Shipping

Modified on 2016/05/23 14:35 by cjones — Categorized as: Uncategorized

Shipping and the EZP Shipping Calculator

Shipping Methods Offered

The following are the shipping methods and estimated delivery times offered by ezprints. We may change carriers from time to time. If you are not using the ezp Commerce module, use the two-letter code in your XML order file as content for the <shippingmethod> element. Partners using the ezp Commerce module may find this section informative, but you will not need to modify your implementation in any way as a result of the information in this section. Shipping options and the ezp shipping calculator are already integrated with the ezp Commerce module.

Shipping Category (Shipping Code)	Possible Shipping Carriers/Methods Used	Expected Delivery Time
Economy (FC)	Domestic: USPS First Class, USPS Parcel Post or UPS Mail Innovations. International: UPS Mail Innovations	Domestic: 7 to 10 Business Days International: 7 to 14 Business Days
Express (PM)	Domestic: USPS Priority Mail or UPS Ground	2 to 5 Business Days
2-3 Day Option (SD)	Domestic: UPS 2nd Day or USPS Priority Mail International: International Express or UPS Worldwide Expedited	Domestic: 2 Business Days International: 3-5 Business Days (depends on country)
Next Business Day (ON)	Domestic: UPS Next Day	1 Business Day

P.O. Boxes and APO/FPO (military addresses) can only be shipped via Economy or Express methods.

Not all carriers/services provide tracking numbers, but for those carriers/services that provide door-to-door tracking numbers we will include them in our event notifications for the order. The table below explains which carriers will provide tracking numbers:

Carrier	Tracking capability
Access Worldwide International Express	Tracking Number Not Provided
UPS 2nd Day Air	UPS Tracking Number Provided
UPS 3 Day Select	UPS Tracking Number Select
UPS Basic	UPS Tracking Number Provided
UPS Ground	UPS Tracking Number Provided
UPS Next Business Day	UPS Tracking Number Provided
UPS Next Day Air	UPS Tracking Number Provided
UPS 2nd Business Day	UPS Tracking Number Provided
UPS Standard Ground	UPS Tracking Number Provided
UPS SurePost	UPS Tracking Number Provided
UPS Mail Innovations	From pick up at ezprints to hand off to USPS, we can track the package using our ezprints order #. No delivery confirmation is provided.
UPS Worldwide Expedited	Tracking Number Not Provided
USPS 1st Class Mail	Tracking Number Not Provided
USPS First-Class Mail International	Tracking Number Not Provided
USPS International Economy	USPS Tracking Number Provided
USPS Parcel Post	Tracking Number Not Provided
USPS Priority Mail	Tracking Number Not Provided

ezprints Shipping Calculator

The ezprints real-time shipping calculator is designed to return shipping options and prices for available ship methods. The system is simple and straightforward and can be implemented on the partners' site in a minimum amount of time assuming familiarity with ezprints' XML order specification and HTTP posting procedure. It is designed to integrate with your order system at the point where totals are calculated.

Your system posts a partially formed XML order to the shipping calculator in the same way that the final order is posted. The calculator formulates an xml string containing the service options and price for each option. The shipping calculator will return a string to the calling agent, or in the event of an error, an error message is returned in the place of the shipping options.

Instructions:

Once you have your XML order file creation and posting process tested and working, duplicate that process to post a test order to the production shipping calculator at: http://services.ezprints.com/ShippingCalculator/CalculateShipping.axd. This is not a URL you can navigate to in a browser. It will only be accessible with an XML post. If it's helpful, your Integration Manager can provide a page you can run locally that calls the ezprints Shipping Calculator. For example, this order XML can be passed to the Shipping Calculator, after your Partner ID is included in the partnerid attribute in the <orders> element:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<orders partnerid="xxxxx" version="1">
        <images>
                <uri id="5" title="Paul">http://www.partner.com/images/paul.jpg</uri>
                <uri id="7">http://www.ezprints.com/greetings/665h.jpg</uri>
        </images>
        <ordersession>
                <sessionid>1234</sessionid>
                <sessiondate>11/7/2000 1:22:54 PM</sessiondate>
                <customer>
                        <firstname>Janet</firstname>
                        <lastname>Doe</lastname>
                        <address1>151 Elm Street</address1>
                        <city>Loganville</city>
                        <state>GA</state>
                        <zip>30039</zip>
                        <countrycode>USA</countrycode>
                        <phone>678-405-5000</phone>
                </customer>
                <order>
                        <orderid>1234</orderid>
                        <shippingaddress>
                                <firstname>Janet</firstname>
                                <lastname>Doe</lastname>
                                <address1>151 Elm Street</address1>
                                <city>Loganville</city>
                                <state>GA</state>
                                <zip>30039</zip>
                                <countrycode>USA</countrycode>
                                <phone>678-405-5000</phone>
                        </shippingaddress>
                        <shippingmethod>FC</shippingmethod>
                        <orderline productid="10127" imageid="49">
                                <description>Puzzle</description>
                                <quantity>3</quantity>
                                <position>fit</position>
                        </orderline>
                </order>
        </ordersession>
</orders>

...and the shipping calculator would return:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<shippingOptions>
  <order orderid="1234">
     <option type="FC" price="9.95" shippingMethod="USFC" description="Economy to United States"/>
     <option type="PM" price="9.95" shippingMethod="USPM" description="Express to United States"/>
     <option type="SD" price="15.95" shippingMethod="USSD" 
        description="Second Business Day to United States"/>
     <option type="ON" price="23.95" shippingMethod="OVNT" 
        description="Next Business Day to United States"/>
  </order>
</shippingOptions>

In the example above, the shipping method was included in the XML that was posted to the shipping calculator. This is not required when posting to the shipping calculator. You can post without the shipping method included, retrieve the options from the shipping calculator, and then include that value in your order XML. The shipping method is a required value in the order XML.

Partners are not required to use the ezprints shipping calculator. However, the shipping costs returned from the shipping calculator are what ezprints will charge you, the partner, for shipping and handling on the order. So you will want to make sure that your costs to your customers cover those chargs. If you want to modify this price to your customer that is up to you.

Available Shipping Services by Country

See ezprints' available shipping services by country. If you send an invalid shipping method for a particular country, you will receive the following Failure to Unmarshal notification, where xxxxx is replaced by your Partner ID (if you've subscribed to this event notification):

<orderfailed AffiliateID="xxxxx">
   <ordernumber>Partner Order Number</ordernumber>
   <referencenumber>99999-200901031121-00024</referencenumber>
   <message>4000 Error: </message>
</orderfailed>

State and Country Codes

View ezprints' state and country codes.