USPS error

[dskanth]

I have been using usps shipping module in my site, and I was getting an error like the following when I try to purchase a product.

 

An error occured with the USPS shipping calculations.

If you prefer to use USPS as your shipping method, please contact the store owner.

 

I have mentioned the username and password in the admin and set Country as United States, Zone as Florida and postal code is:

33572.

 

I was not sure what the problem is, but this module worked past 2 weeks, until i installed the UPS module.

 

FYI: The zip code of the store was not empty and the Tare weight for products is set to 3, max. Package weight is 150.

I also have another module called UPS installed in the site.

Is anyone facing similar problems with the usps? Iam not able to figure out the issue.

 

Please help me. Its frustrating :(

[MrPhil]

USPS changed its interface a month ago, and it requires a code change in osC. You might want to do a search on USPS in this forum and see what the needed changes are.

[dskanth]

Iam not able to figure out what changes i need to make. Can someone mention the changes, please?

I have even tried with the latest version of Nov,09.

 

I know the module worked previous month successfully. I installed the UPS module, and then usps stopped working.

Are these 2 modules related to each other?

 

If not, please guide me ( :)

[a.forever]

This is the latest version: http://addons.oscommerce.com/info/487

[dskanth]

Thanks for providing me the link. :)

[dskanth]

Hi, i have just tried with this latest version, but to my despair, iam still receiving the same error.

I have clearly followed all the changes suggested in the read me file.

 

This is what my options are, in the admin side:

 

Entered the usps userid

Server type to use: Production

selected the usps options: Display weight and Display transit time

Selected the domestic shipping methods as: Express, priority, First class and Parcel.

Selected all the Intl. shipping methods.

 

Can someone throw some light here? :)

[jhande]

An error occured with the USPS shipping calculations.

If you prefer to use USPS as your shipping method, please contact the store owner.

 

I have mentioned the username and password in the admin and set Country as United States, Zone as Florida and postal code is:

33572.

 

That has been an old and well discussed problem here in the forums.

 

If my memory is correct, usually one receives that message for:

Not having the Country and/or Zip Code set for the shop in admin.

Or trying to run in test mode then switching to the production server.

 

Any easy attempt at fixing - in admin remove the USPS module, then reinstall.

NOTE: Be sure to write down your username and password for safe keeping.

 

It should not have anything to do with adding the UPS module.

 

As far as needing new versions of the USPS module:

I am still using version 2.9.2 Uppercase Fix2+insurance by bkpie 19 Nov 2007 since I only ship to US.

The changes since then reflect international shipping and the USPS API changes.

[dskanth]

FYI: i have country and zip code set correctly in admin, the country is United states and state is Florida by default. I have made the postal code to be 32006 (A random postal code for a city in florida).

 

I also tried removing and reinstalling the usps, but that also did not work.

 

Iam using the 2.9.2 version which you suggested, and i got an error in the admin/modules.php as:

Call to undefined function tep_cfg_select_multioption() in C:\xampp\htdocs\catalog2\admin\modules.php(213) : eval()'d code on line 1

 

Is my approach correct ? :(

[dskanth]

I have reinstalled my oscommerce. This time, i have just activated the usps module (clicked on "Install" in admin)

and configured the username for it. Even now, iam still getting the error.

 

FYI: Iam working in my localhost. But i dont think that can be the reason for my error, as i have a valid usps username and also postal code.

 

Does anyone have a correct and working version of the usps module ?

Please help me someone. :)

[npn2531]

I had this error a couple of weeks ago. In all likelihood your module install is working. It is just that USPS is not recognizing the data being sent as valid.

 

Make sure you are using a real address for your store and a real address for the address you are calculating the postage for. If the address is not real, shipping or receiving, if anything is off, then they return that error you are getting.

 

You haven't mentioned it, but I am assuming you have an account with USPS, that you just recently got an email from [email protected] with a user name and password. And that you plugged those into the admin panel and that you then called them back with that username and password and that somebody on the phone at 1-800-344-7779 switched you over to their production server while you were talking to them.

 

Also, that password and user name are specific for the website you registered for. If you got the account for your live site but use the usename and password on a test site, you will get that message. USPS will give you all the accounts you want, so get some for test sites if you need to.

 

It frustrating right now, but that module works great . It will calculate priority bulk rate and everything.

[dskanth]

Iam using a valid address for the store.. i also mentioned the postal code as the one that corresponds to the store address.

 

Actually the store belongs to my client, who has sent us the usps username and password and we configured it in admin panel.

Dont know why, but the module has worked past 2 weeks, even from my localhost.

 

Is there any other solution for this ? :(

[npn2531]

Iam using a valid address for the store.. i also mentioned the postal code as the one that corresponds to the store address.

 

Actually the store belongs to my client, who has sent us the usps username and password and we configured it in admin panel.

Dont know why, but the module has worked past 2 weeks, even from my localhost.

 

Is there any other solution for this ? :(

 

 

Try getting a new set of user and password ids. Perhaps something is screwy with the client's. It will take about 30 minutes. Go here

https://secure.shippingapis.com/registration/

fill out the form, in about 15 minutes or less you get an email with a new password and id. Then you call the 800 number in the email and ask them to switch you over to 'production'.

[dskanth]

Hi, i have just tried out what you said, and i did receive a username and password for the usps, and when i put them in my admin side, iam still getting the same error.

 

Iam ofcourse using the localhost and i doubt whether i have to test in my oscommerce site.

How can i test whether the username and password are working, or whether i need to call them directly about the issue?

 

 

Please help. :)

[dskanth]

I have even put the same username and password in the admin panel of my oscommerce site and iam still facing the same error.

Is my IP address blocked by the usps for the calculations, or the production access is not given ?

 

Iam in a dilemma. Please help. :(

[dskanth]

Is there any one to provide a solution for this usps issue? Iam just confused here... and getting frustrated.

[npn2531]

I'm not sure what you mean by local host. There is no need for USPS to block anyone, I don't even know why they make you gp through the procedure of getting an account. You are just accessing postal rates.

 

From my limited experience with this, I only got the module to work when I used it on the actual live site I got the user name and password for. You do need to call to call USPS after you receive the user name and password email from them. They do something on their end to finish up the connection. They can test to see if it is working, but that is about all.

 

If you mean you have the term 'local host' in the programming or configuration, try using the actual web address.

[jhande]

Let's take a few steps backwards and walk through the process and things to double check/verify.

 

Make sure/verify:

That your two configure.php files are correctly setup for running off a localhost.

The client actually has an account with USPS.

Make sure that USPS has switched the account to the production server.

Use the same information, such as; username, password, postal code (Admin>Configuration>Shipping/Packaging), country & zone (Admin>Configuration>My Store) as supplied to/from USPS when setting up the account.

 

Go to Admin>Modules>Shipping>USPS and click "remove".

Follow the directions in the USPS contribution; run the update.sql script to update the database and replace /catalog/includes/modules/shipping/usps.php with the new one included.

 

Go to Admin>Modules>Shipping>USPS and click "install".

 

DO NOT set the USPS module to the testing server, doing so will result in similar errors that you have been receiving.

 

I have my localhost version running under XAMPP 1.6.1 (problem running osC with newer XAMPP versions) and used similar directions/settings as described above with no errors.

[dskanth]

Hi, thanks for all your replies.

Good news is that i could finally make the usps shipping run without errors.

As you said, i called the customer care center twice yesterday and i pressed number 3 to talk with the customer care executive.

 

Then i explained my problem clearly to the person and given him my username. He verified it and said that its activated just now.

I also requested him to ensure that my site is given the production server access and gave him the url of my site.

 

To my surprise, in a few minutes, i saw the module working correctly with out any errors.

I appreciate all your support in pointing me in the right direction.

Have a nice day. :)

[jhande]

Glad to hear you have it all straightened out now.

[dskanth]

Hi,

 

I have recently received an email from usps customer care about Address APIs, titled: Address APIs Request.

 

The mail has the following content:

 

Dear USPS Customer,

 

Address Information APIs are accessible with special permission. The APIs can only be used in conjunction with USPS SHIPPING SERVICES ONLY.

 

 

We must first understand how you'll be using the API. We need a commitment that the API will be used on a transactional basis (not batch processing or cleansing of a database, but as a customer enters the information into a form on a website). Also, you must state that you will use the output from this API solely in association with USPS SHIPPING SERVICES ONLY.

 

Please provide a detailed description how you plan to use the APIs, include the URL of the site (development or production). We will review the material received to see if you meet our requirements.

 

If your implementation does not meet these requirements, I suggest contacting the NCSC for other Postal products that may meet your needs.

 

The Address Management System Application Programming Interface (AMS API) is available on a subscription basis for $3,800/year with bi-monthly updates.

 

 

 

Though i see the usps is working fine,

I could not understand what does the message trying to convey me. Please can anyone point me in the right direction ?