U.S. Postal Service Shipping

Note:

If you have not previously configured U.S. Postal Service shipping, you will be required to Register for U.S. Postal Service Shipping before seeing this screen.

Use the fields on this screen to configure how ShopSite should calculate prices for packages sent using U.S. Postal Service shipping service. ShopSite uses these settings, along with the individually assigned product weight and dimensions to request a shipping quote from the U.S. Postal Service.

Note:

When using a real-time shipping quote service, you should also set up a simple shipping table (such as Flat Shipping) to use as an alternate in case of a time-out waiting for the real-time quote provider. The simple shipping rate will be displayed, even when real-time shipping rates are available, so you should name and set your rates in an appropriate manner.

USPS Services

USPS Domestic Services

Select which shipping services you want to offer for packages delivered within the United States. You may pick any of the following:

First-Class Mail®
Standard Post®
Priority Mail®
Express Mail®
Express Mail® Hold For Pickup
Media Mail®
Library Mail®

USPS International Services

Select which shipping services you want to offer for packages you will send to addresses outside the United States. You may pick any of the following:

Express Mail® International
Priority Mail® International
First-Class Mail® International
Global Express Guaranteed®

Rate API Version

Select Version

V3 is the USPS' older API for receiving rates. Although USPS has mentioned that they will not be discontinuing the V3 API for the foreseeable future, we recommend that you select V4 unless you run into compatibility issues.

USPS Shipping Rates

Select Shipping Rates

Choose whether you want to use Retail rates or Commercial rates when determining shipping costs. You can also adjust the rates up or down by a percentage before they are displayed to the customer using the appropriate field. Note: You can change the plus or minus sign depending on your preference and are not limited to adding to the accounts rate and subtracting from the list rate.

Declared Value

Use these fields to compute insurance fee and indemnity coverage by declaring the value of the shipment (for international orders only).

Include a declared value in rate requests

Set this check box to include a declared value with each rate request for those customers who are shipping internationally. This declared value is figured using the sum of all items, where each item is the unit price of the product multiplied by the quantity of units.

Maximum Amount (USD)

Provide the maximum amount that will be declared in a rate request, capping the declared value. Leaving this field blank will allow an unrestricted (by ShopSite) declarable value.

Maximum Package Weight

Maximum weight per package (up to 70 lbs.)

Enter the maximum weight a package containing multiple products may be. Orders with a combined weight over the maximum individual package weight will be calculated as multiple packages. In order to get discounts for machinable packages, your maximum package weight must be no greater than 35 lbs.

Minimum Order Weight

Use minimum order weight if total order weight is less

Check the box if you wish to apply a minimum order weight, then enter the desired minimum weight in the box. Orders with a combined actual weight below the minimum will be calculated as if they were the minimum weight.

Missing Product Weight or Weight Over 70 Pounds

E-mail alert settings

Click Change to open a pop-up window that will allow you to configure E-mail alerts for when customers order products with no weight or a weight over the maximum allowed weight. In the pop-up window, you will be able to set the following options:

Send E-mail	Check this box to have ShopSite send you an e-mail when someone tries to order a product using USPS shipping with no weight or a weight over the maximum allowed weight.
E-mail Address	Enter the e-mail address you want the message to be sent to.
Message for Product with Zero Weight	Enter a message to be included in the e-mail below the name of the product with no weight.
Message for Product that is Over the Weight Limit	Enter a message to be included in the e-mail below the name of the product with a weight over the maximum allowed weight
Save Changes	Click this button to save your changes, close the pop-up window, and return to the U.S. Postal Service configuration screen.
Cancel	Click this button to close the pop-up window and return to the U.S. Postal Service configuration screen without saving your changes.

Use minimum product weight

Check the box to use a minimum weight for zero weight products, then enter the minimum weight to use.

Use maximum product weight

Check the box to use a maximum weight for products with a weight over the maximum allowed weight, then enter the weight to use for such products.

Customer Messages

If the USPS servers are inaccessible, ShopSite can display a notice informing the customer of the situation.

Header for Error Messages

Enter the text to use for the message header to display when ShopSite is unable to contact the USPS server to calculate shipping rates.

No USPS server response

Enter the message to display when ShopSite is unable to contact the USPS server to calculate shipping rates.

Buttons

Subscriber Info

Click this button to view your USPS Web Tools User ID and Zip Code.

Zero Weight Products

Click this button to see a list of products in your store that have a weight of zero. Products with zero weight will not incur the correct shipping charges. In most cases, you should define a real weight for each product.

Click this button to change your USPS Web Tools User ID or Zip Code.

Save

Click this button to save your changes and return to the Shipping configuration screen.

Cancel

Click this button to return to the Shipping configuration screen without saving your changes.

ShopSite Help and Resource Center
Last updated: February 26, 2013
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