[ic] UPS Shipping Hack - Mike! HELP!

[Jim Balcom]

On Wed, 18 Jul 2001, Jason Osborne wrote:

JO>>Goal: Design a globalsub that can be called during order processing to setup
JO>>UPS to pick up the items ordered, print off a shipping label, and grab the
JO>>tracking number. This globalsub will allow those people who do not meet UPS'
JO>>50+ package-a-day E-Commerce Solution program. It will allow for easy
JO>>integration of shipping into the current system allowing the shipping
JO>>department in an organization to be able to automate each part of the
JO>>shipping process.

It seems to me that you are making a not too difficult situation into a
VERY difficult one.

UPS publishes a detailed rate table that changes only once a year that
IC does very well at looking up in, quite quickly. Using the database
that is on the computer is much, much faster than going across the web.

UPS comes to my place every day and does a pick up from me - no
minimums involved. The weekly fee is a maximum of $15.00 and as little
as $8.00 for this service, depending on volume. And, they provide some
very nice software, for free, to deal with it all.

My personal feelings are that too much automation is not good. There
still needs to be someone that picks the merchandise off of the
shelves, that puts it in a box, that seals the box and affixes the
label. And, makes sure that the order is EXACTLY right!

What do you do when a person orders 24 of something, the inventory
report shows 25, and there are actually only 23 on hand? This persons
credit card is already charged, a shipping label is made out based on
24 pounds instead of 23. 

Yes, it takes me a while to personally enter the orders into the POS
computer, it takes a minute for the Shipping Person to enter the data
into the UPS software and print the label. (And, he does it in less
than a minute - not much longer than the look-up and processing that
you are proposing). However, we get a LOT of repeat business because we
do NOT make mistakes in shipping (except when the USPS loses our
shipments - 30 days and still not found!) We get repeat business
because of our personalized Customer Service.

Please keep an eye on the business section of various newspapers. Look
at the 'dot coms' going down the drain faster than Liquid Plumber!
(Including major e-commerce sites!)

Today is the 18th of July. I've already done more business than I did
in January and February combined. Superb Customer Service covers a
myriad of blemishes!

-= Jim =-

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