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Accessorial fees and surcharges are a considerable part of any shipper’s yearly shipping costs. Many shippers see these as a part of doing business, but there are many fees that you, as a shipper, can stop. The FedEx address correction fee is our topic of discussion here. Address corrections happen to be a huge profit center for UPS and FedEx.
When a shipper inputs an incorrect address when creating a shipment, the carrier will attempt to correct this address for a hefty fee. Within the U.S., FedEx also will assess this fee if the address is a P.O. box number or P.O. box ZIP code. In addition, if your package incurs an address correction fee, the on-time or it’s free guarantee is no longer effective.
What does a FedEx Address Correction Cost?
- 2023 the cost is $21.00 per package
- 2022 the cost was $19.50
- 2021 the price was $18.00
- 2020 the price was $17.00
- 2019 the price was $16.00
- 2018 the price was $15.00
- 2017 the price was $14.00
What is a FedEx Address Correction?
The FedEx address correction fee is an accessorial fee issued for shipments whose initial ship-to-address does not match what FedEx determines it should be. Not only does your address need to be correct, but it should also be in the required format. It is good practice to abbreviate any directional or street type (i.e., N, S, E, W or S.T., AVE, FWY). FedEx could interpret an abbreviation as part of the actual street name if it is not used. In short, a misinterpretation could then lead to an address correction fee.
Check out this link for a USPS list of examples of suffix forms: street suffix names, street suffixes, or suffix abbreviations. USPS recommends official Postal Service standard suffix abbreviations. This is an excellent standard to follow. For more information, click here.
How to Prevent Corrections
Verify addresses before shipping. Look into address verification software. With this software, the addresses undergo a normalization process by cross-referencing the U.S. Postal Address Database. Validation software will then perform several further checks to guarantee the address on file is accurate. Here are some other tips to prevent FedEx address corrections:
- Use correct spacing: Make sure spacing is proper and avoid unnecessary spaces.
- Use correct spelling: Eliminate spelling and typographic errors.
- Standard abbreviations – USPS designates abbreviation standards for state, street suffix, and apartment designations.
How to Fix an Incorrect FedEx Address Online
If FedEx identifies an undeliverable address, it is possible to correct it online. Enter the tracking number and go to the tracking details page on FedEx.com. Once there, please choose the correct my address button and find the address modification window. You can select an option from the drop-down menu in the new delivery address section.
Our Address Correction Reports
Busy FedEx shippers seldom have the time to inspect and manage FedEx address corrections. Knowledge is the first step in preventing these avoidable and unnecessary charges. Refund Retriever’s services include specific reports to identify duplicated address corrections.
Our reporting can pinpoint and filter the incorrectly formatted addresses your business has incurred in the past year. With access to valuable data, you can fix these problems internally.
What does all this mean?
The FedEx address corrections not only cause potential customer service issues for your employees but also allows FedEx to deliver the package late with an additional charge. Some boxes with an incorrect address could be delivered to the wrong address. Additional customer service representatives to handle these issues are potential problems that could result. Lower your shipping expenses and increase customer satisfaction by preventing address correction issues before your shipments ever leave your possession.
