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Put the zip code first

zipcodefirst.com

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Re: Put the zip code first

#21

Post by zettabomb »

I fail to see how you can claim this to work for sites which serve areas outside the United States, but have either no ZIP code, an overlapping code, or something else entirely. Germany has 5 digit PLZs, but putting some valid ones in doesn't get a result. It really seems like the author does not think about other countries.

I don't disagree with reordering the entry by relevance, but you have to start with country. That can also be a nice search - it will be a very short lookup, even if you put every country name in every language. Only after that is postal code (of whatever kind - it's only ZIP in the US) relevant.

Re: Put the zip code first

#23

Post by lsaferite »

jen20 wrote: post #7
diath wrote: post #3

Ok but that only fetches the codes from the US, so now a non-US resident will start with their zip code and end up with random ass place on the other side of the globe. Now not only I still have to fill in the fields, but also clear them first.

Obviously put country first, then whatever the equivalent of a ZIP code is second. In the UK, a post code gets you down to around 15-16 delivery addresses on average. No-one there really _ever_ needs to type an address.

Even in the US, once you have a zip and a name the post office can often deliver mislabeled mail. Results my vary by region though.

Re: Put the zip code first

#24

Post by wenc »

dgeiser13 wrote: post #9

Some zip codes cover multiple cities.

I think that can solved using a city dropdown there’s ambiguity.

This is not new. Some checkouts do start with zip code and they feel much more efficient. (US only delivery, so country already assumed)

Re: Put the zip code first

#27

Post by collabs »

jen20 wrote: post #7
diath wrote: post #3

Ok but that only fetches the codes from the US, so now a non-US resident will start with their zip code and end up with random ass place on the other side of the globe. Now not only I still have to fill in the fields, but also clear them first.

Obviously put country first, then whatever the equivalent of a ZIP code is second. In the UK, a post code gets you down to around 15-16 delivery addresses on average. No-one there really _ever_ needs to type an address.

At that point, should we even show the whole form? Or should we only ask the country first and then based on the answer, decide whether to show a form? That way the form can be different for each country?

I think auto full suggestion should be just that -- a suggestion, not validation.

Re: Put the zip code first

#28

Post by goloroden »

I entered my zip code… well, wrong country: I’m living in Germany.

And even if you knew that, the only thing you could have known from the zip code is the city. At least roughly, because multiple small villages share one zip code.

Or, to cut it short: This doesn’t work at all on a general and global level, so I guess there’s a reason why websites do this differently…

Re: Put the zip code first

#29

Post by exmadscientist »

Related, on the country drop-down front: please put the United States (or whatever your customers' main country is) at the top. You can probably tell I want the US from a combination of, you know, 99% of your sales being to the US and my language being set to English. And, sure, put Canada and even the UK next to it. Go wild, have the top ten English-speaking countries there if you like! It makes things so much easier.

The trick, then, is that you don't remove anything from the alphabetical list. With modern computer technology, we can have two places to find something! So if I miss your fancy shortcut, or it's not applicable to me, everything will still be in the regular old familiar place. It just works.

Re: Put the zip code first

#30

Post by RASBR89 »

In the last couple of years in the uk, address forms ask for you street address and the rest will autocomplete from there - city, postcode. Makes things a lot easier in the way the author suggests
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