AbleCommerce Shopping Cart Software

I believe your codeplex code may need a refresh. I think it's at v9, your integrated provider source is at v10 (but not sure how to really use it over the codeplex one) and I was tinkering with FedEx via my account and think they are at v18. Please look at refreshing the source and integration for FedEx. Also, please consider hosting the code on GitHub.

Hello Neal,

I think the FedEx code was contributed by an outside source.

We have tried to work with FedEx to become an official integration but they have been unresponsive. An integration application was submitted to them a few months back and we've heard nothing. It's been a frustrating. We would like to re-integrate FedEx and keep it updated in the software, but FedEx is making that quite difficult.

I'll try again to contact them and see if we can get the ball rolling.

Thanks,
Katie

Hopefully not a spam/junkmail issue. I doubt they're ignoring you...maybe call, use gmail, who knows...but I'm sure they'd want to help you.

One of the reasons I am moving from 707 (which works fine) to GOLD is to ensure my shipping providers are up to date such as USPS. FedEx is the other, of the two, that I use. Hopefully you can sort this out with FedEx.

BIG PLUS ONE for getting FedEx support!

The current 3P unsupported "Fedex Connector for Ablecommerce Gold" has indeed been a lifesaver for me & my company, but today has been a nightmare due to Fedex having system wide problems with their rating servers.

If the current connector would allow for inputting a NEGATIVE Handling Charge (so we could pull Std List Rates and discount them) I could have avoided a lot of heartache today, but the connector will not accept a negative handling charge.

Anyway... PLEASE push Fedex for formal integration that Able can support Katie!!!

PLEASE push Fedex for formal integration that Able can support Katie!!!

For the SECOND time, I filled out their application to be a certified solution. It takes about 45 minutes. Then immediately afterwards, I received an email saying we do not meet their program requirements. So...that was seriously annoying.

Funny enough, if you go to this page -
http://www.fedex.com/us/compatible/find ... ing%20Cart
There is NO ONE listed for Shopping Cart providers.

I can't imagine why??

Sorry...I tried.

So why not code up the full implementation and make it available. Other carts (.net) include it. Just do it.

I thought about it, but if I remember correctly, FedEx contacted us and said we had to remove the shipping integration unless it was "certified". It's not uncommon for these services to make you go through a certification process. We had to do it recently with Chase Paymentech - what a nightmare that was.

Complain to FedEx. I just did, but I doubt they will pay much attention.

Katie - THANK YOU for at least trying.

Over the years, I have used DHL... then Fedex... then UPS... then then Fedex again... all of them have had the pros/cons, but OVERALL, I will still have to say I have been most satisfied with Fedex.

UNTIL TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Still getting only Std List rates from their servers... I have two companies with different Express acct numbers, neither of them is getting negotiated rates via the web API, ONE of them is getting negotiated rates via Fedex.com but the other is getting only Std List rates via Fedex.com (and they are both linked under my one 5-digit national account number).

TODAY it's a frickin' nightmare.

I'm not a huge account for them, but I do ship enough to know a couple of the regional guys... I will rattle what cages I can to see if anybody will listen.

Thanks again Katie...

That would be great. I sent FedEx an email asking if they would at least consider our application. I feel it was unfairly denied.

I would be happy to speak with anyone who could get me started up the ladder. My direct email is katie@ablecommerce.com, and phone 1-800-292-7192 ext. 804

Thanks!
Katie

I wonder if you're eliminating yourself going down a path you really don't need. Maybe they simply give your account access to the API and you can use it from there? Here is the API, build your integration, go forth. If I can build an API with access to it why can't you?

Hi Neal,

Well, there is a difference between what we do and what you do...

See - http://www.fedex.com/us/developer/web-s ... index.html

* You must be a member of FedEx Compatible® in order to distribute your software.

* Even with an internal use only application, you still have to go through a certification process.

Complain to FedEx. I am happy to push forward a "supported" and "upgraded" integration if we can get them to help. Anyone else find it odd that our main competitors are not listed on their "shopping cart" provider list? Well, no one is actually listed which makes me think that they have some hefty requirements to be certified.

Thanks
Katie

I will call them tomorrow, I have no problem trying to see what I can find out and let them know my needs as their customer as well. I wonder though since you got a rejection so fast if there is just some information that's not jiving with their system or they aren't even taking applications, who knows. I'll knock on their door tomorrow.

Also, feel free to push me the latest integration, full source, whatever, if you need or want me to host it on GitHub. What is in the R12 source in the integrated providers seemed out of date.

Where did this end up? Is the Able-coded source or binary for the Fedex integration available somewhere?

I would like to know also - really would like updated FedEx integration and support!!

Please voice your complaint to Fedex. We would love to have them integrated with AbleCommerce again. However, they only want to work with big giant corporations...apparently. We have made several attempts to contact FedEx so we can be an 'approved' integration partner. This has been going on for MANY years. It is the first step that we have to take with them (now) even though we probably had one of the first Fedex integrations about 20 years ago.

As far as I know, the FedEx provider code is still working.

Thanks
Katie

corgalore wrote:Where did this end up? Is the Able-coded source or binary for the Fedex integration available somewhere?

The Wiki article is here: http://wiki.ablecommerce.com/index.php/ ... merce_Gold
Now that CodePlex is shutdown, they've archived everything, so the link on that page redirects to here: https://archive.codeplex.com/?p=fedexacgold

Not sure who the third party is, or if they have or will migrate to GitHub or somewhere else. The home page mentions Gold R12, so someone still must have been the "caretaker" for it fairly recently.

BTW I had to make 2 changes to the FedExProvider.cs file so it would work for me:

Line 200: changed to: Line 593: changed to: Also, I think there were some inconsistencies with "9" / "v9" / "_v9" in some strings and/or variable names that I had to fix.

EDIT: Obviously, I had to recompile the project after making the changes so the DLL contained the fixes.

Katie - I will indeed reach out to my FedEx contacts about getting Able back on board as a FedEx partner. I will let you know what I find out.

Thanks!

OK, I just sent an email to the Sales Manager for my district explaining the situation & asking for guidance & help.

Now that CodePlex is shutdown, they've archived everything

Thanks for this information. I didn't realize that the download link had been archived, and the code is outdated too! Let me ask around and see what I can find out. We'll get it sorted out soon.

Thank you everyone. I really appreciate your help.

Katie

OK, I rattled the FedEx cages a little (via a regional manager), here's the info I got back.

In a nutshell, I was told "Ablecommerce is "just a shopping cart" - not a fully integrated solution. FedEx wants "integrated partners" that provide "full functionality", including the ability to create shipments and labels."

So... they want ALL their integrations to provide the ability for customer to actually create the shipping label and ship the product (like, ShipRush, ShipStation, etc), rather than an integration that "just gets a rate".

"Yes."

I told my rep there must be some misunderstanding, or maybe I am not explaining this correctly... all I think Ablecommerce wants to do is provide their customers the ability to request shipping rates from the FedEx "mothership" so we know what freight amount to charge our customers. Able doesn't WANT to offer the ability to generate a FX label... they just want to get rates, right? (Am I wrong here??)

My rep (and his boss) know about the unsupported FedEx connector that I (as well as many other AC site owners) am using, so I tried to simplify the conversation by asking "can the programmers at Ablecommerce - or ANYONE else - simply write a chunk of code - or update an existing chunk of code - that pings your (FedEx) servers to get rates using a FedEx account number", and the answer was "SURE - that's not a problem, FedEx just won't support it".

So... I don't understand why you guys (Katie) can't just take the existing FedEx Connector code, clean it up to gee-haw with the current version of FedEx Web Services, and we're off to the races!

I'm not a programmer, so... if this suggestion is idiotic nonsense feel free to tell me!

FedEx wants "integrated partners"

For us, it starts and ends here. I have tried to submit an application to be an integration partner (first step). The trouble is our application is always denied. I know this is the proper course for an "officially supported and full integration with FedEx", and yes, it would be our plan to upgrade FedEx and make it equivalent to our UPS integration which supports labels.

Fedex is making it impossible for us to do this.

I am going to assign some development resources to the "unsupported FedEx connector". We're not here to make our customers suffer. Let me at least get the ball rolling and figure out where the current integration stands.

Thanks
Katie

Based on my experience, and from reading the FedEx Web Services developer's guide and web pages, if you just want to request rates (which I realize is less than the ultimate goal), "Certification is not required for any Standard Services." Therefore, AC customers can just take the connector project, integrate it into their AbleCommerce project, and go directly from FedEx's "Develop and Test" phase to their "Move To Production" phase (to get a production authentication key and password). The AC customer can answer FedEx's question "Do you intend to resell your software?" with "No". But, as Katie points out, this is not the same as AC advertising/selling their product with full FedEx integration, including printing labels.