Something isn't right when shipping quotes are done using USPS. Here is what is happening.

Product 1: 7oz.

When the shipping information is presented for one item I receive:

U.S.P.S. Priority Mail: $4.80 (correct)
U.S.P.S. Parcel Post: $8.25 (should be $4.55 according to USPS.com - I manually checked)

Additionally, when I add 2, 3, 4, etc. items, all the shipping quotes are doubled, tripled, etc. So for 3 items, it quotes:

U.S.P.S. Priority Mail: $14.40
U.S.P.S. Parcel Post: $24.75

I have verifed that 0 is in place at /admin/store/settings/quotes/methods/usps for Shipping Rate Markup. I have gone through all the possible settings and cannot figure out what else I can change. I don't see any errors either.

Any suggestions?

Drupal 5.10
PHP 5.2.3

Comments

tr’s picture

tr commented

http://www.ubercart.org/comment/24460/Re_Shipping_calculations_incorrect

mkinnan’s picture

mkinnan commented

That solved the problem with the doubling, tripling, etc. of shipping. I still cannot figure out why Parcel Post quotes are nearly twice as much as Priority Mail. Debugging info shows the high price, but when I go to USPS.com and enter in the information the Parcel Post price is much lower than Priority mail.

Thank you for the link!

tr’s picture

tr commented

If Parcel is returning the wrong price, then some wrong information is being sent to USPS. You can turn on the debug option at admin/store/settings/quotes/edit to see what is being sent (it will show up on the cart/checkout page when you get a shipping quote). Then look through all the data being sent, checking the weights etc. to find out what is different between the quote you got at usps.com and the quote you get through Ubercart.

mkinnan’s picture

mkinnan commented

That's what I don't understand. Debug info shows the correct weight, etc. Also, it is only the Parcel Post quote that is wrong. Priority Mail and First-Class Mail show the correct amount.

bitsize’s picture

bitsize commented

I have the same issue.
In the error string, it seems that I am telling the USPS that the package is NOT machinable -- which dramatically increases the rate.

The returned string is (note that XML is stripped in this posting so I used single quote "'"):
"'Pounds' 0'/Pounds''Ounces'1.9'/Ounces'
'Size' REGULAR'/Size'
'Machinable' FALSE'/Machinable'
'Zone' 1, Intra-BMC'/Zone'"

I do not see in the setup how to make it 'BE' machinable.

I think the error may lie in the if/then for machinable. Seems that it is hard coded that Parcel post becomes 'machinable' above 6oz.

I only offer that as a lead since some of mine are and some are not above 6oz. But all show up as not machinable.

TIA

cha0s’s picture

cha0s commented

I found some information after a quick search:

http://www.usps.com/businessmail101/mailcharacteristics/parcels.htm

So, I guess that even though the information is hardcoded, it's to the specifications of USPS. Well, not exactly because it appears the code says at least 3.5 inches, and USPS says at least 3.... but it's close enough that I don't know if that's what's causing your error.

Are you sure your package is following USPS' specs?

mkinnan’s picture

mkinnan commented

After a bunch more testing this is what I found:

Calculated rates at http://www.USPS.com with the following settings:

    Checked the PACKAGE setting that has the tube in it.
      From ZIP code: 29631
        To ZIP code: 32903

        When you put the weight from 1-5 ounces this is what you get:

          Priority Mail $4.80
            Parcel Post $8.25

            When you put the weight from 6-16 ounces this is what you get:

              Priority Mail $4.80
                Parcel Post $4.55

                However, when I change the weight for a product in Ubercart, I always get the $8.25 value for Parcel Post.

                Any ideas??

Island Usurper’s picture

Island Usurper commented

What were the dimensions of that product? uc_usps uses these conditions to decide if a package is machinable:
6 in. <= length <= 34 in.
0.25 in. <= width <= 17 in.
3.5 in. <= height <= 17 in.

0 lb., 6 oz. <= weight <= 35 lb., 0 oz.

If you left the length, width, and height blank, the module will think it's not machinable, and USPS will send a more expensive rate.

mkinnan’s picture

mkinnan commented

It still is not working correcting. I have a product

    7 ounces,
      10 in. long
        6 in. width
          8 in. height

          The debug info is still telling me FALSE for machinable. I have played around with the weight and dimensions, but that still didn't work.

Island Usurper’s picture

Island Usurper commented

Sometime last week I noticed that there was an error in that logic. For some reason, Ubercart was checking that the height of the package was greater than 17in. This has been fixed in the latest version since the 20th of November. You can get that at http://bazaar.ubercart.org or by fixing line 630. Change it from

           $package->height >= 3.5 && $package->height >= 17 &&

to

           $package->height >= 3.5 && $package->height <= 17 &&
Island Usurper’s picture

Island Usurper commented
Version: 5.x-1.4 » 5.x-1.6
Status: Active » Fixed

Status: Fixed » Closed (fixed)

Automatically closed -- issue fixed for two weeks with no activity.