January 2015 USPS API Update

Posted by: Daniel Wednesday, January 21st, 2015

USPS Logo

USPS Logo

Another update to the USPS APIs will roll out at 12:01 AM US Central time on Sunday, January 25th. As we always do, we’ve reviewed these updates and analyzed their potential impact on merchants running various versions of Magento.

What’s Changing

There are only a few changes included in this update. Here’s a summary:

  • New content type for perishable goods
  • Restrictions around packaging which can be used for content type of “LIVES” which is live animals
  • Changes around the USPS Electronic Verification System (e-VS) which is used by some high-volume USPS clients. Magento does not currently offer integration with this service so no change here.
  • New event for tracking “Held at Customer Request” used when customers request a shipment be held at a Post Office location instead of being delivered.

What Should You Do?

Thankfully, there’s nothing you need to do. According to our investigation, the Magento USPS integration and all WebShopApps extensions require no changes. If you’re shipping perishable goods, or live animals it’s best to contact USPS directly and work out how these changes may effect you.

A positive note is that Magento’s built-in USPS tracking will support the “Held at Customer Request” tracking event with no action required on your part! Previously, if a customer requested a package to be held at a Post Office location the tracking may have been misreported. This update corrects those issues.

Further Information

If you need more details on this update, you can download PDFs of the January 2015 Release Notes and Transition Guide at USPS.com. If you need any other help with your shipping in Magento, you’re always welcome to contact us.

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