USPS failure- USPS says they updated web tools

[Flyingd]

The USPS shipping API is not working properly with Shopsite - USPS responded to our inquiry with the following:

Customers using a third party cart, such as ShopSite, should have received an updated module from the third party so that there would be no interruption of service. You may want to contact ShopSite to see if an updated module is available.

I have not received any updates from Shopsite for this - where is it and how do I get it?

[Jim]

What version of ShopSite is your store running?
What hosting company is your ShopSite store installed on?
When did you start having the problems? I haven't seen reports from other merchants about USPS issues.

[Flyingd]

Version: ShopSite® Manager 11 sp2 r4, StoreID: flyingd
Hosting Company: BlueHost
This Message appears for all orders and started appearing in JULY we go to our order page:
Warning. there is a shipping problem in the shopping cart. Time [date and order time] USPS Authorization failure. You are not authorized to connect with this server.

USPS says (copy message below) it is the third party software - they changed their API and sent you the update:

S

ubject
Web Tools User ID and our ShopSite API not working

Discussion Thread
Response (Francis G) 08/03/2013 11:29 AM
Dear Dorothy,

Thank you for contacting the USPS® Internet Customer Care Center in regards to your Web Tools question. I apologize that your ShopSite module is currently not receiving our API responses and I will be happy to help you today. We did recently release updates to our Web Tools that may be one of the reasons you are encountering these types of issues.

Customers using a third party cart, such as ShopSite, should have received an updated module from the third party so that there would be no interruption of service. You may want to contact ShopSite to see if an updated module is available.

The updates do not affect your current permissions. So your original account can still be used for requesting information from our Web Tools server. I am also providing you a link to our July release notes for your convenience:
https://www.usps.com/business/web-tools-apis/2013-July-webtools-release-notes.rtf

If you have further questions about the release notes, I'll be happy to assist you in answering them. If you can, please send us a copy of some of the errors you have received and I will be happy to help clarify where the issue may lie.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact us again.

Thank you for emailing your Postal Service™,

Francis G
USPS Internet Customer Care Center
uspstechsupport@esecurecare.net

[Jim]

I just tested my 11sp2 r5 store and I received shipping rates from USPS. So the functionality in ShopSite is working.

There was only one change to USPS between 11sp2 r4 and 11sp2 r5 and that was just changing the name that is displayed for the old package designation Parcel Post to the new name Standard Post. This would not affect the communication between ShopSite and USPS.

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Warning. there is a shipping problem in the shopping cart. Time [date and order time] USPS Authorization failure. You are not authorized to connect with this server.


This message generally means that the USPS account has not been switched to live mode from test mode. Have you followed the instructions for setting up USPS

Code: Select all

Step 1:    Register for access to USPS Web Tools and obtain a User ID.
Step 2:    USPS will e-mail your account information as well as information regarding testing. ShopSite is already integrated so there is no need or way to test. Instead, follow the e-mail instructions for requesting activation of your account for the production server. In your e-mail include the following information:
   API: USPS Web Tools Rate Calculators APIs
   3rd-Party Cart: ShopSite

You must contact USPS and request activation of your account for the production server. If you do not get the account activated it will not work. !
Help on setting up a USPS account can be found at http://www.shopsite.com/help/11.2/en-US/sc/pro/index.htm?page=/help/11.2/en-US/sc/pro/usps.reg.overview.html

If you would like to email or PM me your USPS account settings I can try them in my test store to make sure they will work.

[Flyingd]

Yes, Jimwe are going in circles here- I I have followed all the registration on webtools with ShopSite and USPS as required - more than once , then sent USPS the question about it not working and they sent me to you. Tag you are it.

[loren_d_c]

The error message from USPS clearly says "You are not authorized to connect with this server." And since other ShopSite users are not reporting issues with USPS, this issue is specific to your USPS account. This indicates that either you have entered the incorrect USPS account information in ShopSite, or that USPS has not yet correctly set up your USPS account on their production rates server. Just because USPS is giving you a scripted reply about contacting the application maker does not mean that is the correct answer. Note that in their email they asked you to "send us a copy of some of the errors you have received and I will be happy to help clarify where the issue may lie." I would suggest you do that and send them the error message. Point out specifically that it is an authorization error, and that other ShopSite users are not having the issue.

-Loren

[loren_d_c]

Also note that I read USPS's July update document and there is nothing in there about any changes to their authorization/authentication mechanisms.

-Loren

[Flyingd]

Well this is really frustrating for both of us. Our company has used Shopsite for over 5 years and have been registered with USPS for that time too - this only began happening in July, and of course, we followed all the steps you mentioned (again, and again), before coming to you. We also contacted USPS before coming back to you and USPS is pointing at your software and you are pointing at them. I will go ahead and twitter this out to the masses and see what I can find out.

[Jim]

Did you read my PM that I sent you about 1 1/2 hours ago. It contained my account info for you to try in your store to see if that would work. Let us know if that works or not.

[Flyingd]

Hi Jim sorry I cannot find the PM post

Did you read my PM that I sent you about 1 1/2 hours ago. It contained my account info for you to try in your store to see if that would work. Let us know if that works or not.

.
However, this is the latest reply from USPS regarding my problem:

When reviewing the account associated with your Web Tools ID, 110FLYIN7939, you account was listed on our Testing Server which will cause the "Authorization Failure" error. For the third party software to work properly your account needs to be on the Production Server. I have updated your profile to allow you access to the Production Server.

1. The Production Server URL is: http://production.shippingapis.com. For APIs calling the secure server, the URL is https://secure.shippingapis.com.
2. There is a line of code that refers to "shippingapitest.dll". You'll need to remove the word "test".

So, how do I access the shopsite code to delete the word test?

[Jim]

You do not need to modify anything in ShopSite, other than entering your USPS account ID and zip code. ShopSite has already been tested and does not have any reference to the test server in our code. Once your account has been set to the Production Server on the USPS side and you have entered your account info in ShopSite it should work, no other changes are necessary.

Since they say they have put your account on the Production Server, if you have entered your account info in ShopSite you should start getting rates from USPS when items are added to the cart. Make sure that all your product have proper weights and a USPS package type selected so that the rates will be accurate.

[Flyingd]

Thanks Jim,
I appreciate you sticking with me in this - I haveno idea why it suddenly changed in July. But hope from here on out it works.

[Jim]

Glad to help.