On this page
You are ordering a jumper and a pair of shoes for a three-day trip, and the delivery address is the one thing on the page you cannot fix later without contacting a seller. Check it while you are still looking at the order, not after the confirmation email has arrived.
The fields, in order
- Recipient name — the name the courier will look for, spelled as it appears on the bell or letterbox
- Building number and street — include the flat or unit number, not just the building name
- Second line — estate, house name or business name, if the street alone is ambiguous
- City or town — the postal town, which is sometimes not the town you would say out loud
- County or region — optional in many UK addresses, but some forms insist on it
- Postcode — the full code including the space, and the correct final letters
- Country — United Kingdom, if the form asks separately
- Phone number — a number you will actually answer while you are away
Fill the fields in that order and you will rarely miss one. Fill them in the order the form happens to present and it is easy to skip the second line because it looked optional.
A fictional example — do not copy
| Field | Fictional example | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient | Alex Example | Name a courier can match |
| Address line 1 | Flat 4, 12 Example Street | Flat number present |
| Address line 2 | Example Mews | Only if it disambiguates |
| City | Exampletown | Postal town, not nearest city |
| Postcode | EX1 1AA (fictional) | Two parts, space, correct letters |
| Country | United Kingdom | Matches the form's list |
| Phone | 00000 000000 (fictional) | Number you will answer |
Why the postcode does so much work
A UK postcode identifies a small group of addresses, which is why a single wrong character can send a parcel to a different street entirely. Read it in two parts: the outward code before the space and the inward code after it. Then read it backwards as well — transposed letters are easy to miss when you read in the same direction twice.
If a form rejects your postcode, do not force it. Check for a stray space, a missing digit or an autocomplete suggestion that replaced what you typed. If it still fails, the problem may be the form rather than your address, and it is worth checking the seller's delivery coverage before placing the order.
Phone, instructions and safe places
A phone number matters for two reasons: carriers use it to arrange or confirm delivery, and a seller may need it for a query. Use a number you will answer, and if you are travelling, consider whether a UK number will still reach you.
Delivery instructions are useful but not instructions you can rely on. "Leave in the porch" is a request, not a guarantee, and a safe place is only safe if it is genuinely sheltered and not visible from the street. Record what you asked for in your list, so that if a parcel goes missing you know what was requested rather than what you assumed.
Read it back before you submit
Read the whole address aloud once, then check three specific things: the postcode, the flat or unit number, and the phone number. Those three cause the majority of avoidable problems. Then check the delivery address against the billing address — if they differ, make sure the form has actually saved the one you want.
When you will be away
A short trip changes the calculation. If the estimated arrival window falls while you are away, an address that is perfectly correct still fails. Record the travel dates separately from the delivery estimate, and decide in advance whether a neighbour, a collection point or a delay is the better answer.
The order timeline belongs in the record described in tracking orders and parcels separately, and the cost of the delivery itself belongs in separating the parts of your budget. If the parcel contains fragrance, liquids or batteries, check the route rules in checking transport restrictions before you finalise the address.