Zap Credits - Direct Mail Address validation and data cleansing explained

What is data cleansing?

There's a full article on this subject here. In summary, its the process of validating your recipient data to ensure:

1. Highest possible accuracy of data to ensure deliverability
2. Reduce waste
3. Improve Return on Investment

There are three stages to recipient data cleansing:

1. Initial validation - the data integrity is validated before being permitted into the Zap system 
2. Address validation - by default, ZAP~POST checks every address to make sure it is valid and meets Royal Mail guidelines.  ZAP~POST corrects as many addresses as it can, and removes those that cannot be found.
3. Gone away & deceased - ZAP~POST checks a variety of databases and removes any recipients that have moved on, in one way or another.

How does ZAP~POST charge for this service?

The costs of data cleansing is built into the ZAP rate. That's the simple answer.   There is even a credit system for Monthly and Annual members, explained below.  

Does ZAP~POST share the data with its members?

In short, yes.  Members can retrieve a full list of contacts who have been removed from a submission, either via API, Webhook, or download a CSV directly from the App.  Its strongly recommended to update your records with the latest data set from ZAP~POST.

ZAP Credits explained

Firstly, Zap credits are not available to PAYG members.
Members on Monthly and Annual plans will automatically have Zap credits applied.

A Zap credit is granted based on the quality of the recipient data submitted to the app.  If the data is clean and recent, 90+ % will be successfully processed.  If the data is old, or has not originated from an address validation source (like an ecommerce checkout), it is likely that upwards of 20% of the recipient data will be removed in the cleansing processes. See the table below for the ratio of zap credits applied, for recipient records removed. 

How many credits, and when can they be used?

Credits are applied to the account immediately following the data cleanse process and are available to use in the following renewal period. Zap credits are used first, before using a zap allowance, according to the chosen Plan. 

Turning off data cleansing.

Members can request to turn off Gone Away and Deceased checks - just get in contact.