7 Address Mistakes That Delay Online Orders in South Africa
The most common address errors at online checkout, from wrong postal codes to missing unit numbers, and how to fix each one before you pay.
Most delayed parcels are not lost. They are waiting for someone to work out where they should go. These seven mistakes cause most of the trouble.
1. Using the city centre code
2001 is central Johannesburg, not your suburb. Look up your suburb’s own code.
2. Giving a PO Box code for a home delivery
Couriers deliver to street addresses. Use the street code.
3. Leaving out the unit and complex
“12 Main Road” may be a gate to 80 units. Add the unit number and complex or estate name.
4. Choosing the wrong suburb from a list
Many suburb names repeat across provinces (Rosebank, Greenside, Kenilworth). Check the city and province too.
5. Dropping the leading zero
Codes in Pretoria, Limpopo and parts of North West start with 0. “157” is not a valid code; “0157” is.
6. No phone number, or an old one
Drivers phone ahead at estates and complexes. Keep your number current.
7. An outdated saved address
After a move, update the address in every shopping app, not just the one you use most.
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Frequently asked questions
What should go in “Address line 2”?
The unit number and complex or estate name, or the suburb if the form has no separate suburb field.
The form rejects my postal code. What now?
Check the country is set to South Africa and the code has four digits including any leading zero. See our ZIP code guide for overseas forms.