USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
New shipping module does not seem to have a choice for domestic flat rate box -- is there one or what do I have to do to get one.
C.
$this->types = array('EXPRESS' => 'Express Mail',
'FIRST CLASS' => 'First-Class Mail',
'PRIORITY' => 'Priority Mail',
'PARCEL' => 'Parcel Post',
'MEDIA' => 'Media Mail',
'BPM' => 'Bound Printed Material',
'LIBRARY' => 'Library'
);
$this->intl_types = array(
'Global Express' => 'Global Express Guaranteed',
'Global Express Non-Doc Rect' => 'Global Express Guaranteed Non-Document Rectangular',
'Global Express Non-Doc Non-Rect' => 'Global Express Guaranteed Non-Document Non-Rectangular',
'Express Mail Int' => 'Express Mail International (EMS)',
'Express Mail Int Flat Rate Env' => 'Express Mail International (EMS) Flat Rate Envelope',
'Priority Mail International' => 'Priority Mail International',
'Priority Mail Int Flat Rate Env' => 'Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelope',
'Priority Mail Int Flat Rate Box' => 'Priority Mail International Flat Rate Box',
'First-Class Mail Int' => 'First-Class Mail International'
);
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
You may wish to search the USPS website on flat rate box and envelopes ...
http://search.usps.com/search?site=%...=17&srchGo.y=6
There are other references as well on this ...
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
I'm trying to add the domestic "FLAT RATE BOX" to my USPS module, however, so far it's only appearing as an option in my admin menu, it doesn't give me any rates back yet. (Btw, I checked the 1.3.8a version, it doesn't include it either or else I would've copied it.)
Here's what I modified so far:
Code:
$this->types = array('Express' => 'Express Mail',
'First Class' => 'First-Class Mail',
'Priority' => 'Priority Mail',
'Priority Mail Flat Rate Box' => 'Priority Mail Flat Rate Box', 'Parcel' => 'Parcel Post',
'Media' => 'Media Mail',
'BPM' => 'Bound Printed Material',
'Library' => 'Library'
);
Code:
// BOF: UPS USPS
$db->Execute("insert into " . TABLE_CONFIGURATION . " (configuration_title, configuration_key, configuration_value, configuration_description, configuration_group_id, sort_order, set_function, date_added) values ('Domestic Shipping Methods', 'MODULE_SHIPPING_USPS_TYPES', 'Express, Priority, Priority Mail Flat Rate Box, First Class, Parcel, Media, BPM, Library', 'Select the domestic services to be offered:', '6', '14', 'zen_cfg_select_multioption(array(\'Express\', \'Priority\', \'Priority Mail Flat Rate Box\', \'First Class\', \'Parcel\', \'Media\', \'BPM\', \'Library\'), ', now())");
Now, if I read this manual correctly, in order to get the 'FLAT RATE BOX' rate, it has to be specified, but all I can find is this:
Code:
$this->_setContainer('None');
Anywhere else I can find 'containers'??? Simply changing it doesn't do the trick. Anyone with ideas?
Thanks.
A
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
See your other post ... :smile:
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
LillyPad, unfortunately not.
To the Zen cart folks ... please look at: http://www.usps.com/shipping/flatrate.htm
Boxes
• Flat Rate Boxes can be used for both domestic and international shipping:
— Available to anywhere in the U.S. for $8.95
— One rate to Canada and Mexico for $23.00
— One rate to all other countries for $37.00
*20 pound maximum for international shipments
• The inside dimensions for the two boxes available are 11" x 8.5" x 5.5" and 13.625" x 11.875" x 3.375". The two boxes are different shapes to accomodate a variety of contents.
• The contents of the flat rate box must be neatly contained inside the box with adhesive packaging tape.
• The box must close securely and retain its shape when taped with adhesive.
• The shape of the box may not be changed or enlarged to fit its contents.
Extra services such as Delivery Confirmation™, Signature Confirmation® (Not available for international shipping), and Insurance are available to use with Priority Mail Flat-Rate Envelopes and Boxes.
That's what I've been beaking my head over ...:frusty:
Ajeh,
you just keep referring to the 'updated' USPS module, which I did copy to my installion, but it still doesn't show the above. So I did look at the technical manual for this API (http://www.usps.com/webtools/_pdf/Ra...ators-v1-2.pdf) and noticed that for the domestic version of the Flat Rate Box, a variable for container must be specified -> the Zen module uses "None" as a setting I believe. Also, all xml calls should be "RateV3", anything I've seen in the module just calls "Rate". However, simply changing the xml call to V3 alone doesn't do the trick, there must be something else that needs changing, but I have yet to figure out what.
If there is any chance you guys could look over the technical manual and compare it to the current zen functions, I would highly appreciate it!
For right now, I've added the "domestic Flat Box" as a zen flat rate. However, that makes it the customers choice. Which is no good, as the customer doesn't know when to pick what rate, they just always pick the lowest. If the item is too big to fit the flat rate box, we have to use the higher 'regular' priority rate.
You get it?
Andrea
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
I too am interested in getting the flat rate box in there. I swore it used to be in there but can't be sure. We just starting to get in orders daily and am spending a lot of time fiddling with shipping. I'm wondering if anyone can give advice or point me to where I can find the info to do what I want to do.
1. We ship small and large items. Some heavy and some light.
2. I'd like to have the smaller and lighter items that can fit in the flat rate boxes to have the option for the flat rate when shipping.
3. When the bigger items get ordered that are "large" packages they get charged the appropiate rate.
The only way I can see this to be done is to add another database entry to where we can specify if the items are eligible for either of these options. I suppose being able to enter in dimensions could accomplish the same thing but I think a simple checkbox would do and be more accurate. That way the computer is not left making those close "judgement" calls on final package dimensions.
I think for our business having this functionality is essential and I am about to go buy a php book and try to hack out some code. It's going to cost us too much money to constantly have large items being undercharged on shipping costs.
Maybe this is already possible? The documentation on the included shipping module is poor. I still don't understand how zencart figures what a small or large package is. I really wish the FAQ could be written more clearly on this subject!!!! Can't the Tare options be easier to pick in the admin?
20:4 <---- not user friendly!!!! It must be really easy to make this more obvious what it means!!! Sorry I went into rant mode here. I"ll go read the FAQ again before you guys get annoyed at me.
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
I have been wrestling with this question about USPS Priority Mail FLAT RATE. To make things worse, there are now 2 sizes of Flat Rate boxes for domestic shipping, 8.5"x11"x5.5" for $8.95 and 12"x12"x5.5" for $12.95 (and the large FP box can be shipped to AFO/FPO for $10.95). BUT, unless you are only selling a limited kind of product, we can't tell the customer whether it will fit the FP box or which one, etc. And sometimes it's actually cheaper by weight.
So my strategy on this is to give good service...let the customer select the shipping method based on weight for the total order. Then, after I have packed the order, if it is cheaper to ship flat rate, I will do so and reduce the charge to the customer when I capture the funds in the CC gateway or PayPal. Otherwise the charges will be exactly what the customer expected. One less problem to worry about. :clap:
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
Has anyone got this resolved? I need this option too.
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
I've got this almost licked.
I took usps.php and hacked it up to make a new shipping module that take into account the flat rate box volumes. I also added a product_volume field in the products table and made sure it got added up in the cart. This module only quotes flat rate options. I use it in tandem with the original usps module.
Since I have a shipping volume per product, I can figure out which box it/they can go in and submit the quote accordingly.
It's not ready for prime time. I'll try and find a spare weekend when I can clean it up and post it.
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
Quote:
Originally Posted by
raffuj
I've got this almost licked.
I took usps.php and hacked it up to make a new shipping module that take into account the flat rate box volumes. I also added a product_volume field in the products table and made sure it got added up in the cart. This module only quotes flat rate options. I use it in tandem with the original usps module.
Since I have a shipping volume per product, I can figure out which box it/they can go in and submit the quote accordingly.
It's not ready for prime time. I'll try and find a spare weekend when I can clean it up and post it.
Thanks for the work, that would be awesome.
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
It's going to take a little while. I've hacked up my 1.3.7 installation quite a bit and I need to decide how best to rip it out. It's not easy -- ZC's shipping architecture isn't set up to handle this kind of thing.
Some things you might consider in the meantime...
The usps.php module is using the old 'Rate' calculator, not the 'RateV3' that is documented on the usps webtools site. The container strings are different and are not compatible. The return schema has also been changed so if you do modify the rate request and it's accepted by by usps, zen won't properly display what it gets back.
Since yours is a single product deal, you could hard code the product id in the shipping module and duplicate the regular priority request so that it also fetches a flat rate one. All you would really need to do is change the '$request->container' and the $request->service when you see that product in the order.
Re: USPS domestic flat rate box I see it for international
Quote:
Originally Posted by
raffuj
It's going to take a little while. I've hacked up my 1.3.7 installation quite a bit and I need to decide how best to rip it out. It's not easy -- ZC's shipping architecture isn't set up to handle this kind of thing.
Some things you might consider in the meantime...
The usps.php module is using the old 'Rate' calculator, not the 'RateV3' that is documented on the usps webtools site. The container strings are different and are not compatible. The return schema has also been changed so if you do modify the rate request and it's accepted by by usps, zen won't properly display what it gets back.
Since yours is a single product deal, you could hard code the product id in the shipping module and duplicate the regular priority request so that it also fetches a flat rate one. All you would really need to do is change the '$request->container' and the $request->service when you see that product in the order.
This thread is from mid last year, any progress yet? Is there anything you might be able to post that would help us?
OPTIONS: USPS domestic flat rate box
This would be a good add-on that would not require any USPS server because the shipping cost for flat rate is fixed at a known amount.
It would not work with the API because there is currently no way to transmit dimensions to know which box a particular item would fit in and no way to judge when it would not fit in any available flat rate box regardless of weight. Also if you ship over seas the weight limits are much lower.
A work around could be to set up a flat rate attribute and apply it to specific products based on the size box needed. Set shipping weight to zero.
Zen has some specific limitations on shipping calculations that are hard to work around.
I use a drop shipper and I don't ship but I still need to charge for shipping even though I can't control the method the shipper may use. With no means to match physical dimensions to a flat rate box you are stuck with regular postage rates based on weight which in almost all cases will over charge customers for items you send flat rate.
If you add an attribute to account for flat rate there is no way to turn off additional shipping calculations on a per-item bases so it does not calculate for those items.
An ideal add-on or feature for future releases would be to assign individual products to a specific flat rate box and bypass other shipping calculations.
Hint:D
Also limiting flexibility, a per unit or per item shipping added at check out has no way to adjust for product weight. A 1 pound bag of feathers costs as much to ship as a 80 pound bag of lead.
Zen needs more work on shipping options so specific items can have their own shipping cost that are not affected by automatic calculations. This could be an over-ride to meet specific needs such as flat rate boxes or to apply a per-item rate based on that particular item's weight.
