Failed deliveries and high customer support costs can be a nightmare for e-commerce businesses. The good news? There’s a simple, effective solution: validate your customers’ phone numbers automatically. Using tools like Numverify and Zapier, you can ensure every phone number is accurate, reachable, and ready for delivery communication. This proactive step helps avoid operational inefficiencies, lowers support overhead, and improves customer satisfaction. In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to integrate these tools seamlessly into your e-commerce platform to cut costs, reduce failed deliveries, and build trust with your customers.
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How to Validate Phone Numbers to Prevent Failed Deliveries
The key to avoiding failed deliveries and reducing operational costs is simple: validate your customers’ phone numbers as soon as they’re provided. This ensures that every number in your system is accurate, reachable, and ready for delivery communication. How do you do this without creating more work?
Tools like Zapier and Numverify handle the heavy lifting for you.
Zapier is an automation platform that connects your favorite apps, making them work together effortlessly. It’s especially great for e-commerce businesses because it likely already has pre-built integrations (“Zaps”) for your platform—whether you’re using Shopify, WooCommerce, or another solution. These Zaps include amazing triggers, such as “New Order” or “Updated Customer Record,” which make setting up workflows quick and intuitive.
What’s the Problem with unvalidated numbers?
Imagine this: your delivery team is trying to contact a customer to confirm an address or schedule a delivery, only to discover the phone number is invalid. It’s a scenario that happens far too often, leading to:
- Failed Deliveries: Orders are returned because drivers can’t reach customers.
- Increased Costs: Customer support teams waste valuable time chasing updates.
- Frustrated Customers: Delayed or failed deliveries damage trust in your brand.
This isn’t just inconvenient—it’s a costly problem for your business. Research conducted in the US, UK and Germany in 2021 indicates that 8% of domestic first-time deliveries fail, costing retailers an average of $17.20 per order.
The solution? Validate phone numbers before they become a problem.
Meet the Tools: Zapier and Numverify
To solve this issue effortlessly, you need tools that work seamlessly together: Zapier and Numverify integration.
What is Zapier?
Zapier connects the apps you already use, like Shopify, WooCommerce, or your CRM, and makes them work together automatically. Think of it as the behind-the-scenes assistant that handles repetitive tasks for you.
What is Numverify?
Numverify is a phone validation API that checks whether a number is valid, formatted correctly, and active. It works globally including 232 countries or territories, ensuring you can trust the data your customers provide.
How This Solution Works
Using Zapier and Numverify together creates a powerful, automated workflow:
- Catch Mistakes Early: Validate phone numbers during sign-up, checkout, or order updates.
- Save Time: Automate validation instead of relying on manual checks.
- Reduce Costs: Fewer failed deliveries mean less money wasted on returns or support.
- Improve Customer Satisfaction: Valid contact details lead to smoother deliveries and better communication.
How to Set Up Zapier and Numverify
Follow these easy steps to set up the automation.
- Connect Your Apps:
- Log in to Zapier and integrate your e-commerce platform (e.g., Shopify or WooCommerce)
- Add Numverify and link your account using an API key.
- Build Your Workflow (Zap):
- Trigger: Start the workflow when an order is placed or a customer updates their details.
- Action: Use Numverify to validate the phone number provided.
- Manage Invalid Numbers:
- Notify customers automatically if their number is invalid.
- Flag records for manual review to ensure no bad data slips through.
- Test and Launch:
- Run sample data to confirm everything works smoothly.
- Activate your Zap and let it handle phone validation automatically.
Paste the Following Text into Zapier’s AI Assistant:
To get started with Zappier when you have created an account and logged in, you can use the text below and paste it into their AI wizard.
“Trigger:
– App: Shopify
– Event: New Order Created
Action:
– App: Numverify
– Event: Validate Phone Number
– Input: Use the “Phone Number” field from the Shopify order.
Filter (Optional):
– Condition: If “Validation Result” is “Invalid”
Follow-up Action (Optional):
– App: Gmail
– Event: Send Email
– Input: Notify the customer to update their phone number.”
This concise format provides everything the AI assistant needs to help users create the zap effortlessly.
Click the arrow to create the Zap.
Click Try it, and you will get the next screen.
Setting up your Zap in Zapier is a simple, intuitive process that doesn’t require any technical expertise. Each part of the workflow guides you step by step, making it easy to create a powerful automation.
In the screenshot provided, the user is setting up the trigger for their Zap workflow in Zapier. Here’s what is being configured:
- App Selection:
- The user has chosen Shopify as the app where the workflow will start.
User has chosen Shopify via the Change button.
- Account Connection:
- The user is required to connect their Shopify account to Zapier by clicking Sign in and providing authorization. This allows Zapier to access Shopify data to trigger the workflow.
You will be asked to input Your store numv
You will need to find your store number in your Shopify settings, see example below.
Add it to Zapier and continue.
At the next prompt click ‘Install’
You will be returned to Zapier and your Shopify account will be connected.
Test your trigger by clicking Continue.
- Trigger Event:
- The trigger event selected is Customer Account Enabled, meaning the Zap will be initiated whenever a new Customer Account is enabled in the Shopify store.
- The user has changed the dropdown menu from ‘New Order’ to ‘Customer Account Enabled.
- Next Step:
- Once the Shopify account is connected, the user will be able to proceed to set up the subsequent steps in the workflow, such as validating phone numbers with Numverify and handling invalid numbers.
Each part of the workflow guides you step by step, making it easy to create a powerful automation. Here’s what you can expect as you set it up.
The first step is configuring your Shopify Trigger. You’ll select Shopify as the app and choose “New Order” as the trigger event. This means the workflow will start every time a new order is placed in your store. Zapier will prompt you to sign in to your Shopify account, and once connected, it will automatically pull sample customer data to ensure everything is working correctly. This step is straightforward, with Zapier walking you through each click.
Next, you’ll set up the Numverify Action to validate customer phone numbers. Simply choose Numverify as the app and “Validate Phone Number” as the action. Zapier will ask you to connect your Numverify account by entering your API key, which it provides clear instructions for finding.
Return to Numverify,website click “Sign Up Free” and choose any plan available depending on your requirements. We recommend a Basic Plan which includes 5000 API calls or phone verifications as a starting point to test all features and upgrade based on your needs. Annuals billing offers up to 15% discount.
Once signed-up go to your Numverify dashboard, copy API key and paste it into Zapier.
Note: this API key has been reset. Be careful to not expose your API key publicly. If exposed, click “Reset” and use the new API key in your Zapier automation.
Follow the next setup steps where you’ll map the phone number field from your Shopify data to Numverify. This is as easy as selecting the phone number field from a dropdown menu of options. Zapier does the hard work of linking the data for you.
Rather than using the Numverify default Phone Number, click on the + and find the ‘Addresses Phone’ field which is linked to Shopify, it may show a Customer phone number.
Remove the default phone number and continue with the Shopify linked number. And test the step.
After the phone number validation, you can add a Filter Step (optional but highly recommended) to handle invalid numbers. With Zapier’s intuitive filter setup, you’ll define a condition like “Validation Result is Invalid” to ensure the workflow only continues when a phone number fails validation. The interface uses plain language and dropdown menus, so you won’t need to worry about technical rules or logic.
Finally, you can add a Notification Step to alert customers about invalid phone numbers or flag the issue for your team. For example, if you use Gmail, you’ll log in and create an email template to notify customers that their phone number needs updating. Zapier allows you to personalize the message by mapping customer data, like their name or email address, from the Shopify order. The same applies if you choose another app like Slack or an SMS service—Zapier makes it simple to craft a customized notification.
Example screenshots below of the Zapier email configuration screen.
Once all the steps are in place, you’ll test your workflow with sample data to ensure everything runs smoothly. Zapier provides clear feedback, helping you catch and fix any issues before activating the automation. After testing, simply turn on your Zap, and it will run seamlessly in the background, validating phone numbers, filtering out invalid ones, and notifying customers automatically.
Zapier’s user-friendly design ensures every step of the process is clear and straightforward. With just a few clicks, you can set up an automation that saves time, reduces errors, and improves customer satisfaction.
What Happens Next
Once your system is set up:
- Every phone number is validated in real-time.
- Invalid numbers are flagged before they cause issues.
- Deliveries are smoother, and customer satisfaction improves.
Why This Matters for Your Business
This isn’t just about fixing a minor inconvenience; it’s about solving a major operational challenge. By validating phone numbers at the point of entry, you:
- Avoid delivery delays and costly mistakes.
- Save time and resources for your team.
- Build trust with your customers, leading to repeat business and stronger relationships.
Take Control of Your Data and Deliveries
With tools like Zapier and Numverify, you can automate phone validation effortlessly. Whether you’re running a small shop or managing a large e-commerce operation, this solution helps you cut costs, improve efficiency, and delight your customers.
Stop letting invalid phone numbers cost you money—start validating them today!
Q&A for E-Commerce and Automation
Q1: Why should I use Numverify for phone validation in my e-commerce business?
Answer: Numverify provides accurate and real-time validation of both national and international phone numbers. It ensures:
- Correct formatting based on the latest international numbering plans.
- Identification of the carrier and line type (e.g., mobile, landline, VoIP).
- Reduction in errors at the point of entry, minimizing delivery failures and operational costs.
This makes Numverify a highly reliable choice for businesses aiming to improve customer data quality and reduce failed deliveries.
By integrating Numverify and an SMS authentication service, you can reduce failed deliveries, enhance customer satisfaction, and improve the operational efficiency of your e-commerce business.
Q2: What are the costs associated with using Numverify?
Answer: Numverify offers multiple pricing plans, including a free tier for basic usage and paid plans for higher API call limits. The Basic Plan starts with 5,000 API calls per month and is suitable for testing or small businesses. Paid plans offer advanced features and discounts for annual billing. Details can be found on the Numverify pricing page.
Q3: Does Numverify comply with data protection and privacy regulations like GDPR?
Answer: Yes, Numverify adheres to strict data privacy standards, including compliance with GDPR. It ensures secure data transmission through HTTPS and does not store or misuse personal data. Users can trust that their customer data remains confidential and is processed solely for validation purposes.
Q4: What phone number formats and regions are supported by Numverify?
Answer: Numverify supports validation of phone numbers from over 230 countries and territories, ensuring global coverage. It also checks for correct formatting based on international numbering standards, making it ideal for businesses operating internationally.
Q5: Can Numverify handle real-time validation during high-traffic periods?
Answer: Numverify’s API is designed to handle real-time validations efficiently, even during high-traffic scenarios. It provides a robust infrastructure that ensures minimal latency and high reliability, making it suitable for businesses with large-scale operations or peak demand periods.
Q6: What happens if a phone number is identified as invalid?
Answer: When Numverify flags a phone number as invalid, it provides detailed information on why the validation failed (e.g., incorrect formatting, inactive number). Businesses can set up automated workflows via tools like Zapier to notify customers to update their phone numbers or flag records for manual review.
