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osCommerce

The e-commerce.

Shipping Module Options


Gary Tayman

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As stated in another thread elsewhere, a few years ago I set up OS-Commerce, then it got hacked and destroyed.  I let a couple years go by, and now I'm trying to set things up once again.

Not as easy as last time around, that's for sure.  Installation was a mess, but finally it's in place.  Paypal setup has changed bigtime, but it looks like I'm set up there too.

So now's the next step:  shipping.  Last time around THIS was a major mess, so before starting I figured I'd ask for advice.

Just about all the products will come from one company, which drop-ships the products, UPS,  from California.  Seems last time I tried to install a UPS module, and it never worked.  After inquiring on this forum I was told, no, it won't work.  What finally got things in the ballpark was to do something based on weight, like <2, $5, 2-4, $10, 4-6, $14, 6-8, $20, etc.  I forget what it did for international.

Is something like that still required?  For heaven's sake, everybody here has an online store of some kind, it can't be that complicated.  How do you manage shipping?

Just maybe, once I get the shipping squared away, I can finally start putting in products for sale.

 

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Something to think about is dimensional weight.  If you're shipping items that are lighter than normal you might want to look at that or you might just think about building shipping cost into your product.  Shipping cost is the biggest complaint i here about.  I use a fedex module that I modified to use the dimensional weight support that the UPSXML module has.  I split it off of version around 1.3 upsxml.  The fedex module is 9.4.2 from https://apps.oscommerce.com/LtzO5&fedex-web-services-v9  and I've made changes there.  With either of these modules you setup the zip code you ship from and you'll need developer keys that you get from UPS or fedex. 

I'm not really a dog.

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Okay, I found UPSMXL 1.6.1 and downloaded it -- onto my computer.  It's a ZIP file.

NOW WHAT?  Uh, do I unzio it?  To where?  Do I upload something to my catalog directory?  I'm sure whatever I do, I'll do it wrong and can't undo it.

Next step please!!

 

 

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You need to do some reading of OSC install and then any addons will have info with them too.  You can start https://library.oscommerce.com/

Bottom line is you have to spend some time learning how things work.  There's a lot already written and the upsxml addon, for instance, has a super long thread.  do some searching.

I'm not really a dog.

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In other words I'll be going out of business long before I can figure out how to ship?  Good grief!

 

Really, is every single online store a computer guru?  Or will I have to pay three times anything I make, for the privilege of running the store in the first place?  This is EXTREMELY discouraging!

I thought computers made life EASIER!

 

Edit:  I clicked on your link, and found pages and pages of gobbledygook, with no references whatsoever to installing shipping modules.

 

HOW IN THE SAM HILL DO I SHIP????

 

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Okay, I finally extracted this module and read the text file.  It shows the steps for installing this.  Holy cannoli, I'm a shop owner -- not a programmer like I suppose everybody else who uses OS-Commerce.

Never mind the UPS module.  I guess it's the table rate.  Any suggestions on how to set up the table rate?  I'll be doing it by weight.

 

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Tried to edit the last post, won't let me.  The problem I'm having with the table rate, I can enter rates that come close to actual, but for continental US only.  Anywhere else needs a different method.  The Zone setting only gives me two options -- everywhere including the moon, and Florida only.  How can I set this to US only?

 

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I'm not sure you have the patience to do this.  And, you make it hard to want to help you.  This is not simple and if you want something simple maybe set up a lemonaid stand.  This takes time and patience and wont' be done overnight.  I suggest you got though each setting in the admin panel and try to understand it.  All modules install pretty much the same and then you have to set them up.

To ship only in the US, which is what I do, I removed the others countries and I put a disclaimer in the create account.

When I started, I had someone helping me some, and I put my heart into learning more.  Feel like I should be further ahead but I've made money with an OSC store started in 2002.  But, it's not easy on so many levels.

I'm not really a dog.

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Okay, pardon the frustration and thanks for the help.  But here's the deal:  years ago I started an online store using Sams Club -- they offered web space with a Business membership.  Most of the website was rather cheesy, but the e-commerce section was fairly nice.  PAypal, bada bing.  UPS shipping, bada bing.  So I put product descriptions on my own site, then customers could click on it to buy and it would take them to the Sams site.  One day Sams got out of it.  So I moved my site to a better location who offered scripts -- including Magento, OS-Commerce, and several others.  I tried Magento to no avail.  I tried several others.  Finally settled on OS-Commerce.  Yes there was a learning curve, but overall it wasn't bad -- installed it from the C-Panel, Paypal setup was easy, actually the ONLY thing that was bad was UPS -- which never did get installed right, but I finally went to Table rate.  I also made the mistake, at first, where a flat rate was also enabled, and my first order was for a pair of Chevelle kick panels, charged $5 to ship them to Germany!  But I do vaguely remember setting uo Table rate so that the shipping was at least close.

One day the entire website got hacked.  My regular portion was back up and running within ten minutes, but the OS-Commerce got destroyed.  For awhile I gave up.  This is not my total business, but the store complements it, and I sold the products another way.  Recently, as this year's business has been very slow, I decided, out of desperation, to set it up once again.  Only this time it seems each step has taken an act of Congress to implement.  Installation had to be done manually.  Database wouldn't work.  Then setup wouldn't work.  With each step I've asked for help, was given instructions, followed the instructions, and still didn't work.  Turns out many of the problems came from the server -- MySQL problems, outdated PHP, and a lack of help from their end -- where, aside from this episode, they have generally been first class.

So anyway, after several weeks I've got OS-Commerce installed.  I've got Paypal working.  Now I'm back to shipping.  Sure enough, UPS is so complicated it's out of the question, so I'm trying once again to use Table rate.  Even that is fine, except it appears I have no means of preventing an overseas shipment at a domestic price.

I suppose if you wrote the program, you think it's a piece of cake to go in and rewrite a bunch of code to set up UPS.  For me it's not.  Here's an analogy:  I like to restore old recordings.  Suppose I give you a turntable so you can digitize vinyl.  It's a really good turntable, but it only plays at 62 rpm, and turns counterclockwise.  If you have an LP, you must digitize it, calculate the proper bitrate to change it to, to adjust the speed, and reverse the entire file.  Huh?  I could do this, but you're on your own.  If you don't know how to do this, go away.  That's how I feel, and why I'm frustrated.  Plus the fact that, all the hours spent doing this is not making me money.

Back to the Table rate.  The zone options are: worldwide, and Florida only.  You mentioned removing all other countries -- where do I do that?  Is there some way to use Table Rate for US, and Zone rate for elsewhere?  I really feel that once I get the shipping configured, I'm ready to start loading products.  I've done this before, and should be fairly easy -- unless something else has recently changed to make it nearly impossible.

 

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it's been so long since I used table rate I had to install into my test site to take a look.  It only lets you limit it to a zone and Fl is the option becaue they tax set up for Fl, at least I think that's the reason.  If you're shipping using UPS it's worth getting that module working.  Seriously think about getting some commercial help and you can get quotes by posting in the commercial forum.  Since you were hacked before it's really worth making sure your set up is fully secure.  You're right that the ups will be harder to set up but rates will vary a lot across the country.  Shipping is a big problem now because it's skyrocketed in costs.  The table rate just won't be that good.  I can ship a box on the east coast that's $20 and to Wa. it can be $45.

If you have phpmyadmin available you can run this query to remove everything but the US, but you can get into trouble running sql queries if not careful.  I don't know a quick way to get rid of the other countries zones, but I think this will solve it.  Phpmyadmin is on Cpanel.

DELETE FROM `countries` WHERE `countries_id` != 223 

 

Really think about getting some help until you get it more figured out, because it's just not that simple.  I get your frustration and I've been there.

I'm not really a dog.

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Thanks, I may go that route.  I think for the time being I'll make it clear on the website that orders are for continental US only; and foreign customers contact me via e-mail.

After things are running and I get a few orders, I might check into the UPS Module.

On to loading in the products -- yes, there are a few changes and I've got questions.  Will start another thread.  Thanks.

 

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