spent on administration from shipping issues by staff

The challenges

Alongside other retailers, Tile Giant has seen an increase in the number of purchases made online due to the Pandemic. Sales of home improvements market have grown as people spent more time at home. Pre-pandemic, Tile Giant was already growing their online business and had wanted to ensure their check-out was fast and easy to use by customers. They also wanted to avoid any shipping errors which can lead to lost or broken goods with lost revenue.

"In this modern day and age, everybody wants things quicker and faster. Fetchify helps speed up and gives what customers expect, which is a seamless checkout process."

How Fetchify helps

Fetchify is a pioneer in SaaS address lookup and data validation solutions and offers a range of data verification solutions.

Tile Giant chose Fetchify’s Address Autocomplete to ensure accurate addressing for the UK and Ireland as it can be configured to give delivery addresses for up to 240 countries. Fetchify is an easy to install plugin solution that supports online buyers with completing the checkout address form rapidly and accurately.

The key benefits delivered by Address-Auto Complete are:

Addresses are easy and fast to add to registration or order pages

The source of addresses updates daily for accuracy

Fetchify verifies the address for accuracy and correct postal formatting

Results, return on investment and future plans

Using Address Auto-Complete, online buyers of Tile Giant enjoy quick and accurate address lookup and automatic addition to forms. All addresses entered are verified for accuracy and passed to systems in a correctly formatted manner.

This simple and easy to install plugin has supported sales conversions by providing a faster, streamlined checkout that also cuts down on the occurrence of shipping errors. Fetchify support customer service quality by providing faster and easier data entry for better conversion with a seamless checkout process.

"It’s been pretty much seamless. We’ve never had any issues regarding it."

Fetchify supports the 400,000 strong membership of British Gymnastics

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 07:00:43 GMT

"Even after 10 years of use, we renew with Fetchify every year; because the technology and the pricing structure is still the best out there." – Joseph Harrison, Head of IT & Digital

British Gymnastics is the UK Governing Body for the sport of gymnastics. They support both the professional competitive teams and over 1500 grassroots clubs for amateurs of all ages all around the UK.

Online British Gymnastics support their membership of over 400,000 online members through its registration portal which ensures that all gymnasts and clubs are covered in terms of insurance. They also have a successful online shop selling equipment and merchandise to all.

British Gymnastics has been using Fetchify’s Postcode Lookup for over ten years and it is used in both the memberships services portal and the shop via the Fetchify plugin for Magento 2.

Our aim at Fetchify is to help your online customers to enter addresses correctly and quickly. For British Gymnastics this means:

Simplifies the addition of addresses during registration and renewal
Increases the accuracy of their address data
Recognition of a postcode system to their members
Reduces shipping-related administration issues

The challenges

When British Gymnastics took their membership to an individual basis rather than a club basis, they knew it was vital to install an address lookup system to ensure accurate addresses for their registration and annual renewal process. After reviewing what was available, they chose Fetchify (originally Crafty Clicks) in 2008. Over those years the sport, and their membership, has grown considerably and they needed a solution that can grow with them.

When their online presence expanded to include an online store, it was easy to include their same Fetchify account within the store using a simple Magento plugin.

"It’s annoying to have to keep typing out your full address all the time. Fetchify guides our members in getting it right first time, makes the process faster, and gives us confidence in the data that we hold."

How Fetchify helps

Fetchify is a pioneer in SaaS address lookup and data validation solutions and offers a range of data verification solutions.

Postcode Lookup is the ideal choice for UK-specific businesses or organisations and need a solution that is easily recognisable as the standard way of entering addresses in the UK. It is an easy to install and easy to use plug-in that guides online users in address entry. It also checks against the official Royal Mail PAF database (updated daily) to ensure that what customers have added is a valid address.

The key benefits delivered by Postcode Lookup are:

Addresses are easily added by adding just the post code and then selecting the correct address
Addresses are updated daily from the official Royal Mail PAF database
Guarantees a verified UK address, correctly formatted for delivery

Results, return on investment and future plans

After ten years of use, British Gymnastics continues to renew with Fetchify as Postcode Lookup still offers the best technology and best pricing for their membership and eCommerce services.

With more than 400,000 members to satisfy, British Gymnastics know that they have to stay current with their subscription process and what they offer in customer service. So far, the year on year growth in subscription rates means they must be doing something right, including with their IT setup for membership.

"Our members are supported by Fetchify’s address lookup plugin and we know that the data we receive is correct. We renew every year as we have never found a competitor to beat what Fetchify offers."

With a 40% increase in mobile basket conversion, Fetchify helps This Works sleep easy

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 10:25:22 GMT

"Mobile conversion is up at least 40% versus the prior period. Basket abandonment has reduced and it’s reduced at exactly that point in the checkout that Fetchify has been inserted – Head of eCommerce."

Established in 2004, This Works is a skincare and wellness brand, perhaps best known for its most popular product – “Deep Sleep Pillow Spray”.

They are a multichannel business with a presence in lots of high street retailers such as Marks & Spencers and John Lewis and have seen exceptional growth over recent years.

Unsurprisingly, the last 12 months has seen a major focus on their direct to consumer business via thisworks.com which the brand see as their flagship store and the best representation of their brand. With this focus on eCommerce, they re-platformed their store to Shopify Plus in 2020 and also launched six new online storefronts.

Having observed that they were getting a lot of basket abandonments, especially for their increasing mobile traffic, This Works opted to install Fetchify’s Postcode Lookup after a recommendation by their design agency Vervaunt.

Our aim at Fetchify is to help your online customers to enter addresses correctly and quickly. For This Works this means:

Basket conversion increased as checkout friction reduced
Mobile conversion especially improved with better UX
An intuitive technology that This Works have seamlessly rolled out over all websites

The challenges

This Works wanted to improve their checkout flow. It was clear that basket abandonment was a major issue. Reducing this drop-off at the checkout stage was vital for company growth.

Of particular concern to This Works was a bigger proportion of mobile users abandoning the checkout while this sector of their traffic was growing. A problem in the original checkout UX was identified with customers finding filling out their addresses to be cumbersome and fiddly on mobile devices even though This Works had been using an address lookup system from another supplier.

"Analytics gives us the granularity to look at where consumers were dropping off. The evidence is that everything has now flipped in the right direction and Fetchify has been a key part of the checkout improvement."

How Fetchify helps

Fetchify is a pioneer in SaaS address lookup and data validation solutions and offers a range of data verification solutions.

This Works opted for Postcode Lookup , an easy to install and easy to use plugin for Shopify Plus, that guides online users in address entry. It speeds the filing of addresses in a way that customers instantly recognise and feel at ease with. It reduces the keystrokes required to fill in an address by up to 80% reducing any friction in the checkout process.

This Works wanted an address lookup and validation service that would provide the following to support basket checkout completions:

Seamless integration with their Shopify Plus based websites
An intuitive technology that would not confuse users
A helpful customer service and technical help team to access, if and when required
A slick system that would deliver a better customer experience

Results, return on investment and future plans

Along with other eCommerce focused stores, This Works saw an increase in online traffic and interest in their products during the Covid Pandemic. There was also a general gravitation towards mobile use, and this was exposing an issue with purchase completion and basket abandonment.

After identifying that the address completion on forms was leading to basket abandonment, This Works installed Fetchify Postcode Lookup . They immediately saw an increase of purchase completions across their site, with a remarkable increase of 40% on mobile.

"The base technology is intuitive and all of the other things that you would look for in the checkout: The way that it fits in with the customer experience is seamless."

This Works were also impressed with what they called the 'human element' – the Fetchify team’s willingness to understand their needs and welcome feedback in terms of what they required – something they had not experienced with their previous address lookup supplier.

"Your team have been extremely helpful, although we haven’t had much correspondence due to the fact the technology has been working so well. Often in the world of apps and software integration you lose that human element – we certainly did with our previous supplier."

Powering Moss Bros: how Fetchify helped ensure delivery accuracy for one of the UK’s best-known menswear retailers

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 10:07:31 GMT

Moss Bros’ hire and delivery service is a major part of its global offer.
Moss Bros was using a traditional online address lookup, which was bypassed by many customers.
By partnering with Fetchify, Moss Bros has seen an increase in delivery success and customer satisfaction.

Since 1851, Moss Bros has been a familiar face on the UK’s high streets, and over the 170-plus years that have followed, it’s become the name that is synonymous with menswear.

Today, the business offers menswear for sale and hire across the UK via storefront and website, online in Ireland and US, and via retail partners across much of the rest of the world.

“We’re actually better known for our hire business – I think everybody knows this is the place to go and hire a tux or hire a suit for a wedding,” says Matthew Henton, Moss Bros’ Head of e-Commerce.

“However, we are predominantly a retail business. Most guys don’t buy suits and formal wear all that often, and when they do, they want that in-store experience of checking their size and fit.”

The accuracy required for ecommerce

Over more recent years, Moss Bros ’ growth has come from the more casual product range offered online – with less formal attire easier to buy online, ecommerce now makes up a sizeable chunk of business.

For online transactions, getting the goods to the customer accurately and quickly is an incredibly important part of the process, as it is for formal wear purchases and hires.

Being able to enter address details quickly and accurately online is essential to delivering a good customer experience – while capturing delivery details precisely can ultimately end up making or breaking a big occasion.

“Originally, on our ecommerce site, we had a postcode lookup service from one of the traditional providers, which required users to put in their postcode, press the button and wait for the results to come back,” says Henton.

“It wasn’t really a particularly slick way of supporting customers entering their addresses, and a lot of the customers would just skip it and type their address in full, so it was a friction point for customers.”

“It also led to us having quite a lot of incorrect addresses, which obviously flows through to your logistics operation and undeliverable parcels and so on.”

Teaming up with Fetchify

After assessing the different options on the market, the Moss Bros team decided to trust Fetchify’s Address Autocomplete solution – which has proved to be a positive decision.

“We immediately saw that it ticked all the boxes that we were looking for,” Henton explains. “The user experience was really simple and intuitive, it had the ability for UK, Ireland and US address lookups, and it was just quite clearly going to be very easy to implement.

“Our developers took no more than 10 minutes to read through the documentation and said, ‘Yeah, we’ll have that up and running in no time’. So it became a very easy decision for us to go ahead and start working with Fetchify.”

Another aspect of Fetchify that’s helped improve the online experience for customers relates to hire transactions – which may have multiple addresses associated with one transaction.

“With hire, particularly weddings, you may have one billing address, another delivery address, which may be the venue, and then you may have a different address where you want us to come and collect those garments from after your wedding. “It’s really important in that scenario that we get the address correct, and we are able to deliver the product to where it needs to be for an event as important as a wedding. That is what we can’t afford to get wrong.”

“People are less likely to put their own address in incorrectly, but when it’s the address of a venue that you’re not necessarily quite as familiar with, then they may make a mistake. It’s incredibly important in that scenario to get that address correct, to ensure we deliver the product where it needs to be.”

And the impact of Fetchify’s Address Auto-Complete on that aspect of the business has been significant.

“We’ve had an improvement in our deliverability rates, and have fewer ‘cannot deliver’ packages back from our courier partners,” says Henton. All of which has meant an increase in satisfied customers, big days going to plan, and the reputation of one of the UK’s longest-established menswear retailers firmly intact.

Dealing with high-volume postcode validation on launch

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 09:45:02 GMT

PayTV provider needed UK Postcode Lookup tool to manage new launch sign-ups
Fetchify provided its UK Postcode Lookup tool to manage validation
Almost 30,000 sign-ups were successfully validated within the first day

When you’re launching a new major project, you need systems and solutions you know you can rely on.

So, when PayTV subscription management company Media Access Services was preparing to launch two new channels on SKY for a broadcaster – with the intention of signing up as many subscribers as possible – it knew it needed a system to handle high volumes of data accurately.

“We needed to sign up new subscribers, check who they were and whether their SKY cards were valid, in order to give them access to the new channels they were signing up for,” explains Media Access Service’s Project Manager Liv Spenbrooke, who had a two-month window to get the project launched.

While Media Access Services and its technology company, Telecom2 , had been a Fetchify client for more than five years, it had never used our UK Postcode Lookup tool to handle the volume of subscribers that was anticipated.

“We couldn’t afford for those lookups not to work,” Liv stresses. “We really needed a solution that we could rely on. There was huge pressure on all of us to ensure it worked.”

Verifying high volumes of data

As soon as the channels were launched, subscriptions flooded in. At one point, there were more than 5000 sign-ups in an hour, and around 30,000 in total in the run-up to the first event – all of which needed quick and accurate postcode verification. The system worked seamlessly – delivering an exceptional customer experience for subscribers, as well as ensuring the business delivered the launch successfully.

“I cannot state enough just how important it was that this worked – and it did!” says Liv.

“Moving forward, we’ll obviously have new subscribers and pay-per-view events, and we’ll be using Fetchify’s UK Postcode Lookup to help process and validate those customers, too.”

Delivering a seamless experience is hugely important for both the business and the customer, as it reflects on the perception of the organisation.

“We want our clients to have confidence in us that we can provide what we say we’re going to provide, and Fetchify was able to help us do that,” says Liv.

Choosing the right technology partner is essential for any business – and when a major project is launching, there’s little margin for error. Fetchify’s solution enabled Liv and her team to deliver the launch successfully, and with confidence.

Find out how our UK Postcode Lookup tool can help your business .

Why you should really be measuring shopping cart abandonment rates

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:17:40 GMT

We’re all guilty of it, adding countless items to our online shopping basket, getting to checkout and swiftly changing our mind. As a customer, shopping cart abandonment rates aren’t something we probably think about while online shopping, but as a business owner, it’s a lost sale which is incredibly frustrating.

The average online cart abandonment rate worldwide is 88.05 percent ¹ – quite a hefty number! This blog covers how and where we measure abandonment rates and how we can help reduce these rates, to get your products sold and entice the customer to come back for more .

How to measure abandonment rates

Shopping cart abandonment is a term used in the online business world to describe when clients leave a store’s website after adding products to their basket, but do not complete the transaction. To calculate the percentage of customers that leave the online store empty-handed, divide the total number of successful transactions by the total number of shopping carts, then multiply by 100%.

This is often a large number and can be disheartening to businesses who rely on eCommerce to sell their products and who are not in control of how much can be charged for shipping costs.

When visitors leave your site without buying a product, it can be linked to a bad customer experience. This leads eCommerce businesses to believe that the problem is with their online or mobile experience, whether those issues are website security or unresolved barriers during the buying process. However, apart from shipping costs, the second most common reason why shoppers abandon their cart is due to being asked to create an account. In other words, the longer it takes consumers to complete the checkout process, the more inclined they are to ditch their shopping carts and leave. Monitoring the customer journey from start to finish is an important part of enhancing the user experience. This information can be used to pinpoint technical issues, detect shopper trends, and figure out where your customers are having the greatest difficulty, which coincidentally brings us to how mobile rates are affecting cart abandonment.

Is there a difference in mobile rates due to smaller screens?

The short answer is, yes. It’s a huge issue for shopping cart abandonment rates. In fact, according to recent studies, mobile shopping constitutes 63 percent ² of all online retail sales, and is expected to grow year on year. It’s pretty obvious that a mobile screen is a lot smaller than a desktop screen, which can make online shopping and checkout processes more fiddly and frustrating for the consumer. That’s why making your website mobile friendly is crucial to reducing your abandoned cart rates. Here are a few simple things you can do to make your mobile site more user friendly :

Use a simple web design that can be viewed on a variety of devices.
Use bolder font and button dimensions on mobile devices so that your users don’t have to strain in to see your content.
Minimise redirection, optimise graphics, and improve server response time to boost the performance of your mobile website.
Allow your mobile customers to purchase without registering and as a guest.
To make it easy for customers to make purchases, offer a range of payment options. Adding a mobile wallet would be especially beneficial for mobile purchasing because it simplifies and speeds up the payment process.

How Fetchify can help with your shopping cart abandonment rates

Here at Fetchify, our expert teams have a proven track record of helping businesses reduce their basket abandonment rates. Using innovative technology, we have a Address Auto Complete system that you can install into your checkout process, which speeds up address entry with 100 percent correct data every time – resulting in happy (and paying) customers!

Lengthy address inputting is a top issue many customers find the most annoying. Unfortunately, it has to be done, otherwise the point of internet shopping would become obsolete. With Fetchify’s plugin, all a customer has to do is type in the start of their address or post code, and Predictive Intelligent Search delivers address results from as little as four characters. Have a look at one of our fantastic business case studies to see the results for yourself.

1 https://www.statista.com/statistics/457078/category-cart-abandonment-rate-worldwide/
2 https://shanebarker.com/blog/mobile-shopping-cart/

What is PAF and why is it vital to UK businesses?

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:00:09 GMT

The Postcode Address File, or PAF, is the UK’s definitive address database. Owned and maintained by the Royal Mail, the data is updated every day, as approximately 90,000 postal workers go about their deliveries and make note of any changes. These daily updates, which Fetchify include automatically in our address search and validation databases, will involve newly built houses, demolished houses, older buildings split into multiple homes or offices, etc.

The first PAF database, containing every residential and business address in the UK, was put together in the 1980s. Although the address information was being collected digitally, the filing system was still on paper, making updates a laborious and infrequent process. Of course, as technology has advanced, the system has been steadily upgraded and these days, the Royal Mail gathers and disseminates 4-5,000 data updates every day. In recent years, the biggest change to PAF has been a collaboration with the British Forces Post Office to reformat BFPO addresses to match the standard PAF address layout, and to include these addresses in the PAF dataset.

Why is PAF important? Gathering accurate customer data is vital to so many businesses, whether ecommerce , government organisation, financial services, etc. An inaccurate address can mean your deliveries go missing, a bill could go to the wrong house, you could waste money on paper marketing that doesn’t find its target. Any of these, or a plethora of other issues, will cost your business time in fixing the problem and speaking with angry customers on the phone, money in lost goods, lost packaging and wasted postage, and ultimately, lost customer loyalty. With Fetchify’s simple address lookup and validation API, you can avoid these pains before they even happen.

Our API allows you to search for any UK address by typing in just a few characters. There are two different PAF-powered options for finding and validating UK addresses: Postcode Lookup and Address Auto-Complete . How do they work?

With UK Postcode Lookup you type in the postcode and then select the correct address from the drop-down menu.

Address Auto-Complete is our global address search and validation solution and PAF is only one of many different data sources that we use. With Address Auto-Complete, you can start typing from any point in the address, whether street name or postal code. The type-ahead address search tool delivers address results from as little as four characters. Simply select the correct address when it appears. Another benefit to Address Auto-Complete is that you can find the right address even if you don’t know the postcode, for example when sending a gift.

The Postcode Address File lists every deliverable point in the UK. For buildings that are subdivided into multiple homes or businesses which share a single letterbox, PAF can be enhanced by Multiple Residence data from the Royal Mail. The Mutiple Residence Enriched dataset is available as an addition to the Address Auto-Complete search. If you think this additional data could be useful for your business, get in touch at support@fetchify.com and our team will be happy to help.

Our best in class address lookup and validation API, uses the most up to date and definitive UK and international data sources. This simple addition to your checkout increases conversion rates by substantially reducing the hassle of long forms, increasing your customer’s trust in your website and providing a smoother user experience. The validated address data also reduces failed deliveries caused by customer errors, saving you time and money, providing exceptional return on investment, and making sure you reach the right address every time.

Address Lookup tool - what can it do with data? - Fetchify

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 11:33:04 GMT

Address standardisation is the process of removing mistakes and aligning address data with the official format accepted by the postal service of the country in question.

Postal addresses are a fundamental cornerstone of modern society; connecting individuals with one another, allowing ecommerce and home delivery to flourish, giving residents access to a range of essential services from financial to utilities. Customer address data is also a fundamental cornerstone for modern business, whether capturing data for the first time at checkout or registration, searching or cleansing your existing database. It is vitally important to get the delivery details right, particularly for companies such as ecommerce merchants which ship overseas. If you only have the house number where the recipient country is expecting a postcode, or any number of other simple but easily made mistakes, it could lose you time and money in trying to reformatting for your logistics or courier company, rearranging delivery, potentially returning, and refunding, or even completely losing your goods and the future business of that customer.

However, although it is a vitally important detail, accurate address data, formatted to the correct standards, is still only a tiny part of your business and the service you provide to your customers, be it in ecommerce, finance, insurance, utilities, hospitality, or a membership organisation. Which brings us to the real answer.

Quite simply, if you integrate our address auto-complete or postcode lookup address finding tool, you really don’t need to worry about address standardization at all. Our API will analyse the address entered by your customer, detect and remove common errors, match the information to the verified address in our database, apply missing formatting such as capital letters, and populate the address form in the correct order depending on the standards of the selected country. All in a matter of milliseconds.

For a bit of history, in case you were wondering why we even have set standards for addressing, if I live on the corner of Beech Street and Poplar Avenue, down the road from the train station in my town, why not just say that? Well, the thing is that is exactly what used to happen. Up until the 19th century, people would just describe the place and person they wanted to send the letter to, and the poor postal worker would just have to get as close as they could and then start asking around. At a certain point it just got too exhausting. In the UK, the introduction of house numbers and the division of London into the first districts in the 1850s, began the slow and methodical process of standardizing postal addresses. The Postal Museum in London holds a collection of posters encouraging people to use their correct house numbers and postcodes as many were slow in adopting them, even up to the 1970s when those shown below were produced.

A similar advertising campaign took place in the USA accompanying the implementation of the Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP Codes) in 1963. Having seen the struggle of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company to get the public to adopt area codes at the beginning of phone numbers, the post office pre-empted public resistance and decided to tackle it from the very beginning the with Mr. Zip.

Learning about this can make you realize just how hard the job of being a postman was. Before address standardization the postal round would have been a very different experience. But it’s not all plain sailing these days. You may have seen the story in the news recently about this letter which was successfully delivered against all the odds of eccentric address writing.

The fact that this letter made it through is a testament to the dedication of the Royal Mail and how lucky we are in the UK. But without the assistance of the referenced BBC2 programme, most likely letters addressed like this will end up at the National Returns Centre in Belfast. Or similar “dead letter” offices in other countries.

Every country in the world has it’s own story of the development of an addressing system, some more recent than others, and many still being refined. The “Addressing the world—An address for everyone” initiative by the Universal Postal Union seeks to help countries around the world develop cohesive address infrastructures and to guide them through common complications with addressing. But that is probably a subject to dive into another day.

As volumes of mail, mail-order shopping and then ecommerce have increased, so has the need to streamline the sorting and delivery process. Standardised addresses which can be quickly and efficiently recognised and sorted are a vital part of this process. Thankfully over the last 200 years the public has mostly learnt how to use addresses pretty consistently, but people still make mistakes frequently, it happens. Our address search and data validation tools are here to mop up the errors, typos, autocorrects and everything in between, ensuring you collect only accurate and standardised address data, every time.