USPS Shipping Not Working?

[Sawtooth500]

Using 1.3.8a....

So I'm trying to figure out USPS Shipping, the shipping tools module only asks me to enter a user ID (not a password), so I enter the username from my USPS web tools account. Now, whether it's set to testing or production, when I look at the front end of my web site I'm always getting the following in the shipping page:

We are unable to find a USPS shipping quote suitable for your mailing address and the shipping methods we typically use.
If you prefer to use USPS as your shipping method, please contact us for assistance.
(Please check that your Zip Code is entered correctly.)

I know that my address is correct.

Regarding the USPS patches, I believe that 1.3.8a is all current with the USPS API, but if I' wrong please let me know. What am I doing wrong here?

[Ajeh]

Make sure that you have updated to the January 4, 2010 update of USPS ... it is included in the list of Security Patches and Updates at:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131115

This is also a good time to apply the Known Bug Fixes for v1.3.8 at:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82619

Then, be sure that you have emailed or called USPS to activate your account on the Production server ...

Also check that you do not have a Zone set on the USPS shipping module that is preventing it from working ...

What are your settings in the Configuration ... Shipping/Packaging ...

What is the Ship From and Ship To address and the weight of the order that you are testing?

[Sawtooth500]

Thanks, that did it!

[Ajeh]

Was that needing the new USPS January 4, 2010 shipping module or activating your account with USPS?

[Sawtooth500]

Both, I was confused though, because the module has a test option in it. I thought that it should work in test but just not give accurate quotes, if not what's the point of test!

[Ajeh]

There was a time the Test Server was for that ... currently, the thing is unpredictable ... but we try to have hope for USPS that it will one day work again properly ...

[delia]

I have several customers who are complaining that this is happening occasionally to them with the updated file. Has anyone else complained of problems recentlyl?

[Ajeh]

Could you perhaps be a tad more specific about what "this" is?

There are numerous things that can happen with shipping modules that get real time quotes and the more details that you provide, the easier it is to diagnose ...

[delia]

Hey, Linda!

Talking about USPS giving the notice that it can't find the customer address as if it wasn't activated for the US. It's an intermittent thing and 2 of my customers have just let me know.

I put the new file in place for both of them.

[Ajeh]

If it is sporadic, it could be:

1 communication with USPS server is not working ...

2 USPS server is having issues ... usually this is more obvious due to time delays on page response ...

3 Customer Address is not valid for USPS ... would need to know the Ship From and Ship To and the weight and shipping options enabled

The more clues on this the better ...