> -----Original Message----- > From: u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org [mailto:u2-users- > boun...@listserver.u2ug.org] On Behalf Of Support > Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 2:28 PM > To: 'U2 Users List' > Subject: Re: [U2] ODBC to UPS WorldShip > > > I know the question was about UPS WorldShip. However, suffer the some of > the same > problems no matter what carrier package we implemented. Finally, we went > with a > third party package (http://www.bestwaytech.com/proship/). It allows us to > ship > package UPS/FEDEX/USPS thru the same xml interface. Their black box > implementation > only requires us to open a socket and stream the xml. They reply with xml > and can > including ZPL/EPL/PNG formatted manifest label. We actually imbed the > image on > our packing slip. They take care of the carrier rules updates, so in the > three > years we have used them we have not had to make a single code change for a > carrier > updates. Our largest customer ships well over 7000 package a week with no > problems. >
I think I looked at that long ago, but decided to go in-house. One problem with using the WorldShip hooks is that you can still get unforeseen charge-backs from invalid/mismatched/cancelled/suspended accounts on collect shipments. The benefit to that, though, is that you can bill to any account and not have to deal with the account zip validation thing. With the web API the accounts are checked live each time you request a package label so it's a half empty, half full situation. I'm assuming that the shipping application builds a PLD itself and sends it to WorldShip for upload. IIRC the basic Café software has an XML interface now as well as the old raw socket connectivity and I'm pretty sure it's a live application unlike WorldShip which is offline until you do end-of-day. There is a 'server' version of the Café/ShipManager product that does not do Internet queries and I would guess that's what's being deploy. It's designed for high-volume shipping and availability. I don't know much more about it than that. I considered all of those points before deciding to do it in-house. We're not at a huge volume yet, but we had to have something more automated and streamlined. All orders are processed the same way and the shipping app determines how to handle the shipment/paperwork/billing/labels/etc. > The ProShip cost is very reasonable compare to some package out there and > when you > compare it to the cost of setup/supporting in-house the carrier supplied > options > it's a net savings. They cut our cost over 80% on doing it our self using > the > "FREE" software supplied by the carriers. Not to mention the better rate > you can > get from the carriers when you can ship FEDEX as easy as UPS. > > I don't remember getting a cost for ProShip, so I can't say that what you consider reasonable is what I would consider reasonable. We run on very low margin here and a few thousand dollars is a decent investment. We tried with Harvey CPS' 'automator' product and ended up trashing it because it didn't handle batch processing of international shipments as was described before sale. Anyway, that's water under the bridge. It would have worked if we only sold to the USA and their desktop app is really nice if you need a multi-carrier shipping application. We have had to do the same thing with the carriers. We're constantly putting them in the ring to help us do more business and fix problems that either don't exist to them or are not critical problems to address. For example, we started having residential FedEx Ground problems to Canada. The drivers are releasing the packages at the door without collecting the duties which are due. FedEx brokers their own packages so they're just delivering the boxes and sticking it to the shippers! Be careful! Even if they are bill-recipient packages, the duties get charged back to the shipper account. Apparently, there is nothing FedEx can do so we are no longer shipping to Canada using FedEx. We also recently put shipping costs online. Prepaid shipping methods can be changed with a single ship-via code flip from FedEx to UPS or vice-versa. Regards, ---------------------------------------- Glen Batchelor IT Director All-Spec Industries phone: (910) 332-0424 fax: (910) 763-5664 E-mail: webmas...@all-spec.com Web: http://www.all-spec.com Blog: http://blog.all-spec.com ---------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
