ozpost shipping module

[RodG]

Rod
I'm having trouble with SkippyPost. For some reason its producing outrageous results compared to Auspost:

Although you haven't given me much to work with - Such as the quotes you are receiving from each carrier, and where the parcel is destined to, using the screenshot provided I can see that the quote requested is for a parcel that is

70cm long
20cm wide
20cm high
Weight 960grams.

Entering this data into the Australia Post server (I used the arbitrary destination of USA) the cost for Airmail should be $29.70
The Australia post servers don't have inputs for the item dimensions, as (apparently) their normal 'cubing rules' don't apply for overseas.

Entering the same information into the skippypost server - Who *do* have the dimension fields, the cost for the same parcel to the same destination is $92.35 (plus the $9.00 shipment fee) - So, what you claim appears to be correct - The skippypost quote is outrageous in comparison.

So, here's where it gets a little interesting - The SkippyPost *website* actually has two different rate calculators - A 'volumetric weights' calculator, and a simple 'rate estimator'

Like the AustPost server, the simple rate estimator only has two inputs - The parcel weight and its destination. If/when this calculator is used, the quote for a 960gm parcel to USA is listed as ~$22.00.

Now, the thing is, the ozpost system doesn't get a choice as to which of the Skippy Calculators to use, and if it submits a request *without* the dimensional data their servers return the error:
---------------------------------------------------
ErrorSkippyPost
internal error: detected an error in element content
-------------------------------------------------

In other words the quotes returned by ozpost are exactly the same as the skippypost volumetric weight calculator, and there is nothing I can do about this. The parcel is being quoted based on its cubic rate rather than its deadweight.

I think this now brings up the question as to which is the *correct* quote (what will you actually be charged). Personally, I have no idea, so on this basis alone, even if I could overcome/override the quotes based on the cubic rate (eg, by submitting 'fake' dimensions rather than the 'real' dimensions), it isn't something I would be keen on doing unless I'm 100% confident that the cubing rules don't apply, because if I'm wrong, such an override would leave the merchant (you) almost $70 out of pocket on just this one transaction.

The ozpost philosophy is to 'Protect the merchant' - I feel it better to provide inaccurately high quotes, which will drive the customer to either opt for a cheaper option, or if they do select the overly expensive option a refund for the overcharge is much more beneficial in so many ways than having to carry the loss, ask the customer for more money, or telling them that the method they chose can't be done due to the quote error.

I'm not sure if this reply helps you in any way - One solution (your risk) would be to adjust your product dimensions so that the cubing rules would never apply (which is true for most products, most of the time anyway), or, As you have a Skippypost account (which I don't), perhaps you might like to get clarification from them as to if/when the cubing rules do apply. If it turns out that they are never applied (and I have documented proof/evidence) I might consider an override, but then it makes me wonder why they have the volumetric calculator and why the dimensions are even needed in the 1st place.

Over to you.....

Cheers
RodG

[lloyd_borrett]

G'day Rod,

Our OzPost setup is currently configured such that for most Australian deliveries it uses a flat rate.

It's reported as 'Flat Rate ( $15.00)' by OzPost. I'd like to get rid of the extra space and just have 'Flat Rate ($15.00)'. But I can't find the code to fix it. Could you please point me in the right direction?

But the way, while looking in the code I notice that you're using a mixture of '<br>', '</br>' and '<br />' for line breaks. Maybe in a future version you might like to standardise to '<br />'.

Best regards, Lloyd Borrett.

[RodG]

G'day Rod,
Our OzPost setup is currently configured such that for most Australian deliveries it uses a flat rate.

Doesn't that pretty much defeat the purpose of using ozpost? It is only supposed to use the flat fate as a last resort (typically if none of the servers can be connected to)

It's reported as 'Flat Rate ( $15.00)' by OzPost. I'd like to get rid of the extra space and just have 'Flat Rate ($15.00)'. But I can't find the code to fix it. Could you please point me in the right direction?

The braces () are (if I recall correctly) part of the output from zencarts default tpl_modules_shipping_estimator.php file.
This file gets modified by the ozpost installation codes to remove these (as well as several other changes). I'm guessing that for some reason this failed during your install. There is generally an alert to this effect if/when it occurs, but it isn't considered a 'fatal' error.

Anyway, that's the file you'll be needing to edit.

But the way, while looking in the code I notice that you're using a mixture of '<br>', '</br>' and '<br />' for line breaks. Maybe in a future version you might like to standardise to '<br />'.

What can I say. I like variety :-)

Cheers
RodG

[robbie269]

Hi Rod
I updated to V4 of Ozpost yesterday. I had been using Australia Post and only Lime Labels with Fastway. Since upgrading, when I chose only Lime labels in Admin the website shows all relevant label options, not just Lime. I have taken the lime option off until it is sorted as I don't want customers using labels I do not have.
Can you look into it?

Robyn

[RodG]

Hi Rod
I updated to V4 of Ozpost yesterday. I had been using Australia Post and only Lime Labels with Fastway. Since upgrading, when I chose only Lime labels in Admin the website shows all relevant label options, not just Lime. I have taken the lime option off until it is sorted as I don't want customers using labels I do not have.
Can you look into it?

Robyn

Fixed in V4.0.1

Cheers
RodG

[robbie269]

Fixed in V4.0.1

Thanks Rod that did the trick.
Merry Christmas.

Robyn

[lat9]

Is there a way to completely disable overseas shipping? I've unchecked all the overseas possibilities with ausPost, but that darn Fixed Cost keeps getting invoked.

I've tried setting the Fixed Cost #1 field to 0 (as indicated in the commentary to totally turn it off) and to 15.00,0 (in an attempt to enable $15.00 flat rate for local shipping, disabling overseas), but nothing sticks. An overseas customer is presented with a $0.00 shipping cost (not a good thing).

Running ozPost 3.6.5 (yes, I'll be updating to 4.0.1 shortly) on Zen Cart 1.5.4.

[RodG]

Is there a way to completely disable overseas shipping? I've unchecked all the overseas possibilities with ausPost, but that darn Fixed Cost keeps getting invoked.

I've tried setting the Fixed Cost #1 field to 0 (as indicated in the commentary to totally turn it off) and to 15.00,0 (in an attempt to enable $15.00 flat rate for local shipping, disabling overseas),

What you have done is the correct/only way to do what you are wanting.

but nothing sticks. An overseas customer is presented with a $0.00 shipping cost (not a good thing).

This warrants further investigation, because if true then I've really managed to screw up somewhere. It is part of the ozpost design philosophy that it will never provide a quote for $0.00 under any circumstances. It will/should disable itself rather than do this.
So this means, as stated, I've really messed up somewhere along the way to let this slip by, OR, the quote for $0.00 that you are seeing is coming from a module other than ozpost.

I'll test/check the ozpost behaviour when I get back into the office later today, but meanwhile I will suggest that you take a closer look at the $0.00 output just in case it is coming from somewhere else.

Running ozPost 3.6.5 (yes, I'll be updating to 4.0.1 shortly) on Zen Cart 1.5.4.

If you have identified a bug the same problem will probably still apply with the new/current v4.x.x so you might want to hold off until the problem has been rectified.
Although v4.x.x has had a significant 'under the hood' rewrite, it only has a couple of new 'features'
most notably:
The addition of Hunter Express, and the introduction of a 'packing overide' system so that those customers that have special requirements now have a means of achieving this without having to modify the ozpost main code (and any such customisations will be unaffected by future updates). Well, that's the theory.

Cheers
RodG

[RodG]

An overseas customer is presented with a $0.00 shipping cost (not a good thing).

Running ozPost 3.6.5 (yes, I'll be updating to 4.0.1 shortly) on Zen Cart 1.5.4.

It appears you've found a bug.

Easy to find/fix. In the /modules/shipping/ozpost.php file, search for the two lines that read

if ($cost[0] === 0) return ;

And replace with
if ($cost[0] == 0) return ;

I've no idea why or when that additional '=' got added.

Cheers
RodG

[lat9]

Thanks for the quick response, RodG! That little change was necessary, but there's something else going on.

Now, all overseas shipping quotes are disabled (I set the Flat Rate to 15,0 so that we'd have $15.00 flat-rate within Australia, but disabled elsewhere), but when a US-based customer goes to checkout, they're presented with the message

This is currently the only shipping method available to use on this order.

instead of the one that indicates that "we're not shipping to your region".

On further inspection, it appears that ozpost is still enabled; that's why the rogue message is appearing.