USPS May 31, 2015 K7 BETA TEST SERVER ONLY

Hi Rick,
I'm not sure about Small Flat Rate boxes for Priority International. I didn't read anywhere that they were discontinuing them, but that doesn't mean they are or aren't. I didn't happen to test with that because my client uses Med FR boxes. (I will activate the Sm FR box option and test.)

In general, regular International Priority Mail is increasing by 5.5% and flat rate International Priority is increasing by 7%.

I am having the same issue with all Canadian provinces being calculated the same for several different provinces/zones, and I was using regular International Priority Mail. (Not flat rate.) I would think that Flat rate International for Canada should be the same across all provinces because it's "flat rate", but the regular Intl Priority mail should vary depending on zone.

I sent Linda debug logs and a URL for her to see if she gets the same thing. In her own testing, she got different rates per zone/provinces, so I'm not sure what's wrong. -- Debbie

Re: International Med Priority Mail

We allow the quotes for MED FR but for us, Fedex International Economy 2 or 3 day) is generally less expensive and much more reliable choice for our customers.

I just tested again for Canada. (Not multiple provinces this time, just British Columbia.) I enabled FR Envelope, and SM & MED International FR Boxes and Regular International Priority Mail, as well as Priority Mail Express. None of the Flat Rate boxes showed up in the popup shipping estimator. When I disabled the regular Priority Mail International, all 3 FR options showed up (as well as Express and 1st Class parcel). It may have something to do with the size/weight of the item. I purposely selected a very light, small item that would have fit into a flat rate envelope or box, so I'm not sure why they didn't appear when I had the regular International Priority Mail option selected also. I'm not sure if it's designed that way or a bug.

Hopefully that's just something on the test server and it won't disable Fed-ex on the live one. Good thing you pointed it out! My client only uses USPS on her cart so I wouldn't have noticed it.

You need the right dimensions for:
**Priority Intl Small FR box
**

If you fool with the dimension such as:
8-5/8" x 5-3/8" x 1-5/8"

it will work.

NOTE: that may turn off other methods.

Darn,

That works. Don't remember having to change the defaults.

TNX

I also made the defaults for domestic dimensions and international dimensions the same in the module in admin, and the small flat rate box showed up in the pricing, where it had been missing before.

Regarding the Canada non-flat rate zone pricing...Here's what the Stamps.com blog had to say about it:

<<Priority Mail International: The overall increase for Priority Mail International will be 5.5% in 2015. Additionally, the USPS is introducing Zone-based pricing for Priority Mail International packages traveling to Canada. Canada will be split into 7 zones with rates ranging from $30.75 to 37.50 for a 1 lb package.>>

I tested with items weighing in excess of 1 lb to several provinces including both the East and West coasts of Canada and all the non-flat rate box prices came back the same. I have emailed the USPS people to ask if it is actually included in the 5/31 update and if so, when will the USPS test servers reflect the change. Hopefully someone will respond, but given that it's the weekend and they're probably inundated with questions, I'm not expecting to hear back from them in time. :0(

Thanks,
Debbie

Here's another link to very detailed info about the Canada zone pricing from Endicia.com. Skip to page 10 for the info.

http://www.endicia.com/-/media/Files/usps/understanding-the-may-2015-usps-price-change.pdf

Ajeh:

Unfortunately, this Beta release only works on the Test Server until USPS flips the switch ...

As all ServiceID values are Changed and or New, they cannot work on the Production Server, until USPS updates the Production Server, rumor has it on May 31, 2015.

Trying to piece some things together: when should/could this version of the plugin be installed on the production side? Does it all have to wait until USPS has transitioned? What about in the meantime? Will all things USPS not work if the version doesn't match the online option? Is there something built in to where the old and new can be installed simultaneously to transition from one to the other at kickoff time?

Is reregistration something that must be done manually, or does the previous identifier carry over? Seems like something must be done, but trying not to cause issues by reapplying if it is not necessary.

The new USPS May 31, 2015 K7 will work on the Production Server ONLY IF you do not use any of the Special Services:
Extra Services (Domestic)
Extra Services (International)

Once the Production Server is updated, the Special Services can be used.

If the Debug is set to Log, you can read the results from USPS and if you see ServiceID 100, 101 and 125, then it is the new May 31, 2015 code:

<ServiceID>100</ServiceID><ServiceName>Insurance</ServiceName>
<ServiceID>101</ServiceID><ServiceName>Insurance</ServiceName>
<ServiceID>125</ServiceID><ServiceName>Insurance</ServiceName>

showing in the section marked:
RESPONSE FROM USPS:

Then you can tell that the Production Server is up to date.

If you see below that ServiceID like 1 and 11, then it is still the old code:

<ServiceID>1</ServiceID><ServiceName>Insurance</ServiceName>
<ServiceID>11</ServiceID><ServiceName>Priority Mail Express Insurance</ServiceName>

The final code for USPS May 31, 2015 K7code will be posted later this afternoon or tonight at:
https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=1292

This does require:
1 Save original settings
2 REMOVE
3 INSTALL
4 Re-configure

Your old USPS Web Tools User ID will work with this new version.

Ajeh:

The new USPS May 31, 2015 K7 will work on the Production Server ONLY IF you do not use any of the Special Services:
Extra Services (Domestic)
Extra Services (International)

Once the Production Server is updated, the Special Services can be used.

If the Debug is set to Log, you can read the results from USPS and if you see ServiceID 100, 101 and 125, then it is the new May 31, 2015 code:

<ServiceID>100</ServiceID><ServiceName>Insurance</ServiceName>
<ServiceID>101</ServiceID><ServiceName>Insurance</ServiceName>
<ServiceID>125</ServiceID><ServiceName>Insurance</ServiceName>

> 
> showing in the section marked:
> RESPONSE FROM USPS:
> 
> Then you can tell that the Production Server is up to date.
> 
> If you see below that ServiceID like 1 and 11, then it is still the old code:
> ```
<ServiceID>1</ServiceID><ServiceName>Insurance</ServiceName>
<ServiceID>11</ServiceID><ServiceName>Priority Mail Express Insurance</ServiceName>

The final code for USPS May 31, 2015 K7code will be posted later this afternoon or tonight at:
https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=1292

This does require:
1 Save original settings
2 REMOVE
3 INSTALL
4 Re-configure

Your old USPS Web Tools User ID will work with this new version.

Thanks for that, all cleared up. :)

The USPS May 31, 2015 K7 update has been released:
https://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?217378-USPS-RateV4-Intl-RateV2-May-31-2015-Version-K7-for-May-31-2015

NOTE: the Special Services will NOT work on the Production Server until USPS updates the Production Server. This update should be able to run on the Production Server without the use of the Special Services.

USPS has updated their Production Server to the new May 31, 2015 changes.

Please get the USPS May 31, 2015 K7 update for these new changes.

Seems to be working well, thank you Ajeh!

Thanks for the update that this is working for you! :smile:

gothstone:

Seems to be working well, thank you Ajeh!
Ditto for me, on two sites so far.

Glad to hear all is working well ... :smile:

lat9:

Ditto for me, on two sites so far.

Ditto. Thank you.

You stayed up past midnight just to see "If/when" the production servers were updated?

Yes ... granted I was able to amuse myself with a baseball game on the west coast so I wasn't totally bored waiting ...

It was great when the 12:59am refresh were old quotes and the 1:00am refresh was the new quotes ... I so love when things happen on time with USPS ... :cool:

Seems to be working just fine here too. :0)

Also, I did get a response back from the USPS Technical Support about the new Canadian Zoned Rates for non-flat rate Priority Mail shipping. They said they did not know if it would be made public on 5/31. Just for grins, I went to the USPS (dot) com to try their own estimator, and if you put Canada as a destination, you now get a new screen prompting for origin zip code and either a destination postal code, or there's a drop-down menu to select the Province & City, &/or postal code.

However, when I tried a 3 lb package to various provinces, it provided the same rate, so apparently that new "feature" will be rolled out later.

Thanks once again to Linda our USPS Zen guru for providing another nice module update and for burning the midnight oil to see it through!
-- Debbie