| Discussion Forum: Thread 247321 |
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| | | Author: | cosmicray  | | Posted: | Jan 17, 2019 12:28 | | Subject: | Support Zones for USPS shipping | | Viewed: | 330 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Open | | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
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| Currently, BrickLink does not support USPS zones, nor has there been any public
indication it is being implemented. Up until now, the ability of Instant Checkout
to calculate correct destination shipping within the USA has been compromised
for Priority Mail (custom packaging), but not for USPS First Class Parcel.
BrickLink has supported the existing USPS First Class Parcel and the existing
"flat rate" Priority Mail boxes (small/medium/large) because zone calculation
was not needed.
With the 27 January 2019 USPS rate change imminent, we (the sellers) have no
automated method of calculating the correct First Class Parcel rates, because
a zone calculation will be needed.
The calculation of zone is documented at DMM 608.9.0 (in it's entirety).
If BL chose not to use the USPS API calls to get the zone number for a given
shipment, it is possible to calculate it based on great circle distances. See
the explanations for more detail.
Since BL has chosen to not use the API callbacks provided by USPS, they have
instead opted for database rate tables (which have to be manually reloaded each
time USPS changes the rates). The current table contains the 2017 rates. It was
never updated to reflect the 2018 rates.
Nita Rae
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| | | | | Author: | ralphs_bricks | | Posted: | Jan 19, 2019 00:51 | | Subject: | (Cancelled) | | Viewed: | 48 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | (Cancelled) |
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| | | | | Author: | ilovelegostoo | | Posted: | Jan 19, 2019 12:16 | | Subject: | Re: Support Zones for USPS shipping | | Viewed: | 52 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Agreed. This would be a great thing for the admins to get in front of instead
of reacting to all the people turning off the automated payment feature. The
other option is the change to the highest postage rate from your location, however,
that's not the way I want to do business.
I am planning to close my store for a week or two until after the new rates go
into effect and see if someone comes up with a rate card that will work.
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| | | | | Author: | BigBBricks | | Posted: | Jan 31, 2019 21:18 | | Subject: | Re: Support Zones for USPS shipping | | Viewed: | 83 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | Currently, BrickLink does not support USPS zones, nor has there been any public
indication it is being implemented. Up until now, the ability of Instant Checkout
to calculate correct destination shipping within the USA has been compromised
for Priority Mail (custom packaging), but not for USPS First Class Parcel.
BrickLink has supported the existing USPS First Class Parcel and the existing
"flat rate" Priority Mail boxes (small/medium/large) because zone calculation
was not needed.
With the 27 January 2019 USPS rate change imminent, we (the sellers) have no
automated method of calculating the correct First Class Parcel rates, because
a zone calculation will be needed.
The calculation of zone is documented at DMM 608.9.0 (in it's entirety).
If BL chose not to use the USPS API calls to get the zone number for a given
shipment, it is possible to calculate it based on great circle distances. See
the explanations for more detail.
Since BL has chosen to not use the API callbacks provided by USPS, they have
instead opted for database rate tables (which have to be manually reloaded each
time USPS changes the rates). The current table contains the 2017 rates. It was
never updated to reflect the 2018 rates.
Nita Rae
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As a former code monkey, in my experience, this may have been a lazy or inexperienced
programmer who didn't think far enough ahead on their process to realize
that these prices were fluid. IMHO, they should have written a few additional
calls to the USPS API to check prices and make changes periodically but also
to send an email alert to the development group (not individual programmer) if
changes need to made that it could not be done automatically and would need to
be addressed by a human.
Either that or it was a contractor that left it, knowing it would break eventually
and they would get the call, and hours, to come back and update it.
Or they just made a quick shipping chart in 2017 and did absolutely nothing with
the API
Either way it needs to be addressed and automated.
Big B
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USA, Florida
