Setting Up Stamps – USPS Shipping Plugin for Magento 2.0

In this tutorial, we will show you how to easily setup Stamps.com Shipping Plugin with USPS Postage for Magento 2. Please refer to the product page to know more about the plugin features.

Overview

Stamps.com provides service for small businesses, enterprises and online retailers to print official the United States Postal Service stamps and shipping labels. Stamps.com sends customers a digital scale to weigh letters and packages to ensure the correct amount of postage is applied to the piece of mail. The amount of postage applied is then deducted from the customer’s Stamps.com account. Customers can print labels with postage.

With the help of Stamps.com shipping plugin for Magento 2, you get the real-time rate for USPS. Rate depends on the package, weight, and address of sender and receiver.

This tutorial will give you an excellent launch pad to kick-start the Usage of Stamps.com-USPS shipping plugin for Magento 2. It will give you all the essential knowledge and step-by-step instructions.

Setting Up Stamps.com-USPS Plugin

After installing the plugin, a new shipping method ‘Stamps’ is available for shipping. Now you can configure this Stamps Shipping method as per your requirement. You can navigate to settings as:

• Navigate to Admin Dashboard > Stores > Configuration > Sales > Shipping Methods.

General Settings

The general setting fields are as shown below:

1. Enabled: Select Yes from the drop-down list to enable the Stamps.com-USPS shipping method.
2. Title: Method Title is visible on the Cart page. Specify  Title as required(defined by you).

API Settings

API settings are used to get rates and labels from Stamps.com. API Setting fields are as shown below:

1. API User ID: For accessing Stamps.com APIs, you need to register with Stamps.com. After registration is complete, you get User ID and Password.
   How to register for Stamps.com?
   1. Go to Stamps.com
   2. Click Get Started to sign up.
   3. Enter all the required details in the given registration form.
   4. Submit the registration form.

   After registration, you will get the User ID and Password.
   Enter the User ID in the given text box.

2. API Password: Enter Password which you have got from Stamps.com.
3. API Mode: In this field, you can set a required API mode for printing the labels. The available options are as given below:

• • Test: Test mode is used to do some test purchasing and sample label printing by using Stamps.com API. You can use test mode before using Live Stamps.com Account. There is no real money transaction involved in test mode.
    Please, contact Stamps.com to obtain test credentials and Test API URL. You should also request to whitelist your website host IP. In addition, you need to request for whitelisting your Personal Computer IP so that you can access/see the Label(generated in Test Mode) URLs.
    Note: This mode is used only for development purpose and Customers should not have access to this mode.
  • Live: Live mode is used for actual purchase and label printing.

Handling Fee Settings

You can add the shipping price as required to actual shipping cost. You can mention the fixed amount or the percentage of the total order. The settings are as shown below:

Packages Request Type

Here, you can select the package type for packing the order. The shipping cost changes according to the option selected. The Settings are as shown below:

1. Packages Request Type: The available options are as given below:
   • Divide to equal weight(one request): Package is selected on the basis of  Maximum Package Weight (Please consult your shipping carrier for maximum supported shipping weight) field and the total of the cart.
   • Use Origin Weight (few requests): Package is selected on the basis of each product’s weight.
2. Displayed Error Message: In case, the customer does get any shipping method, this message is displayed.
3. Maximum Package Weight (Please consult your shipping carrier for maximum supported shipping weight): Enter the required maximum limit for the single package after consulting the carrier.

Country Settings

The Country settings are as shown below:

Ship to Applicable Countries: This field allows you to select countries for shipping. The available options are as given below:

• All Allowed Countries: This option provides availability of the plugin to the customers in all countries which are set in General Settings. It is set as a default option.
• Specific Countries: This option allows you to add the list of countries. Stamps.com shipping Method gets available only in the listed countries.

Sort Order

If more than one shipping methods are enabled, then this option allows you to position the shipping method among all the available that will be displayed on the checkout page. The setting is as shown below:

Specify the number to show this shipping method on the checkout page.

For Example Sort order for FedEx is 1, UPS is 2 and Stamps – USPS is 3, then the shipping services for Stamps – USPS will be displayed after FedEx and UPS.

Allowed Methods

Select the methods which you want to be available for the customers. The Setting is as shown below:

Insurance Setting

Insurance provides coverage in the event that they become lost or damaged while in transit. If Shipper requires protection for items, then insurance may be arranged at an additional cost by USPS. The setting is as shown below:

Select Yes option to ensure your package. For more information on insurance, See USPS Insurance – Stamps.

Hidden Postage

The Setting is as shown below:

Select Yes option to hide the postage amount on Print label.

Label Settings

The Print Label Setting fields are as shown below:

• Print Layout: It deals in the arrangement of visual elements on a page. Print layouts which are supported by the plugin as given below:
  • Default: Uses dthe efault print layout.
  • Normal: Label of 4 X 6 inches gets generated. For Critical Mails, this option generates labels for windowed envelopes.
  • NormalLeft: Label of 4 X 6 inches gets generated on the left side of the paper.
  • NormalRight: Label of 4 X 6 inches gets generated on the right side of the paper.
  • Normal4X6: Label of 4 X 6 inches gets generated. This option only applies to Critical Mails and Library Mails.
  • Normal6X4: Label of 6 X 4 inches gets generated. This option only applies to Critical Mails.
  • Normal75X2: Label of 7.5 X 2 inches gets generated. This option only applies to domestic First Class or Priority packages.
  • NormalReceipt: Label of 6 X 4 inches and receipt gets generated.
  • NormalCN22: A 4 x 6 label on 8.5 x 11 sheet with Customs Form CN 22 gets generated.

Debug

If you are not getting proper rates( lesser or higher than expected), not getting all the available shipping options, or not getting rates at all, then you enableDebug option to find the error(s). By enabling debug mode, you can trace issue using log. The Setting is as shown below:

Select Yes option from the drop-down list to enable debug mode.

Cart

After setting up Stamps.com-USPS Configuration Settings, your customers can see all available services list. The Customer can select the required option and place the order. The Checkout page is as shown below:

Create Shipment Label

1. Navigate to  Dashboard > Sales >  Orders. The order page appears as shown below:
2. Click View to see the order and click on Ship to ship the order as shown below:
3. To Create the shipment, select checkbox Create Shipping Label and click  Submit Shipment as below:
4. Print the label, the label appears as shown below:

Check out our Stamps.com Shipping Plugin with Postage for Magento 2.