Forum OpenACS Q&A: Ecommerce shipping options??

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1: Ecommerce shipping options??
Posted by Scott Mc Williams on 07/19/01 08:04 AM
Hi all...I'm setting up a good sized ecommerce site (2500 line items
for now...another 3000 on the way). I've hit the worst part of using
any non-custom built system...what to charge for shipping.
Unfortunately OpenACS has the same limitations that almost every
other system has in that none of the shipping schemes actually works
in the real world unless you're only selling something like CDs.

So...has anyone built any work-arounds for the real world shippers?
My client is selling car parts and shipping via UPS (Ground only, for
now) so they would like some sort of matrix that cross references
weight vs. zipcode and can charge appropriately.

For now they'd be happy with a scheme that charges based on amount
spent which would be easy enough to hack together I assume...but
that's kind of weak.

Thanks for any input!

Scott

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2: Response to Ecommerce shipping options?? (response to 1)
Posted by Bob OConnor on 07/19/01 03:34 PM

Hi Scott,

Have you looked at www.ups.com ?

There may be a tie in where you collect the zipcode from the customer and then poll the UPS system for shipping costs.

I know that the www.usps.gov has such a real time system to determine US Mail costs for shipping.

-Bob

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3: Response to Ecommerce shipping options?? (response to 1)
Posted by Gilbert Wong on 07/22/01 10:26 AM
I plan to create a service for OpenACS 4 which will tie into the UPS shipping calculator but I won't be able to get to that until I finish porting the ecommerce package.  I'm about 70% done with the port and I have a few other projects in the queue, so the earliest I can get to the shipping calculator will be late August...
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4: Response to Ecommerce shipping options?? (response to 1)
Posted by Scott Mc Williams on 07/23/01 01:47 AM
Hey Gilbert..thanks! I am looking forward to that port with baited breath.

I did go to the UPS site and poked around a bit. Boy..talk about user-unfriendly. Trying to get the info I need (which should be something they are actively trying to give me as it means more business for them) was not easy. Then, when I did find it I had to register twice to get "keys" to get the free info. Very poor idea, looks to be driven by lawyers and not by anyone with any business sense at all. Oh well...maybe FedEx will do a better job...they couldn't do worse.

Scott

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5: Response to Ecommerce shipping options?? (response to 1)
Posted by Adam Farkas on 07/23/01 02:03 AM
http://www.goship.com

you may want to talk to these folks... looks like they are developing a SOAP interface to all the major shippers. Very advanced stuff, probably something you wouldn't want to program yourself.

Of course, the service comes at a price, but if you're developing an ecommerce site, a client may want to absorb that cost for more flexible shipping options.

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6: Response to Ecommerce shipping options?? (response to 1)
Posted by S. Y. on 07/23/01 07:23 PM
It's been my experience that many old-world, Fortune 500-type companies have lousy web sites. If patience is one of your personal assets, the best way to get a packet of information is to write a letter (you know, with a pen and a piece of paper) saying "I am interested in your products and services. Please send information about _____ to ..."

The other alternative is to pick up the telephone and wade through a voice mail system until you get a live human being and utter the magic incantation: "Please connect me to Sales."

UPS doesn't really understand the Internet. FedEx had online airbill tracking like a year before UPS did (and you know what they say about Internet time).

Scott, I suggest you use snail mail or the phone. Generally speaking, product information that arrives via snail mail is far better than anything from a corporate web site. I dabble with photography and I got a boatload of product brochures and guides from both Kodak and Fujifilm. Just my $0.02.

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7: Response to Ecommerce shipping options?? (response to 1)
Posted by Scott Mc Williams on 07/25/01 11:45 PM
Sean...pen? paper? What are these of which you speak? :)

I know what you mean, though. You should see the mess at Royal (www.royal.com is an early OpenACS success and still improving...) sometimes I have no idea how these guys lasted over 100 years. Their MIS guy doesn't even have a PC. Amazing...

Scott

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8: Response to Ecommerce shipping options?? (response to 1)
Posted by S. Y. on 07/26/01 06:07 PM
It's really amazing how crappy corporate sites are. Some people simply don't get it. Kodak actually has/had a fair amount of technical datasheets, publications, charts, etc. buried in its web site and their search engine more or less worked. Fujifilm, on the other hand, is an atrocious marketing glitz-only site that looks no different than their ads in Popular Photography; Fujifilm has tons of technical documents, but you have to write or call their professional technical support hotline for the info. Abysmal.

Now, as a marketing guy, I'm all for using the web as another delivery vehicle in your overall marketing strategy, but the web is capable and suited for doing far more. Sadly, some corporate marketing managers have a serious case of myopia when it comes to their web sites; they're happiest when their web site looks like something they are seen for three decades: car commercials on TV or your average magazine ad.

Sorry about that, end of ranting (for today). Blah.

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9: Response to Ecommerce shipping options?? (response to 1)
Posted by Jim Sims on 10/22/01 08:01 PM
Along the lines of ecommerce shipping options, has anyone investigated adding amazon-style, "'Ship when entire order is ready' vs. 'Ship as items become available (at additional cost)'" user-determined functionality to OpenACS?