Magyar Posta Address Validation: How Does It Help and Is There a Better Alternative?
In Hungary, Magyar Posta is the national postal service provider. It ensures the mail and packages reach the intended recipient on time. However, delays and misdelivery are increasing due to incorrect or incomplete addresses. This is why the postal service has designed a few basic validation features. While they assist in verifying parts of a location, they do not offer an all-encompassing solution that can meet the demands of the businesses of the current time. This raises the question: is there a better alternative?
In this blog, we will explore the benefits and limitations of this solution. We will also introduce you to a third-party address verification solution that will be an accurate and efficient substitute.
Key Takeaways
- Magyar Posta offers a ZIP Code finder, a Postfinder, and a P.O. box finder. They check the postcode and identify the location of the post office.
- While it confirms certain parts of the address, it does not check essential details like the street name, house number, or building number.
- It does not provide coordinates, global verification, and autocomplete suggestions. Moreover, the lack of an API demands manual processing, which wastes time and slows the order fulfillment, leading to delays.
- PostGrid Address Verification checks and standardizes details globally. It also provides metadata, such as geocodes and typeahead suggestions, to boost delivery accuracy.
What is Magyar Posta Address Validation?
Magyar Posta offers three features as part of its postal services that can allow address validation to some extent. They are the ZIP Code finder, Postfinder, and P.O. Box finder. The ZIP Code Finder will check whether the entered ZIP code corresponds to the street, district, or city where you want to send the mail. The Postfinder will find the post office that serves the entered location. The P.O. Box finder will provide you with details of the location of the post office boxes, which you can rent. They will ensure the shipping service directs the item to the correct pickup points. Together, these services will help get accurate addresses and facilitate correct mail delivery.
How Does the Solution Work?
ZIP Code Finder
- You must enter the city/town or street details, and the solution will provide the associated ZIP code.
- You can also directly enter the four-digit ZIP code, and it will provide details of the location. You can check whether it matches the area mentioned by the customers.
Post Office and PO Box Finder
You can find a post office by entering the settlement name or the ZIP code. To find a P.O. box for renting, you can do one of the following things:
- You can use a person’s data, such as name, city/town, and location.
- You can also use a ZIP code and the P.O. Box number to check if the latter is available for renting.
The search results will provide a host of information. You will know the opening hours, phone number, and type of services they offer, such as checks, financial and investment services, etc. You will also get details about the wide range of insurance policies and additional services like newspaper subscriptions and lottery tickets.
How Can You Use Both of Them Together?
- Use the ZIP Code Finder to find the correct postal code based on the recipient’s city, street, and house number.
- Double-check with the Postfinder to ensure that the place falls within the delivery range of the post office.
- Check the format entered by the customer aligns with what Magyar Posta has in its database.
What Are the Reasons for Misdelivery or Delay of Mail to a Hungarian Address?
Incorrect or Incomplete Address Format
Hungary has a specific format for writing addresses. Any deviations from this can confuse both the automated system and postal workers. Reversing the order of the elements, leaving out important details like the street name, or not separating parts of the location, can cause delays or even lead to misdelivery. For instance, in Budapest, multi-story buildings have floor and door numbers. Missing these details can lead to failed delivery attempts and, ultimately, the return of the mail.
Missing or Incorrect Postcodes
Hungarian postcodes are four-digit numbers essential for efficiently sorting and routing mail. Postal workers heavily rely on them because street names and numbers can be similar in two different cities. If you transpose the number, the shipping service providers might route the package to the wrong city or district, and it might get returned or lost.
Misspellings in City/Street Name
Hungary’s city and street names often contain special characters, accents, and complex spellings. For instance, it is Ajtósi Dürer sor and not Ajitosi Durer sor. Moreover, some cities and villages have identical names, such as Nyíregyháza and Nyírbátor. A minor typo or misspelling can confuse the automated sorting machine and result in delivery to the wrong place.
Using Non-Standard Characters
Hungary uses diacritical marks like á, é, í ó, ö, ő ú, ü, ű. For Magyar Posta, these are part of the standard address. Moreover, the automated sorting machine reads and processes them. If any character is missing or incorrect, the system will not recognize the location, leading to incorrect routing and misdelivery.
What is the Correct Format for Writing a Hungarian Address?
Writing the correct format is the first step to ensuring your mail lands at the right doorstep. For deliveries within Hungary, place the components like the sample below.
| Kovas Ana | Name |
| Budapest XII Kerület | Name of town and district name/number |
| Városmajor Utca 35, B, Lépcsőház, III, Emelet, 6, Ajtó | Street name and type, building number, stairway number, floor number, and door number |
| 1133 | Postcode |
You must follow the Universal Postal Union (UPU) format when sending mail from abroad. UPU is an agency of the United Nations that coordinates international mail delivery, and Hungary is one of its members. It sets several guidelines, such as address format, to ensure countries can efficiently exchange mail. Following the layout mentioned below will ensure that your mail is recognized and delivered by Magyar Posta without any delay.
| ÉVA SZABÓ | Name |
| KOSSUTH LAJOS UTCA 22, 3. EMELET, 7. AJTÓ | Street name and type, building number, stairway number, floor number, and door number |
| 7623 PÉCS | Postcode and city name |
| HUNGARY | Country name |
You must remember the following things when writing an address for mail.
- Do not underline any element.
- Do not leave blank spaces between the city/town and other lines.
- Write the details in Roman script and Arabic numerals. If the source country uses any other language, write the details in all three languages.
- If the item is Post Restante, write the post office’s name from where the person can collect it. It should come after the person’s name.
- To make international mail easily distinguishable by the postal worker and to ensure legibility, write the components in capital letters.
Benefits of Magyar Posta Address Validation Solution
Confirms Address Accuracy
The ZIP Code Finder will ensure you use the correct postal code associated with the destination. The Post Office Finder tool will verify the post office location for the address in question. Combining these two tools will ensure the entered details are correct.
Prevents Delivery Delays or Misdelivery
Magyar Posta relies on accurate information for automated sorting. By verifying the postal code and confirming which post office serves the area, you can ensure the delivery to the correct zone. This will prevent delay and misdelivery due to misrouting.
Verifies Remote and Special Areas
There are many rural and small settlements in Hungary. Some do not have regular home delivery and may rely on the local post office for mail collection. Moreover, certain areas might have limited service or be served only on specific days. The Post Office Finder will provide crucial information such as opening times and business hours, ensuring you send the mail at the right time to ensure deliverability.
Shortcomings of Magyar Posta Address Validation Solution
Does Not Validate Full Details
The solution only provides three validated elements, which are insufficient to determine whether the information entered by the customer is deliverable. While it does offer street details and building numbers, it does not confirm whether they can receive the mail. Incomplete validation may lead to package delivery at a nonexistent or wrong location, increasing the return mail rate. You must correct the details and resend the shipment, increasing the expense.
If the customer enters wrong or incomplete information at the checkout and the business has no way to flag it automatically, the consumer will never receive the product. This will frustrate them, and they might lose trust.
Cannot Verify International Addresses
If you serve international customers, you cannot depend on this tool. Since authorities rely on accurate consignee data for processing, unverified and incorrect cross-border details might cause customs delays or rejection in the destination country.
Depending solely on this tool, you will have to manually check the details of the package meant for foreign countries. You will have to invest time and resources. Since manual processing is error-prone, any oversight might lead to failed delivery.
Does Not Offer Autocomplete Suggestions
A lack of autocomplete suggestions will force the customers to fill out the details manually. It can be time-consuming and cumbersome, and they might abandon their cart. Moreover, it will increase the chances of typos, omitted details, and misspellings. Accepting such information will make the package undeliverable, leading to a lost shipment or returned mail.
Will Not Determine if the Place is Residential or Commercial
Knowing the zone type is essential to determining the correct shipping charges and optimizing delivery schedules. The shipping charge for residential areas is higher since it requires extra effort compared to commercial places. Not knowing this might lead to undercharging, resulting in lost profit. You might also overcharge the customer, making them reluctant to continue doing business with you.
Commercial deliveries happen during business hours, but you must send mail to residential zones in the evenings or weekends. A lack of distinction might lead to multiple failed delivery attempts, frustrating the customers.
Does Not Provide Geocodes
To ensure accurate delivery on the first attempt, you need the exact location, which you can get with coordinates. Without them, you have vague information, which can sometimes be confusing if places with the same name are nearby.
Hungary mainly comprises rural areas, which can be challenging to locate without accurate geocodes. The agent may struggle to find the correct location, resulting in failed deliveries. Moreover, you cannot segment the audience without latitude and longitude. You will miss opportunities to boost engagement and sales with hyper-targeted campaigns.
Lacks API
An API is necessary to standardize the details and automate real-time validation. However, you cannot integrate the Magyar Posta solution into your online checkout, account registration page, or CRM system. You will have to manually check every detail, which will be time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to errors. This will be a headache for businesses handling large volumes of customer data. Moreover, it won’t automatically standardize the data. You will have messy and inconsistent data in the CRM, making customer segmentation a challenge.
What Makes PostGrid Address Verification the Right Alternative?
| Parameters | PostGrid Address Verification | Magyar Posta Address Validation |
| Focus | It offers real-time address verification, standardization, and autocomplete suggestions. | It provides the entered address’s ZIP code, post office, and PO box details. |
| Global Verification | You can check details of over 245 countries and territories. | Its services are limited to Hungary. |
| Coordinates | You will get reverse and rooftop geocodes, enhancing delivery accuracy. | It does not provide details about the latitudes and longitudes of a location. |
| Autocomplete Suggestions | You can provide your customers with real-time and geolocation-based autocomplete recommendations. | It does not have this feature. |
| Residential Delivery Indicator | You can determine if the area is residential or commercial. | It provides no such information. |
| Delivery Point Validation | It will check the delivery status of the details down to the apartment and floor number. | It only provides information until the street details; however, they are not verified. |
| Bulk Processing | You can check over 1 million bulk addresses by uploading a file of the customer’s details. | You must manually type the details to check each address’s ZIP code and post office. |
| Modes of Usage | You can use it in three ways:
Install the software with a few clicks. Integrate the API in your CRM or sales tool and use it as a customer-facing solution. |
You must visit the website whenever you want to check the details. |
Use PostGrid to Verify Every Detail and Ensure Accurate Delivery
Restricting your business to only verifying ZIP codes and post offices will increase the possibility of incorrect deliveries. This is why you must choose PostGrid Address Verification. We offer an automated and scalable solution that checks and formats every component in real-time while providing metadata. This will ensure you send the mail to the right location on the first attempt. To know more about us, talk to our sales team today.
