[ic] USPS Webtools APIs

[Jon]

Jim Balcom wrote:

> On Sat, 5 Oct 2002, Jon wrote:
>
> J>>    Then what else is everyone using to automate the process
> J>>of shipping with tracking numbers and creating of shipping labels ?
> J>>Or is everyone else using something other then USPS ?
>
> We are using FedEx. We go to their web page and complete who it is going to,
> if it's not already in the address book that we maintain on their page. We
> specify whether it is going by Ground. Next Day, 2nd Day, Home Delivery as
> well as any other available services.
>
> We enter the customers e-mail address. We can then specify that the customer
> will be notified. On Express shipments, as well as Ground, the customer gets
> alerted by FedEx, on our behalf, that the package is arriving, along with
> the tracking number and a link to track it with. On Express shipments we
> also get an e-mail after it has been delivered, with the time and who it was
> signed by.

    USPS has a web interface as well but that seems pretty laborious to
me which I was trying to avoid.

>
>
> The software then prints out the shipping label that we put on the package.
>
> FedEx has the same rates as UPS. Their customer service department is far
> superior to UPS. We changed over from UPS over a year ago and we won't go
> back!

    From what I've investigated and based on our product sizes (of course
that could change) it appears that USPS has the best rates with Priority Mail.
If you've found that not to be true then maybe I need to investigate again.

>
>
> Within IC, I set up cost and zone tables on the computer and we do our
> look-ups from there. The rates change only once a year. IC never contacts
> FedEx.
>

    Yea, I've got that completed for USPS and UPS, but was trying to get to
a more automated state.

Jon