Jump to content
  • Checkout
  • Login
  • Get in touch

osCommerce

The e-commerce.

NEW USPS Shipping


glusniffer1

Recommended Posts

Is there any update to the new shipping by USPS ?

Dear USPS Web Tools Customer,?

 

Beginning November 20, 2004, two (2) corrugated box shapes will be

introduced with dimensions as follows:? 11.25" x 8.75" x 6" and 14" x 12" x

3.5".? Note inside dimensions, respectively:? 11" x 8.5" x 5.5" and 13.625"

x 11.875" x 3.375".? Customers must pay a flat rate of $7.70 for items

mailed in either box, regardless of weight.?

 

Please note boxes are available at your local post office or via the online

USPS Postal Store (www.shop.usps.com <http://www.shop.usps.com>), commencing

November 20.? It's important to note that the boxes are not prepaid, so

postage must applied.

 

The new product will be introduced simultaneously in Web Tools.

 

Impact:

 

The following describes how to use the Web Tools Domestic Rates Calculator

current Version 1 to obtain rates for Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes.

 

For requesting either Priority Mail Flat Rate Box, the value of the

<Service> tag must be Priority.? To obtain a rate for Priority Mail Flat

Rate Box 1 (11.25" x 8.75" x 6"), the value of the <Container> tag must be

"FRB-1".? To obtain a rate for Priority Mail Flat Rate Box 2 (14" x 12" x

3.5"), the value of the <Container> tag must be "FRB-2".

 

All other XML tags and values will be identical to the way you are currently

using the Web Tool.

 

An example of a Rate request for Priority Mail Flat Rate Box 1 is:

 

<RateRequest USERID="xxxxx" PASSWORD="xxxxxx">

<Package ID="0">

<Service>PRIORITY</Service>

<ZipOrigination>90210</ZipOrigination>

<ZipDestination>11210</ZipDestination>

<Pounds>2</Pounds>

<Ounces>1</Ounces>

<Container>FRB-1</Container>

<Size>REGULAR</Size>

<Machinable>False</Machinable>

</Package>

</RateRequest>

 

The response would be:

 

<RateResponse>

<Package ID="0">

<Service>PRIORITY</Service>

<ZipOrigination>90210</ZipOrigination>

<ZipDestination>11210</ZipDestination>

<Pounds>2</Pounds>

<Ounces>1</Ounces>

<Container>FRB-1</Container>

<Size>REGULAR</Size>

<Machinable>FALSE</Machinable>

<Zone>8</Zone>

<Postage>7.70</Postage>

</Package>

</RateResponse>

 

 

 

If you have any additional concerns or technical inquiries, please contact

the USPS Internet Customer Care Center at 1-800-344-7779.

?

 

Thank you,

 

 

Internet Customer Care Center

Edited by glusniffer1

The Hobby Undergound..."For The Pure Hobbyist"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The story can now be told... :-) I mentioned these in the General Chit Chat forum a few months ago, but forgot to post it here :(

 

The shipping boxes should be available for you at the post office as we speak, and orderable via the USPS webstore. The API's are being modified...

 

I had to notify USPS that these new boxes are hard to find on their site. The first shows up but to order the second, you have to look at their whole catalog. They say they will consider having both links on the description page.

 

We believe that our local Postmaters in Hawaii pushed this through, primarily because our coffee shipments are straining the Flat Rate envelopes. Imagine an envelope holding 2 pound bags of coffee and just bursting the seams. They would not let us tape the envelopes either. Anyway, then came the boxes. Your post office already should have them. Here in Hawaii they are coming by boat and we are waiting and waiting... :-)

 

The 1st box is called a "shoe box" and the second a "garment box".

 

Hopefully with flat rates on the boxes and the existing envelopes you will be able to offer some neat deals for customers. Add $3.85 (envelope) or $7.70 (box) to the price and offer free shipping :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thats great but will this be implimented in our shopping cart,and or the be updated by them and will be in our shipping if you have an account set up with them?

 

 

 

The story can now be told... :-) I mentioned these in the General Chit Chat forum a few months ago, but forgot to post it here :(

 

The shipping boxes should be available for you at the post office as we speak, and orderable via the USPS webstore. The API's are being modified...

 

I had to notify USPS that these new boxes are hard to find on their site. The first shows up but to order the second, you have to look at their whole catalog. They say they will consider having both links on the description page.

 

We believe that our local Postmaters in Hawaii pushed this through, primarily because our coffee shipments are straining the Flat Rate envelopes. Imagine an envelope holding 2 pound bags of coffee and just bursting the seams. They would not let us tape the envelopes either. Anyway, then came the boxes. Your post office already should have them. Here in Hawaii they are coming by boat and we are waiting and waiting... :-)

 

The 1st box is called a "shoe box" and the second a "garment box".

 

Hopefully with flat rates on the boxes and the existing envelopes you will be able to offer some neat deals for customers. Add $3.85 (envelope) or $7.70 (box) to the price and offer free shipping :-)

The Hobby Undergound..."For The Pure Hobbyist"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thats great but will this be implimented in our shopping cart,and or the be updated by them and will be in our shipping if you have an account set up with them?

 

I am not a coder of this module, but I assume the following whill happen:

 

USPS has probably already changed their site to return the pricing for these fixed price boxes via the API.

 

Some one will soon modify this shipping module to take advantage of the new calls to the post office. The change should be pretty simple, as it just adds some text and a radio button or two. When that change is made, they will post it and you can update your store to take advantage of it.

 

One thing to note is that, as mentioned, there is no weight limitation to speak of, with these boxes. HOWEVER, you have a size limitation. That means, the item must fit inside the boxes, so most stores will have to go through on an item by item basis to determine if this particular box will work and is a cost-effective solution.

 

Although it may the the cheapest solution, some customers may prefer a different solution. I personally use the flat rate shipping when possible because so far, no package from Hawaii to the mainland has taken more than 5 business days and many have taken just a couple days. Within the 48 states, it should be even faster. Also with the fixed rate shipping, you know exactly how much to charge and can pre-purchase stamps for these if desired.

Edited by Lavarock
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How did you setup your fixed rate shipping I cant see how it would be more accurate than actual shipping...There is no way I can send a 1lbs package from NY to CA for 6.50.....

 

 

 

I am not a coder of this module, but I assume the following whill happen:

 

USPS has probably already changed their site to return the pricing for these fixed price boxes via the API.

 

Some one will soon modify this shipping module to take advantage of the new calls to the post office. The change should be pretty simple, as it just adds some text and a radio button or two. When that change is made, they will post it and you can update your store to take advantage of it.

 

One thing to note is that, as mentioned, there is no weight limitation to speak of, with these boxes. HOWEVER, you have a size limitation. That means, the item must fit inside the boxes, so most stores will have to go through on an item by item basis to determine if this particular box will work and is a cost-effective solution.

 

Although it may the the cheapest solution, some customers may prefer a different solution. I personally use the flat rate shipping when possible because so far, no package from Hawaii to the mainland has taken more than 5 business days and many have taken just a couple days. Within the 48 states, it should be even faster. Also with the fixed rate shipping, you know exactly how much to charge and can pre-purchase stamps for these if desired.

The Hobby Undergound..."For The Pure Hobbyist"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I didn't say it was more accurate... :-) In reality, I use weight based (table rate) shipping and throw in some fixed shipping rates as follows:

 

I cannot use the USPS shipping module because I don't have cURL and I also have a problem between my server host and the USPS website (I believe this is a PHP and DNS issue).

 

The USPS Flat Rate packaging allows us to send items within the US by paying per envelope, not per pound. (It appears that the OSCOmmerce shipping module is not yet updated for these new flat rates)

 

In my case, the majority of my shippings are all the same products, coffee. So far I have been able to set up rates for shipping, knowing that there are a few options I have based upon the weight of products and their size.

 

I have 2oz sample bags (up to 2 of them will fit in a number zero insulated bag). A 4oz bag of coffee also fits in that same bag. Thus 4oz I charge $1.29 because that is what that zero bag costs to send from Hawaii to the East Coast addresses by 1st class postage.

 

In a USPS Flat Rate envelope I can fit two 8oz or two 1 pound bags of coffee. It is a tight squeeze, but they fit. Thus up to 2 pounds I charge the flat fixed rate of the USPS for that envelope at $3.85.

 

I have products that will fit in that bag, but are heavy. To make life simple I add $3.85 to heavier items prices and then list the weight as 0 pounds and show the item as having "Free Shipping". Shipping is never "FREE", it is just included in the price. In this case, I get paid $3.85 extra for an item where I know the shipping will cost me $3.85. The customer still pays for the shipping, and the shopping cart doesn't know the difference.

 

USPS FIxed rate shipping takes about 3-5 business days from Hawaii t othe East Coast. Thus except for a guranteed 2 day air shipment, this is a very cost-effective option for my customers. NOTHING is overnight from Hawaii and from some outer islands, an extra day is needed for shipping. Continental US shippers may have to offer better solutions than 3-4 day shipments, but people just expect stuff from Hawaii to take longer :-)

 

My weight based shipping is based upon pounds. Thus .25 pounds is slightly heavier than 4 oz.

 

0:0,.25:1.75,2:3.85,4:7.70,5:11.65,6:12.20,7:13.40,8:14.60,9:16.80,10:18.00,11:1

9.00,12:20.00,13:21.00,14:22.00,15:23.00,16:24.20,17:25.40,18:26.60,19:27.80,20:2

9.00,21:30.20,22:31.40,23:32.60,24:33.80,25:35.00,50:00

 

---

 

0:0 <no weight is free or shipping included in price>

.25:1.29 <4 oz is $1.29>

2:3.85 <up to 2 pounds (flat rate envelope) is $3.85>

4:7.70 <up to 4 pounds (2 ea flat rate envelopes or the new box) is $7.70etc

 

 

 

I hope that I have been able to explain this well enough. I do some shuffling of prices and options to give my customers inexpensive shipping without making the shopping cart too difficult to use or manage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...