Address Format For Ordering From US Stores Using Package Forwarding

To Streamline Ordering From US Stores, Check Your Package Forwarding Address Format

Every country has its own address format system. If you’re not from the US but you’re using a US package forwarding address to order from US stores online, being familiar with the conventions of the US address format can help make your order go more smoothly, both at the store and when it arrives at the forwarding warehouse.

What A US Address Looks Like

The layout of a typical online order form at US stores looks about like this:

You probably don’t have a problem entering your name. 🙂 But the next two lines can sometimes be confusing. “Address Line 1” is for the street address. If your US package forwarding address is…

6650A NE Mt St Helens Ave
#12345
Portland, OR 97250

…then the street address is 6650A NE Mt St Helens Ave. “Address Line 2” is for the building, suite, or apartment number. In this case, your suite number is 12345 (just replace 12345 with your OPAS membership ID).

However, some online stores don’t provide two separate address lines. In these cases, the two lines can simply be entered in succession, separated by a comma, e.g. 6650A NE Mt St Helens Ave, #12345.

Note that it is crucial to include your membership ID when you enter your package forwarding address, even if the order form only has one address line! Without your membership ID in the shipping address, your package can’t be identified once it gets to the forwarding warehouse.

What the heck is a “ZIP”?

ZIP is an acronym used by the USPS that stands for “Zone Improvement Plan.” It’s a simple way to identify shipping zones in the US, similar to postal codes in other countries

But here’s the tricky part: sometimes when you enter the zip code into a store’s order form, the website will automatically add four extra numbers to the end. (For example, you type 97250 and the website adds 97250-9607.)

The extra digits are known as the “ZIP+4” and allow the post office to pinpoint buildings or apartment blocks more accurately. If a website adds the +4 to your shipping address automatically, just leave it alone–it won’t delay the delivery of your package, and may even help it arrive more quickly.

Should I Get A US Phone Number To Shop At US Stores?

Some order forms will only accept US-formatted 11-digit phone numbers. Of course, you can just use the phone number provided by the forwarding company, but it’s usually best to use your own phone number in case the store needs to contact you about your order.

So, if an order form won’t allow you to enter the phone number of your own country, here are a couple of reasons (and methods) to get a US phone number for ordering from US stores.

Pay Attention To Content, Not Format

Every US online store will have its own order form. If you aren’t able to enter your US package forwarding address exactly the same way on each website you shop from, don’t worry. As long as all the information is somewhere, your package should arrive at the forwarding warehouse without any problems.

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