ATTN UK Users: Рreview of RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service
 

Hi all

We are glad to announce a new upcoming service from Qualiteam: RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service for X-Cart. This service can save shop owners tons of time by eliminating manual configuration and updating of RoyalMail shipping rates.
The service consists of server side shipping calculator hosted and updated by Qualiteam and connector for X-Cart.
The service is now in beta stage and we encourage everyone to try it and share your experience. At later date we will charge a small fee for using this service.
We developed alpha version of connector compatible with X-cart 4.3.2 (however there are good chances that it will also work with other 4.3 versions). We continue testing it and makeing it compatible with more X-Cart versions.
Everyone is welcome to download connector module (http://xmail.x-shops.com/royalmail.tgz) and try the service. See installation instructions in INSTALL.readme file.

Welcome to contact me with any questions any time.

Re: ATTN UK Users: Рreview of RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service
 

Hi,

Will this work with 4.4 ?

Thanks

Laurence

Re: ATTN UK Users: Рreview of RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service
 

Would be great if it works on v4.4

Re: ATTN UK Users: Рreview of RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service
 

You can download Royal Mail realtime shipping calculation module here: http://xmail.x-shops.com/royalmail_connector.4.4.0.tgz

Welcome to contact me with any questions any time.

Re: ATTN UK Users: Рreview of RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service
 

Where do i need to put this file to try it?

Re: ATTN UK Users: Рreview of RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service
 

I see your current version of x-cart is 4.4.0. So there are two ways to install this connector:
1. Follow INSTALL.readme from archive. It requires knowledge about upgrade/patch functionality of X-Cart. You should use this method if following files
(admin/configuration.php, admin/shipping_options.php, admin/shipping.php, include/func/func.core.php, shipping/mod_ROYALMAIL.php, shipping/myshipper.php, skin/common_files/admin/main/shipping_options.tpl, skin/common_files/admin/main/shipping.tpl)
were modified by you or other developers.

2. If you didn't modified files, than you can just unzip http://xmail.x-shops.com/royalmail_xcart_connector.4.4.0.files.tgz to the xcart_root_directory. (I am uploading it right now). This archive has default x-cart 4.4.0 files patched for RoyalMail connector. Also you have to apply royalmail.sql patch for database by following INSTALL.readme instruction (7 step).

There is one more way :) Just PM me temporary ftp access to you xcart installation and i will install connector for you in 5 minutes .

Re: ATTN UK Users: Рreview of RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service
 

We have installed the module on online demo at http://xcart-demo.qtmsoft.com/demo_uk/

I hope this module will be included to 4.4.1 by default for UK Configuration scheme.

Re: ATTN UK Users: Рreview of RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service
 

does this calculate the package size? as Royal Mail prices depend on the letter/packet size, or does it assume everything is packet sized?

Re: ATTN UK Users: Рreview of RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service
 

Current version of the module has only package(container) type setting. It means, that store owner have to set type of package for all shipments. It is default X-Cart functionality. The module can split purchased products in boxes by weight limit of the box. The max weight limit for one box is a configurable parameter on the module configuration page.

I think it is possible to choose type of container depends on set available containers and list of shipped products. But i think that "spiting" work might be to complex for shopping cart software :)

If you describe your "use case" in details, i hope we will implement in next version of the module.

Re: ATTN UK Users: Рreview of RoyalMail real-time shipping rate calculation service
 

basically we have 2 main package sizes, a padded envelope which is 'Large Letter' sized, and anything bigger is a packet. Some items will fit in the padded envelope, and some need the package. To send an item as a large letter is ё0.50, but to send the same item as a package is ё1.20, quite a difference to the user.

At the moment as it's just manual settings based on weight, we have to assume everything is a packet, so we have to charge the ё1.20 price, then it only costs ё0.50.