FedEx Shipping Module with Zen Cart

Our problem as we described it to FedEx:> Hi, Friend,

We are currently trying to integrate FedEx shipping calculation into our ecommerce website which was developed using Zen Cart (version 1.3.7.1) shopping cart software

We installed a the zen cart FedEx Shipping Module (downloading here...http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=product_contrib_info&cPath=40_51&products_id=367) for tabulating shipping costs and used the account number and meter number provided below.

While testing we got the following errors:

Data sent to Fedex for Rating: 0,"25"10,"510087208"498,"1198150"8,""9,"638852"117,"SG"17,"987654"50,"SG"75,"LBS"1116,"I"1401,"13.0"1529,"1"1415,"0.01"68,"SGD"440,"Y"1273,"01"1333,"2"99,""
Data returned from Fedex for Rating: 0,"125"2,"E520"3,"Common rating error (both Express and Ground)."99,""
Data sent to Fedex for Rating: 0,"25"10,"510087208"498,"1198150"8,""9,"638852"117,"SG"17,"987654"50,"SG"75,"LBS"1116,"I"1401,"13.0"1529,"1"1415,"0.01"68,"SGD"440,"Y"1273,"01"1333,"2"99,""
Data returned from Fedex for Rating: 0,"125"2,"E520"3,"Common rating error (both Express and Ground)."99,""

Could anyone from your side provide some insight as to what’s causing the above error message?

As an alternative to this third party module mentioned above, are there any other solutions you are aware of for zen cart ecommerce websites interested in providing FedEx Shipping as an option?

Thanks...
Asia Marine Hub Singapore

Where are you trying to send to and from?

Hi Kim,

Thanks for the reply, I was about to request the mods to delete this post so I can repost a new one because it was very confusing (cut and pasted from an actual email addressed to FedEx).

Anyway, to your question:

->Where are you trying to send to and from?

From the store's location (Singapore) to another test address in Singapore.

Just to clarify: we are using Merlin's FedEx shipping module.

turn OFF the debug for a minute,

does it hang? make sure that you have cURL setup

Hi Tim,

The debug mode is already set to "false".

I'm pretty new to all this, so sorry if I may inadvertently ask stupid questions or seem to have done something dumb, but -

could I verify if the fact that I'm using a developer test account from http://www.fedex.com/us/developer/ has anything to do with the error messages being generated?

also, which server to use setting is set to: test . does this also have anything to do with it?

I also seem to read somewhere on the forum that cURL settings could/should be left alone, unless the website is hosted with godaddy - we are hosting with hostmonster.

Not sure what else I might have done wrong somewhere.

Appreciate any further help.

Not all servers are compiled with cURL,
use teh production there is no sense to use the test,
make sure that you have a LIVE fedex account number,
the module will get its meter number the first time that you use it,

and if your seeing that junk at the top of the page then debug is still turned on in the fedex module

Tony

Sorry for the name mixup, Tony.

Regarding this issue, I got an email from FedEx in response to my email and they told me:

Please be aware that the Zen Cart commerce module must be specifically related to the FedEx Web Services and not to the FedEx API’s. The only module we know of is API based and this technology is no longer accepting new customers.

If you are looking for the other modules which are compatible with Zen Cart and our new Web Services then you will need to check with the Zen Cart community to see if they have developed a Web Services alternative.

Regards
Web Services Support.

So....a question I have is this....is the FedEx module API based? and if it is...would that mean that the module will no longer work for new zen cart website owners wanting to use FedEx Shipping?

yes its api based,

I've tried everything I could think of - using an actual Fedex account id; registering for fedex shipping online with this id; moving a web services account to production, and much to my frustration, I still can't seem to get the rates displaying.

I keep getting the following errors while at the checkout page:

No Rates Returned, E520 : Common rating error (both Express and Ground).

My settings for FedEx Express module are as follows:

Enable Fedex Shipping
True
Your Fedex Account Number
315XXXXXX
Your Fedex Meter ID
NONE
cURL Path
NONE
cURL Proxy
NONE
Debug Mode
False
Weight Units
LBS
Which server to use
production
First line of street address
XXXXXXX Ave 18, XXXXXXX
Second line of street address
NONE
City name
Singapore
State or Province name
NONE
Postal code
638XXX
Phone number
686XXXXX
Drop off type
1
Fedex fixed surcharge?
0
Fedex variable surcharge?
0
Show List Rates?
False
Insurance?
NONE
Residential surcharge?
0
Enable Envelope Rates?
False
Sort rates:
High to Low
Timeout in Seconds
NONE
Tax Class
--none--
Shipping Zone
--none--
Sort Order
0
Currency Code
SGD

Can anyone help me out here? I just can't for the life of me figure out why it refuses to work.

The only thing I can think of is that I am somehow registering for the wrong fedex account with fedex.com or have missed out some crucial approval process with fedex. But as I mentioned, I did try out with an actual FedEx Account...

Also I checked with the host provider: they said cURL is already setup, and they do not allow cURL proxy.

appreciate any help...

Please note you already have your answer

The only module we know of is API based and this technology is no longer accepting new customers.

looks like someone is going to have to get with fedex and fet the information to do a totally new module

ok...

funny how sometimes it's hard for one to suspend one's disbelief, even in the face of the hard facts...

HERE is the FedEx Freight XML info
http://www.liberty-flag.com/john/FedEx_XMLRating_Feb_2004.pdf
I can easily substitute the pertinent data in the URL and get the XML response, so I know it works.

I Don't have a clue how to use this information.

Someone PLEASE have a go at creating the FedEx Freight Shipping module, PLEASE!

I have a support Contact and Telephone Number for anyone who needs it, send me a PM.

Anyone interested? Here's the UPS info for their XML response
http://www.liberty-flag.com/john/UPS_XOLT-WS_DevGuide.pdf

JOhn ><>

Sorry Wrong place to post this ... I made a new post in the Category.
JOhn ><>

I just set up a new fedex account and the modules are working fine. I think the tech support guy who wrote the email was mistaken. The format of my account number is: 9 digits and when they print it the format is XXXX-XXXX-X. There are different kinds of accounts. I got mine by calling 877-339-2774 and told them I wanted to open a new account, which they did, right away, over the phone. This was about 3-4 days ago.

Also note, I downloaded an integration guide from them which describes how to implement the api in your software. You can download it from my site at http://www.fuelsaver-mpg.com/doc/fedexguide.pdf. However, note that the information is about developing with the api. You don't need this, but it shows clearly that the api is still supported.

Good luck.

actually they are doing away with the API, they are not accepting any new clients at this time.

Well, it's working for me, and I opened my account a few days ago.

They might've had better luck if the rates they returned weren't so high. I've turned mine off because the UPS and USPS rates are so much lower.

Kehrli,

Well, actually you're right. The old (Ship Manager?) API is still being supported, until a time when they decide to do away with it altogether - Only FedEx knows when they will enforce the use of their newer Web-Services solution.

I actually sent FedEX a request to be allowed to use the API and they gave me the go ahead.

Unfortunately, the module still doesn't work for me:

After a few emails correspondences between mself and their Web-Services support team, it would seem that the problem is actually due to the module using the "Rate Available Services" Transaction (transaction 25), which supposedly is only available to US FedEx customers.

Tough luck for me I guess, as I'm using a non-US FedEx account.

Today is Sept 4, 2010 Can anyone advise how to trouble shoot this problem?

I have installed both FedEx express and ground modules in my Zen Cart but a "$0" comes up through out the check out process for FexEx shipping charges and both modules have yellow dots. Can't get them to turn green. Can you advise?

Here's the overview. I'm running ZC v1.3.9b. Someone else helped me install FedEx mods so when it did not function I opened up the README and double checked all the changes. We did follow the README to install.

In Admin - Modules tab/shipping - both FedEx express and ground modules appear and are filled out exactly the same. I tried one sale and the meter number appeared in the meter field. Copied that over to the express module. Both are set to TRUE enabled. I'm not with GoDaddy. Shipping weights are specified for every product. Weight Units: LBS.

I even tried changing Order Total Modules / Shipping / ot_shipping / Free Shipping For Orders Over: $4,000.00 and Allow Free Shipping: false Maybe I should disable this item all together?

tpl_footer.php has been revised with replacement text.

Uploaded the includes/modules/shipping
Uploaded the included/languages/english/modules/shipping

Emailed [email protected] for help but the email address bounced. I'm at a loss as to what to triple check next. Any ideas?

I work for fedex and answer questions about xml and tagged input files that are sent to our backend servers. I am here to try to clear up some information that is being reported in these forums.

To answer the most common question, Yes, fedex is doing away with the old legacy api server, if you are pointing your software to https://gateway.fedex.com:443/GatewayDC then this server will be shut down approximately June 2012, although I don't want to be quoted on that because things can always change. However, If you have a meter that was generated on this server and authenticates using only a fedex account and meter number to connect, you will still be allowed to generate a meter number with the module that was certified for use on this server. Unless things change, i am still able to use our own api front end application to generate meters on this server. IT WILL STILL WORK IF THE MODULE IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY... i hope you all read that last part carefully.

The problem begins where if your meter is "fast routed" to transfer your transaction to our web services server, It will still calculate costs but might give back undesired results from what I have seen. I don't know the exact reason why the fedex programmers are fast routing meters to point to our web services app, the best reason I can think of would be so all the thousands of customers that are still using this authentication method will still have a working module come June 2012.

What we have been telling our customers since November 2007, although the programmers are the real persons responsible for developing the application is to start building new modules using our web services solution.

All the documentation and even sample code is available at fedex.com/developer. You dont need a fedex account to develop an application, you do need a fedex.com userid and password to agree to the terms and conditions which is free. Anyone can go in and obtain test credentials and point to a test server simply by changing their url from gatway.fedex.com to gatewaybeta.fedex.com in their wsdl file. * It is set to test by default* If you are **NOT **a programmer, please DONT try to implement the web services app yourself, hire someone to do it for you. You still have to have some programming ability to implement one of these modules.

Quick note, one easy way to tell if you are using a web services module and not a legacy application is by the authentication credentials.

If you connect using only a meter number and account number, then you are most likely using the old api module, if you are required to include a meter number, account number, key and password (not your fedex.com password) into your module, you are most likely connecting to our web services application server at https://gateway.fedex.com:443/web-services

I have not seen many free carts out there that offer a web services solution including Zencart. I am not a programmer but I would urge any knowledgable programmers to look into building a web services app that would work with zencart.

I hope this information has been helpful.

if anyone has any questions about FedEx, i will gladly respond given i have the time to do so, please, no programming questions, although I will be glad to look at xml or tagged input and output transactions either for api or web services applications.

I will not put my email in this forum, but if you respond with your info, i will be glad to try and get in touch with you.

Thanks for your time.
:bigups:

@fedexguy: Thanks for stepping up and offering those clarifications! :bigups:

The fact that FedEx offers API access without any strings attached is news to me. When did that change occur?

Also does FedEx Legal still need to approve every installation that utilizes the FedEx API. Fedex used to be adamant that you couldn't use their API services on a live site without being vetted by their Legal dept first. Between the hurdles just getting the module developed and the legal challenges when installing, we've seen a lot of frustrated users.