is address validation possible?

Hello,
I've searched the forums and extension shop, and I can find an extension that works with UPS, but I want to validate addresses in my free shipping option (we cater to US customers only). I haven't been able to find any way to do it, and one developer I work with said it really isn't feasible.
Has anyone else faced this problem or can offer a suggestion? It really seems to be an important feature.
Thanks

[EDIT, ADDED: What concerned me in this para. no longer matters, the procedures have long since changed, and as to carrier the shipment is still being paid for anyway.] You might try to modify a suitably renamed COPY OF the extension for UPS so as to utilize the validation but not do anything else. If the validation itself is done inside UPS, then you probably won't be able to get away with it. The old fashioned way of looking up phones, addresses, etc., for mutual fit is nowadays simplified by on-line engines, but is admittedly tedious. However, if customers prepay and PayPal or other anti-fraud mechanisms validate addresses one way or another, then you needn't be worried about it -- unless there is a credit card reversal or other reversal thrown at you.

Value and risk of fraudulent ordering for the sake of product theft are considerations. Sent free, little bags of peanuts can be written off as untraceable, save as to too many of them posing a large net loss. Sent free, big crates of elephants with peanuts cannot be written off, delivered or not, and the carrier won't be in any mood for booboos.

Your prior posts show a series of adventures relating to shipping, insurance, and payments. One advantage of paid shipping is that it insures you against wrong addresses -- customer prepays the unrefundable shipping, if address is invalid that is customer's problem (even if some carriers and drivers are usually finicky about addresses, some are content with "somewhere" so as not to return to base with anything undelivered), you get box back. You could restrict free shipping to known good customers, rather than incur yet another adventure.

Thank you for your thoughtful analysis of the issue. Unfortunately, the client is set on having a free shipping option, so eliminating it won't work.

Thanks--reading the description, it seems to indicate that it will validate any address with UPS, even if I'm ot shipping with them, correct?

eappel wrote:Thanks--reading the description, it seems to indicate that it will validate any address with UPS, even if I'm ot shipping with them, correct?

Correct. This doesn't rely on you using UPS to ship. It is completely separate.
But be aware that it only works for USA addresses as we are apparently the only country that keeps a proper address system and UPS doesn't offer one for any other countries

Perfect, exactly what I needed! We are shipping to USA addresses only. Thanks for the clarification.

You should be good to go. If it works as it should, then go ahead and edit your opening title Solved.