Installing Address Validation & Postcode Lookup for BigCommerce

This guide walks you through installing and configuring the Ideal Postcodes address validation integration for BigCommerce. The integration enables address finder or postcode lookup at checkout, account address forms, and admin pages.

Overview

What this integration provides:

• Real-time UK address validation and postcode lookup
• Enhanced checkout experience with faster address entry
• Reduced delivery errors and customer support tickets
• Improved data quality across all address collection points

Choose Your Method: Use the integration for Address Finder or UK Postcode Lookup to enhance your BigCommerce checkout experience. If unsure which method is best, read our Address Finder vs Postcode Lookup comparison guide or watch the video.

Where Address Lookup is Applied

The integration adds address validation or postcode lookup to:

• Checkout Billing Form - Customer billing address entry
• Checkout Shipping Form - Customer shipping address entry
• Account Registration - New customer account creation
• Account Management - Customer address book management
• Admin Dashboard - Via Browser Extension (optional)

Screenshots

Address Finder

Postcode Lookup

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1. Sign up for a Free Trial and Get Your API Key

Before installing the integration, you'll need an Ideal Postcodes API Key.

Steps:

1. Sign up for a free account at ideal-postcodes.co.uk/sign-up
2. Navigate to the KEYS section in your account
3. Copy your API Key - you'll need this to complete the setup in BigCommerce. It's a string of characters that begins with the letters ak_

💡 All new accounts include 50 free test credits - no payment required.

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2. Install the BigCommerce Integration

Installation Overview:

We recommend installing via both Script Manager and Site Verification Tags for complete coverage:

• Script Manager - Official method for checkout customization (required for checkout address validation)
• Site Verification Tags - Enables address validation on account registration and address book pages

Prepare Your Script

Both installation methods use the same script with your API Key. You'll need this script ready:

Script Template:

<script>
	window.idpcConfig = {
		apiKey: "ak_xxxxxxxxxx", // Replace with your actual API Key
	};
</script>

<script
	async
	type="text/javascript"
	crossorigin="anonymous"
	src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@ideal-postcodes/bigcommerce@3"
></script>

Important: Replace ak_xxxxxxxxxx with your actual API Key from Step 1.

Method A: Install via Script Manager (Required for Checkout)

Best for: Checkout address validation (billing and shipping forms).

Steps:

1. From your BigCommerce Admin, go to Storefront → Script Manager

2. Click the blue Create a Script button

3. Configure the script with these settings:

   • Name: Ideal Postcodes Address Validation
   • Location on page: Footer
   • Pages: Checkout
   • Script category: Essential
   • Script type: Script

   

4. In the Script contents editor, paste your prepared script (with your API Key)

5. Click Save

   

Method B: Install via Site Verification Tags (Optional)

Best for: Account registration and address book pages.

When to use: If you want address validation beyond checkout forms.

Steps:

1. From your BigCommerce Admin, go to Advanced Settings → Tracking Code

2. In the Analytics page under General Settings, check the Site Verification Tags checkbox

   

3. Switch to the Site Verification Tags tab

4. Paste your prepared script (with your API Key) into the text area

5. Click Save

   

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3. Configure Address Lookup Options (Optional)

By default, both Address Finder and Postcode Lookup are enabled. You can customize the behavior by modifying the configuration in your script.

Default Configuration

The integration comes with these default settings:

window.idpcConfig = {
	apiKey: "ak_xxxxxxxxxx", // Your API Key (required)

	// Enable/disable lookup methods
	postcodeLookup: true, // Enable Postcode Lookup
	autocomplete: true, // Enable Address Finder (autocomplete)

	// Field population options
	populateOrganisation: true, // Auto-fill company name from address
	populateCounty: false, // Auto-fill county field (not recommended for UK)

	// Advanced configuration (optional)
	autocompleteOverride: {}, // Override Address Finder settings
	postcodeLookupOverride: {}, // Override Postcode Lookup settings
};

Configuration Options

Setting	Type	Default	Description
apiKey	String	""	Your Ideal Postcodes API Key (required)
postcodeLookup	Boolean	true	Enable traditional postcode lookup
autocomplete	Boolean	true	Enable Address Finder (type-ahead search)
populateOrganisation	Boolean	true	Auto-fill company name field from selected address
populateCounty	Boolean	false	Auto-fill county field (not recommended for UK)

💡 Tip: For more advanced configuration options, see our integration configuration guide.

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4. Test the Integration

To verify the address validation is working:

1. Go to your BigCommerce checkout page
2. Begin typing an address in the billing or shipping address field
3. The Ideal Postcodes address lookup tool should automatically suggest addresses as you type

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5. Advanced: Supported Forms and Field Selectors

When needed: For custom implementations or troubleshooting.

The integration automatically detects and binds to BigCommerce address forms using these CSS selectors:

Billing Address (Base)

{
	"line_1": "#FormField_8",
	"line_2": "#FormField_9",
	"post_town": "#FormField_10",
	"postcode": "#FormField_13",
	"country": "#FormField_11"
}

Shipping Address

{
	"line_1": "#FormField_18",
	"line_2": "#FormField_19",
	"post_town": "#FormField_20",
	"postcode": "#FormField_23",
	"country": "#FormField_21"
}

Customer Address Book

{
	"line_1": "#shipAddress1",
	"line_2": "#shipAddress2",
	"post_town": "#city",
	"postcode": "#postCode",
	"country": "#country"
}

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6. Version Management

Automatic Updates

The integration automatically updates to the latest version using the @3 version suffix in the script URL. This ensures you always have the latest features and bug fixes.

Version Pinning (Optional)

When to use: If you need to lock to a specific version for stability.

To pin a specific version, replace @3 with a specific version number in the script URL:

<script
	async
	type="text/javascript"
	crossorigin="anonymous"
	src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@ideal-postcodes/bigcommerce@3.1.0"
></script>

All versions are tracked in our Changelog.

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7. Admin Dashboard Integration (Optional)

When needed: If you want address validation in your BigCommerce admin panel.

To enable address validation on admin pages, install our Browser Extension. This adds address lookup functionality to order management and customer address forms in your admin dashboard.

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8. Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
No address suggestions appear	• Verify API Key is correct in your script • Check key balance in your account dashboard • Ensure country is set to UK territory • Check browser console (F12) for errors
Script not loading	• Verify script is saved in Script Manager or Site Verification Tags • Check that script location is set to "Footer" • Clear browser cache and test in incognito mode
Works on checkout but not account pages	• Install via Site Verification Tags (Method B) for account page support • Verify Site Verification Tags checkbox is enabled
Address fields not populating	• Check that field selectors match your theme • Verify custom theme hasn't changed default field IDs • Review browser console for JavaScript errors

info

Need help? Contact our support team via live chat on our website or email support@ideal-postcodes.co.uk.