Configure > Shipping > Integrated Carriers

USPS®

With USPS Web Tools™, customers can get real-time shipping rates to domestic U.S., Canadian, and international addresses. Your customers can also view USPS tracking information for their packages right from your store! You can use your existing USPS shipping account by completing a short registration process within AbleCommerce.

The AbleCommerce integration with USPS Web Tools™ includes:

Domestic Rate Calculator - This Web Tool allows customers to calculate how much domestic shipping will cost by Express Mail®, Priority Mail®, First-Class Mail, Parcel Post®, Media Mail, Library Mail, or as Bound Printed Matter. AbleCommerce uses your product's weight and dimensions to calculate the most accurate rates possible.

International Rate Calculator - This rate calculator will provide customers information on international rates for Global Express Guaranteed®, Express Mail International®, Priority Mail® International, First-Class Mail® International. Any unique mailing restrictions or declaration forms are the responsibility of the merchant.

Track & Confirm - Track any package shipped via Express Mail, Global Express Guaranteed, or Global Express Mail®. Check the delivery status of packages shipped with Delivery Confirmation™ service, Signature Confirmation™ service, Certified Mail or Registered Mail.

USPS® Features and Requirements

Register with USPS to obtain your User Id.
You must have your User Id activated for Production use.
USPS expects all product measurements to be in pounds and inches. Rates will still be calculated if you use a different unit of measurement, but there is additional overhead in converting the measurements. You will have the best performance if you use pounds and inches to begin with.
Shipping API will support shipping from U.S. states only.
Shipping to international destinations is available.
Shipment tracking features are built-into AbleCommerce. Tracking services are provided by USPS.

Register with USPS®

In order to use USPS® you must have an active account with them.

From the Integrated Carriers page, click the ADD CARRIER button to choose the U.S. Postal Service link or click the U.S. Postal Service link directly from this page, whichever is available.

Carefully follow the on-screen instructions before continuing.
On the U.S. Postal Service® Testing & Activation page, you can click the link to Run USPS Tests.
Make sure your account has been activated by USPS and check the box next to Activated.
Click the FINISH button to continue, or BACK to re-enter your ID.
After completing the short registration process, you will be on the Configure USPS® page as shown in the example below.

The settings on this page will impact the services and rates in your store. See Configure USPS in the next section.
After configuration of the shipping gateway, you can return to this page by going to Configure > Shipping > Integrated Carriers.
Click the EDIT icon to access the configuration pages for any of the integrated carriers.

Configure USPS®

You must have an existing account setup and activated by USPS

From the Integrated Carriers page, click the EDIT icon for USPS. This will bring you to the Configuration Settings menu.
The Instance Name can be changed if you have more than one account from the same shipping service. This value is not displayed to customers.
Confirm your User ID is correct.
The URL settings come pre-configured when you create the shipping account through AbleCommerce. These URL's can change so the fields are available for modification. It is not advisable to modify the URL's here unless specifically instructed to do so.

Live Mode URL: The URL to which requests are posted in Live mode.

Test Mode URL: The URL to which requests are posted in Test Mode.

Tracking URL: The URL to which requests are sent for package tracking. {0} is substituted with the tracking number at the time of request.

The Mode settings are used to enable/disable rates from the test server. Debugging can also be enabled which can help with any communication problems.

Test Mode: When Test Mode is enabled, rate requests are sent to test server using the Test Mode URL.

Debug Mode: When debug mode is enabled, all messages sent to and received from USPS are logged. This should only be enabled at the direction of qualified support personnel.

Default Log File Location: ..\App_Data\Logs\[gatewayname].log
When finished, click the UPDATE button. This DOES NOT COMPLETE setup of the shipping gateway. Please see Configuring Shipping Services for USPS in the next section.
Or, you can click the CLOSE button to return to the Integrated Carriers page.

Configuring Shipping Services for USPS®

You must select the services you want to be available to your customers. Each service (shipping method) is configured separately.

From the Integrated Carriers page, click the EDIT icon for USPS.
At the top of the menu, click the Services (Shipping Methods) tab. This will bring you to the Provider Services/Shipping Methods menu.

In the top section, you will see the Provider Services that are configured and in use for your store. After registering a new shipping account through AbleCommerce, the gateway will have nothing configured by default.

In the bottom section, you will see a list of all available Provider Services for USPS. When the service is listed in this section, it is unavailable and will not be offered as a shipping option in your store. You should review the entire list of shipping services offered and decide which ones you want to make available.
In our example, we will add and configure the USPS Express Mail service. In the bottom section, Provider Services Not Configured, check the box next to USPS Express Mail and any others you want to offer as a shipping service.
Click the ADD DEFAULT CONFIGURATION button. The selected shipping services now appear in the Provider Services (Ship Methods) Configured section.
Each shipping service will use it's own configuration settings. To configure a shipping service, click the EDIT icon to view the Edit Method page.
The above example shows the default configuration values for all shipping services added.
Change the Method Name if needed. This is the name that will be displayed to the customer and the merchant on all invoices and receipts.
The Service is a list of all services available through this shipping gateway. They can be selected and configured from this page.
Enter a surcharge or Handling Fee to be included with the order. This can be a fixed amount or percentage of the shipping amount.
You also have the option to include the fee in the shipping charge, or show it as a separate item on the invoices.
If this shipping service applies to a specific Warehouse(s), select it from Selected Warehouses list. Otherwise, use the All Warehouses option.
A warehouse determines the shipping origin. All USPS services must use a warehouse with an address in the United States.
If this shipping service applies to a specific Zone(s), select it from the Selected Zones list. Otherwise, use the All Zones option.
A zone determines the shipping destination.
When you apply a shipping service to a user group, then it will only appear for the users who are logged in as members of that group. Check the box(es) for Selected Groups or use All Groups if this shipping service is available to everyone.
The Minimum Purchase field is the minimum amount that must be purchased before this shipping service will be available. Until this limit is met, the shipping method will not display.
A minimum purchase value applies to the total of each shipment, not the total of the order.
If these shipping charges are taxable, then select a Tax Code. Make sure you understand the tax laws according to your local tax authority.
Taxes on shipping charges are combined with any other taxes calculated for the shipment.
Click the SAVE button when finished. This will bring you back to the Configure Shipping Methods menu.
From this page, you can continue to add and configure shipping services from the Add Integrated Carrier Method section.
To add a new shipping service, select the Provider and then select the Service. Click the ADD button to edit as needed.

After editing and saving, you will be returned to the Configure Shipping Methods page.