How does the system set the default shipping address?

[BM136]

Hi,

What is rules for the system to set the default address (mainly the shipping address)?

Is it the address used in the lastest order? or it should be set bu the customer or the address used in the first order or the first address provides....?

Thanks in advance

[Kimi · Accepted solution]

Hi, @BM136.

The address used in the customer's latest order will be used as a default address.

So if at some point a customer uses a new address instead of choosing one from their saved addresses list, this new address will become their default address.

Keep in mind also that a customer can select the Save this information for next time option during checkout. When this option is selected, it's the customer's browser that will save their contact and shipping address details, not Shopify. So the next time they shop from your store using the same browser, their browser will automatically fill in those details with the cached information. More information on this can be found in this guide.

[ThangCQ]

Hello Kimi,

I have a question relate to the default address. I use Dawn theme, my default address is A at checkout. After that, I change default address in Customer->View Addresses-> I change Default address. But when I come back to checkout, the address which is selected in "Ship to" field isn't changed to new default address. Do you know any reason behind it?

[Kimi]

Hi, @ThangCQ. Thanks for joining this thread.

To clarify, what you've described is a current limitation to our default address feature.

At this stage, there isn't an option for a customer to specify an address to be set as their default address by choice. Instead, it's expected behaviour that the default address of a customer is set to their latest order, regardless if the customer has an account or not.

I understand this isn't the most ideal way of configuring the default address feature, so I'll leave this as feedback to our internal development team. Just a note that we can't guarantee if or when changes will be made, or provide a timeline for updates on this request. However any updates will be listed in our Changelog here. 

[MuseumWholesale]

This makes no sense. The customer should be able to assign a default address and the system should not overwrite this. It makes no sense for BtoC and especially in our case, BtoB.

[JeffreyJP]

Why does Shopify make it so difficult to obtain a list of customer names and home addresses?? Whenever a customer sends a gift to someone else, the "Customers" list reports their name with the recipient address, making the "Customers" list inaccurate, misleading, and unusable.  This has been going on for many years and should have been fixed. At least offer a way to download Billing Addresses, so YOUR customers can accurately contact their customers.

[brett_clark1]

Is there any way for it NOT be the last order placed? I can't imagine that's a standard practice. 

What if a company has people order gifts for others? Why would the address of the gift recipient become the default address for the existing customer? 

Also, this is overwriting the default address in our ERP system. 

[JohnC]

I'm sorry but ask any business person and I'm sure they will agree this is bad behaviour.

Often customers order gifts for friends/family and this then becomes the default address AND WITH A DIFFERENT NAME!

It also messes up subscription accounts where you need a consistent delivery address under the customer control.

Finally if you use country based pricing then it can set the price wrong simply because last time they kindly sent a gift to someone overseas.

The correct solution is to allow the customer to choose OR at the very least ask them to confirm if they want a new address to be the default. IT SHOULD NEVER CHANGE IT BY DEFAULT

Sorry for the shouting but we waited NINE years to be able to merge customer accounts and this is the second worst feature that needs to be fixed. Then shopify will be awesome.

[Imogen]

Hi there, @JohnC. Thanks for jumping in on this thread, and providing that feedback. We take feedback collection very seriously, so I'm happy to share the feedback you've provided here with our Developers. I can't promise what the outcome of sharing your feedback may be, but I'll make sure to get it in front of folks who need to see it!