[ic] Address2 field superflous?

[Gert van der Spoel]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: interchange-users-bounces at icdevgroup.org [mailto:interchange-
> users-bounces at icdevgroup.org] On Behalf Of Jon Jensen
> Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 5:20 AM
> To: interchange-users at icdevgroup.org
> Subject: Re: [ic] Address2 field superflous?
> 
> On Thu, 25 Jun 2009, Paul Jordan wrote:
> 
> > So, I am wondering if it would be wise to attempt to "coax" customers
> to
> > properly use the main address field to enter their apartment number.
> It
> > seems the cleanest way to go about this might be to simply remove the
> > address2 field and fix any records in the table already. The other
> > option is to concatenate the two fields into the main address line at
> > XML time. If I take a look at transactions where address2 was used,
> it
> > was overwhelmingly for Apt# (and units, etc.).
> 
> I think by far your best course here is to concatenate the two address
> fields for Endicia. This is primarily of concern to Endicia, and
> formatting that data to make it happy is fine. I wouldn't mess with
> your
> database, and I can't see changing the default Standard demo address1/2
> fields for such a small use case.
> 
> > However properly formatted address examples on usps.com have none
> where
> > an address2 field would be used so I am wondering if the address2
> field
> > is really all that important today. My particular business does a lot
> of
> > international orders, and even still, what is in address2 could have
> > easily gone in address1. BTW, Endicia does not validate non US
> > addresses, so that is not an issue.
> >
> > Lastly, I have noticed some newer software being made with only a
> single
> > field for the "address" line. Could this be a signal?
> 
> For example, what software have you seen that in? Most shipping-related
> software I've seen has not only address line 2, but also 3.
> 
> > Anybody have some thoughts or observations on this? Are you using
> > address2, and if so, why... because it is there?

About 4% of orders in my case have address2 in use. Partly it is used if
people order from a company. There is no company field because it is a B2C
website. But people add the company name in address1 and futher address
details in address2. 

Besides that address1 is often used for the 'Attention of  field, in the
label format examples of USPS that is also shown as example:
MR S ONEILL
SEAN ONEILL INC            <- Attention of, actually in this case again a
company name ... 
4321 MAPLE ST
OAKTON MD 12345-6789

Other uses are apartment numbers in address2, or floor levels or any other
additional indication that people might want to give for delivery.

If you have addresses like this then you probably would like 2 lines, else
your label will be longer than your parcel:
Unit west 7, No. 48, 12th Alley
Goleman St., 3rd Phase, Shamhatrak-e-gruhab

And yes there is additionally a zip and country added to that.

So I agree with Jon on this, if Endicia needs it all on one line, parse the
data. I'd not remove the address2 field.

CU,

Gert