Stamps.com integration - Couple small bugs need addressing

[WebKat]

Hmm... that makes it hard for me to test, since I don't have a stamps.com account to test with (this is for the site I'm building for my dad's business--he's the one with the stamps.com account and he lives a thousand miles away from me.) Is there a way to test it without actually printing (and paying for) real postage? I mean I assume I could download the stamps.com software and get his login information... but I don't want to waste money doing it.

[RixStix]

You could download the desktop app and use his account name/password. You will see enough functionality without actually printing postage. You can always print "test" labels using downloaded customer data without the postage. If you accidentally print a label, there is a "refund" button which will cancel the label. Remember, Stamps.com will not allow multiple logins simultaneously without additional fee, so don't try to test while your Dad is using the service.

You can download the software and sign up for the free 4 week trial as long as you remember to cancel.

Something to remember. "Refresh" in Stamps.com terminology means refresh the screen using that last download. It does not mean "talk to my server - right now and download all orders since the last download"

[WebKat]

Ok so my dad gave me his username and password and I logged in, but I can't see where to download any desktop application: http://www.stamps.com/sitemap/
Also, when I click on the integration with Zen Cart link, the only things I can click on to "get started" take me to a page to create a new Stamps.com account. I don't want a new Stamps.com account, I'm #$& LOGGED IN ALREADY with an EXISTING ACCOUNT! Can someone help me out of this frustration?

[RixStix]

http://www.stamps.com/download/

[WebKat]

Thanks... now what about getting the integration files? It wants me to create an account, even though I'm already signed in... I don't get it. Does someone have a direct link to that download?

[RixStix]

my.shiprush.com/assets/Stamps_ShoppingCart_Integration_Kit__See_README_file.zip

You should be launching the desktop application and not have anything to do with Stamps.com website or weblogin.

You should be following the install/setup instructions in the batch tab once you have the desktop software running.

There are instructions for configuring the zencart files in the download README which will point you to instructions in the zsetting.php file.

[WebKat]

Aha! Thank you. I figured it out from the instructions and set it up under batch in Stamps.com's software... kind of have to wait and see what happens now, though. I have one order (from me) in "Processing" status right now, so I'm eager to see if it shows up over in Stamps.com or not. Do I need to do anything else once the configured files are in place and the site is verified with it's token and set up as a batch thingiemadoodle and all that?

[RixStix]

Nope. That's it.

Any customizing is within Stamps.com and a Stamps.com issue, not zencart.

• I like to turn off the postage value so that customers do not see what I actually paid for postage.
• I like to turn On the shipping confirmation email and customize the message by removing as much of the Stamps.com infomercial that I can.
• You might consider turning OFF the Order details being included with the confirmation email. If you use attributes, the order details will not always be correct which will lead to grumpy customers thinking that you shipped the wrong thing.

[WebKat]

So... the Stamps.com integration doesn't use my shipping module prices? That makes it 100% useless... what am I missing? I had to have the CEON guy at Advanced Shipper specially hack his own module to get our custom shipping to work right--there is no way that Stamps.com's internal calculations are going to get it.

[RixStix]

I'm not sure what you expected. Stamps.com prints postage based upon what the USPostal Service charges them for the weight and class postage that you are printing. Pretty much exactly what the USPS addon calculates.

Why would you want to pay more for postage than actual? or why would you expect to pay less for postage than the post office charges?

Generally speaking, the shipping price calculated within zencart for USPS shipping is slightly higher than the USPS rates so we actually make a few pennies off of the calculated shipping.