Although both Shipping Address and Billing Address represent addresses somehow or the other, they're pretty much different. The main element that sets the shipping address and the billing address apart is that the former signifies a physical location that customers use to receive their orders and vendors to deliver the same. In contrast, a billing address is an address that is connected to any mode of payment.
What is a Shipping Address?
With Shipping Address, you're looking at a physical address where a vendor would deliver their merchandise to the buyer. You can understand the overall meaning of the term shipping, which generally means the process involved in transporting items from one place to the other.
When we talk about the Shipping Address, there are generally two forms of principal addresses; these are the shipping addresses and the pick-up addresses.
What is a Billing Address?
The Billing Address signifies the address that is attached to a specific form of payment. It can be anything ranging from debit cards, credit cards to other online forms of payment. To put in simple words, the address of customers where the company sends the bills or bank statements is the Billing Address.
Difference Between Shipping Address and Billing Address
Overall Meaning
The term Shipping Address denotes the address that any shipping company generally uses to get their merchandise delivered. The customers provide the address under concern.
On the other hand, the Billing Address represents an address that is entirely linked with any particular form of payment used by the customer. The payment mode can either be cards or any other online means.
Nature
When we talk about Shipping Addresses, we're looking at the physical address where the vendor will deliver the order, and the customer will collect the same. In other words, the buyers use this address to deliver the ordered merchandise.
While Billing Address bears an entirely different story. It is majorly linked to either customer's debit or credit card or any other modes of payment methods.
Verification Process
The process of verifying the Shipping Address varies from one country to the other. For instance, the shipping address in the US gets verified with the help of USPS, while in India, the national address database comes into aid.
On the contrary, verification for Billing Addresses is usually done with the help of the Address Verification System, and it is the same for almost every country.
Calculation and Placement
The company (vendor) usually gives the Shipping Address under concern. They provide it to the shipping company for calculating the required amount that the customers will need to pay with their orders.
Everything about the Billing Address is dealt with by the company that is featured in the invoice of the buyer's order.
Comparison Chart: Shipping Address Vs Billing Address
Parameters | Shipping Address | Billing Address |
Overall Meaning | Location where goods needs to get delivered | Address linked to a particular form of payment |
Nature | Physical locality | Linked to various modes of payments |
Verification Process | Different for different region | Carried out by Address Verification System |
Calculation and Placement | The company who is willing to deliver their merchandise deals with shipping addresses | The company featured in the buyer’s invoice deals with billing address |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my billing address have to match my shipping address?
Necessarily not. Having the Shipping Address similar to the Billing Address is not a requirement in any respect.
Conclusion
And this is pretty much everything about the difference between a Shipping Address and a Billing Address. Have any questions? Feel free to put them in front of us using the comment section below.