General
   >> Shipping Labels
Thread views: 44462 Previous threadView all threadsNext thread*Threaded Mode

Pages in this thread: 1 | 2 | (show all)
grumpy3b
(stranger )
03/08/04 10:42 PM
Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Software  

Endicia has the ability to import label & shipping details directly using XML data files. If AW2k could exports shipping details, including weight and shipping method, it might be a nice feature. I am sure UPS & FedEx have similar ability to import shipping info in their respective software...

But, I think a shipping module would be a nice addition to AW2k...



crazy4sales
(Unregistered)
05/30/04 04:12 PM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Software new [re: grumpy3b]  

I would love that as well. I like the changes to eBay in that you have all the info there when people pay, and if AW2K could someone pull or import the information in so I didn't have to cut and paste all the time it would be so much nicer!



leeflang
(stranger )
02/13/05 10:12 AM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Software new [re: grumpy3b]  

Any news if AW2K will work with Endicia?

Peter

rodgw
(Unregistered)
02/15/05 07:26 AM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: leeflang]  

I have been sending the shipping/mailing address to Endicia for over a year. Works great.
I'm not concerned about sending weight and shipping method, that changes for me all the time.
What I would like to see is the ability to send the tracking number from endicia to AW2K, now that would be a time saver.
rodgw




leeflang
(stranger )
02/15/05 10:44 AM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: rodgw]  

Hi, do you care to share the details how you work with Endicia combined with AW2K?

We schedule our shipments with the shipping date of invoices the moment the payment gets registered, but I would not know how to select a csv file to download only the addresses for one specified shipping date.

As to weight, we would support any request to register weight since we now add it manually.

Cordially,
Peter
The Leeflang Archives

Peter

grumpy3b
(stranger )
11/06/05 09:22 PM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: leeflang]  

Hi Peter...

Wow...sorry I never read your post...what rodgw, myself and others are doing is...we queue labels to print then go to "PRINT SHIPPING LABELS" on the screen that comes up find the EXPORT button...this will allow you to export a CSV with your shipping data. This can then be imported into Endicia/Dazzle using the IMPORT feature from the ADDRESS BOOK portion of Dazzle.

What I was hoping for was for aw2k to output XML to a directory & file that Dazzle can monitor and automatically print labels from the information. To me postage printing is a major bit of overhead and a place ground could be made up if a portion of the process were automated.

Oh, one HUGE gotcha using the Dazzle import feature...one that I recently learned in a very expensive fashion...Dazzle is STOOPID. For international addresses especially, even if the information on the pre-import screen shows the address as appearing correctly it means NOTHING no matter how you have your mappings setup Dazzle could be dropping a portion of the address during the import.

I had a rather animated exchange with Endicia support over this issue as it cost me $200 when an item could not be delivered in Japan and was returned to me. I was flat told that it was my fault and even if the program showed the correct information was being read pre-import (mind you that this is based on the field mappings the user creates to import the addresses) anyway, no matter what that leetle box shows the international addy has a huge chance for being incorrect coming out the other side...

I checked and now I know why my international packages all seem to take forever to arrive...I had assumed the pre-import screen (I check every addy to ensure the data is correct) was showing me how the fields would be imported and assumed that Dazzle was smart enough to just leave international addy's alone and import them as typed...HA...every single international addy that I have imported since the last major update is WRONG...and I am using the exact same field mappings as before...

Anyway, just wanted to pass along that tidbit...

rodg....I have been threatening to write a dll to parse the shipping log for Dazzle and then splat it into the correct aw2k tables...it should not be difficult simply tedious. Adding the aw2k invoice number to each shipping record should do the trick to ID the Dazzle log records and a date range could be passed to the utility to help determine the records to grab...I have not really peeked at the aw2k invoices table to see if that is where the record should be updated or not... and as I said for me, one concern is with the Paradox tables themselves...not sure if we can open them, grab a record and then update the record via ODBC or not...Paradox never used to be a problem but I honestly have never tried it...???? I wish Borland was the Borland of the "before time" when Turbo Pascal was cool and Reflex was new...sigh...old age... ;)

But it has been a really personally hectic year so this sort of project is on my fun things to do list but is waaay down in priority...if I ever do write it I will certainly make it available to anyone who wants it...

If anyone is writing little utilities like this maybe we can have a thread about them? If nothing else it might keep us all out of Thom's hair...hehehehe...except of course when someone foobar's a table or twenty...hehehehe ]8^)

later...



leeflang
(stranger )
11/07/05 06:37 AM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: grumpy3b]  

Hello Grumpy3b,
1) I don't seem to have any problems with importing international addresses via a csv into Dazzle.
2) Of course I also would love further automation so data from Dazzle would go back into AW2K (especially the tracking number and the real cost of shipping). I would also like to be able to import an item description (or multiple item descriptions) and have Dazzle place that in the shipping email to the customers so they know what was sent (now they do not). It is kind of the finishing touch for AW2K's shipping process.

Peter

scalesusa
(stranger )
01/27/06 08:00 AM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: leeflang]  

I have been importing domestic and international addresses into dazzle, and, addresses that don't meet the standard for state or country will import incorrectly. This is not a dazzle problem, the data must be in the correct format first.

This means that occasionally I miss something. Dazzle does a check of US mail and catches address problems, but International mail is not checked.

You have to look at each international address after it is imported. You can do this when you fill in the customs form, or look at the resulting label before printing it.

I also use other store / auction software for my business. It uses the xml interface and imports/ exports pretty much all the data, customs description, weight, cost, country of origin, etc. Occasionally though, that International problem pops up because there are just no standards among differently countries as to how information is formatted, and customers send their intrepretation of their address.



Ned
(stranger )
04/17/07 04:09 PM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: grumpy3b]  

The last post to the Endicia thread was over a year ago. I imagine things could have changed since then.

Does anyone use Endicia with Auction Wizard? Please, if you could, describe your workflow involving AW2K & Endicia in some detail. Things that may seem obvious to you as an already-user probably aren't obvious to me, a serious looker and soon-to-be buyer.

I have already checked AW2K's help files. It appears there's no XML & that I'd be using CSV files.

Thanks in advance,
Ned




bluepennylady
(old hand)
04/17/07 04:16 PM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: Ned]  

Ned,

I use Endicia and have for quite a while. I have to go to a City council meeting in a few minutes (Dale has been re-elected as mayor and tonight he takes office) When I get home later tonight, I'll be happy to share our workflow.

Others will want to share how they use Endicia too, I am sure.

Judy/blue



bluepennylady
(old hand)
04/18/07 04:51 AM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: Ned]  

Ned,

I have a Zebra printer and use the Endicia's Dazzle. We use to export the names and addresses via CSV but no longer do that. Instead we copy and paste the names and addresses from the Paypal payment. The name will only go into the name field. The entire address fits into the address field as the address isn't broken into addy, city, state and zip fields. Just one field for all the information.

I get my Endicia labels from gharris800 at eBay. She sells the labels in bundles of 8 rolls. Each roll contains 425- 4 x 6 labels peel and stick labels. Shipping costs is set at $19.99. I paid $33.00 for the last 8 rolls. At Endicia the cost is $13.00 per roll of 250 labels plus shipping.

UPS labels do fit into the Zebra printer. But now UPS prints their name right along the bottom. So you have to cut off the very 1/4 inch of the label before sticking it on a USPS package.

I might mention, the UPS Zebra printer is the exact same printer to use for Endicia. So the printer will work for either shipping service. Labels are identical. When you install the printer for UPS, you go to UPS and download their drivers. When you install Dazzle, you have to go to the Zebra website and download a different driver. Endicia tech support can tell you which one you need as I don't recall off the top of my head and that file is at work.

As far as our workflow. Since packages can only be labeled one at a time anyway, in order to reduce errors, we print labels one at a time. Not in groups which I realize most others send their labels to Queue and print the labels in groups. But anyway, here's our workflow.

Record payment, (we print the payment sheet)
Print packing slip.
Package item(s)
Package sent to shipping desk
Shipping staffer goes to the Invoice, copies and pastes name and addy into Endicia's Dazzle. Dazzle spits out address label, we attach label on package. Package goes into the USPS postal cart and we're done.

Dazzle even tells you which International form to use for the class you are shipping. My staff loves Endicia. If you should happen to not put enough postage on a package, the software allows you the ability to add-on postage.

You can also use "Stealth" postage which in short means the actual postage amount is not printed on the package, except on International. All International packages have the actual postage amount printed on the package.

I hope that helped you a bit. If not, let me know, and I'll try again.

I am glad to see you around again

Judy/blue



scalesusa
(stranger )
06/06/07 09:47 AM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: bluepennylady]  

I too have used endicia Dazzle with AW2000 and export addresses to Dazzle. I also use store software that exports info to dazzle by XML. There is a night and day difference in the amount of work required. Particularly with international shipping. With my store, a string of orders, any number are queued up and when I click the button, all the data, including weight, customs data shipping method, etc is imported to Dazzle and it immediately starts spitting out a string of labels. With the AW2000 method, I have to export them to Endicia, Import them in endicia, then open the correct label format, enter the weight and package dimensions, enter the customs data, and then print. This can take a very long time if international shipping is required for several sales. I have started using the PayPal shipping more and more, even though it is slow, it is less work. PayPal won't print International First Class, or Bound Printed Matter though, so those go to Dazzle.

I also import UPS shipments into worldship in about the same manner.

I really would like to see Dazzle Integration, but there are some enhancements higher on my list, like update of running auctions and send store items to auction.



bluepennylady
(veteran)
06/06/07 12:32 PM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: scalesusa]  

Thanks again! This too has been forwarded to AW2000 tech team.

Judy/blue



sharptrade
(stranger )
01/13/08 08:47 PM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: grumpy3b]  

Here's what I'm doing.

Using Endicia AND ShipWorks. ShipWorks goes to eBay and PayPal and downloads ALL the data.

I then open a new Shipworks transaction and open the corresponding AW2K record. I have entered all the weights of my inventory items, so then I just enter the weight of the item (if a single item transaction) in Shipworks and hit SHIP.

My email pops up with the address and tracking (it retrieves automatically from endicia) and I cut and past only the name and tracking back into AW2K.

Sounds complicated, but actually faster than JUST endicia.

I am paying the annual AW2K, the monthly endicia and the monthly ShipWorks. I would be happy to pay the monthly shipworks to AW2K if they built their simple features into AW2K.

Shipworks retrieves ALL paypal data, ALL buyer data, and then integrates 100% w Endicia (Stamps.com, USPS, UPS and FedEx) but they are unreasonably expensive for the small part of the process they do. So why do I pay them? I save a HUGE amount of time using that tool.

In the Seattle area? Would love to share advanced ideas at a local coffee shop regarding AW2K and eBay.

Ron

----
http://www.sharptradingcompany.com

bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
01/13/08 09:12 PM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: sharptrade]  

Ron,

I use Endicia and their Dazzle software.

Here's what we do.

Update all auction lots, generate invoices,
Retrieve email.
Record Paypal payments and store buyer's shipping information into AW2K.
Items are packaged for shipping.
Invoice for package is found.
We copy and paste the entire buyer's name and address from the Paypal payment into Dazzle.
Hit verify address and then print.

We keep track of the item pkg weight in inventory items as well. But the weight is recorded on top of the box as well. So whoever is printing shipping labels has the weight right in front of them,
Enter in appropriate shipping method, weight etc and print label.

I agree==it is amazingly fast. Since we use the same Zebra printer for USPS and UPS, there isn't any messing around with different type labels.

The tracking number is pasted back from Dazzle into AW2K so when shipping notices are sent out all the fields are already completed and no errors occur when generating the email notices.

Sorry,, I would love to have a cup of Seattle coffee... Just live tooooooo far away. But the next time we come to Seattle on Business, I may give you a shout..


Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store
Visit our website too!
http://www.pennyworthsales.com

sharptrade
(stranger )
01/13/08 09:41 PM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: bluepennylady]  

Right. You are repeating what I said. I use Endicia/Dazzle too.

But if you read my posting, you would see I ALSO use ShipWorks to retrieve the eBay and PayPal data FOR ME. THAT is what saves me the time.

Please read my postings carefully.

Carpenters: measure twice, cut once.

(the Seattle request is a tagline for all readers of this post, I know you are in Kansas)



In the Seattle area? Would love to share ADVANCED ideas at a local coffee shop regarding AW2K and eBay.

Ron
----
http://www.sharptradingcompany.com

bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
01/13/08 10:11 PM
Re: Integration with Endicia Postage Printing Soft new [re: sharptrade]  

Ron,

I know the tag line is a request for all users But one of these days, you just never know, that husband of mine will buy some other deal in Seattle and I'll be knockin' on your door for coffee



Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store
Visit our website too!
http://www.pennyworthsales.com


Pages in this thread: 1 | 2 | (show all)
Previous threadView all threadsNext thread*Threaded Mode
Jump to

www.AuctionWizard2000.com | Contact Us Forums powered by WWWThreads