Ask Our Experts – If Only Everyone Reported Their Change of Address

Question: What’s the accuracy of NCOALink®? I still get returns from the Post Office with corrections even when I use that service?

Answer: The accuracy is good for people who have reported their change of address (COA) to the Post Office. However, only 75-85% of people that move do this. This means that NCOALink® will capture the majority of moves, but you may still get back post-mailing corrections. Another factor is the name that a person uses when they file their COA and how that compares to what is in your database. As an example, if the person files their COA using James Smith as an “Individual Move” (as opposed to a “Family Move”), the USPS isn’t going to treat that as a match because they don’t know if there is more than one person in that household whose name starts with “J”. However, despite these inherent issues with the NCOALink® service, it is still the best tool you can use to ensure improved delivery of your mailing and to keep your in-house lists updated.

By Modern Postcard

Call a Direct Marketing Specialist at 800.959.8365.