USPS Update to API

-- HikaShop version -- : 2.6.0
-- Joomla version -- : 3.4.5
-- Browser(s) name and version -- : Chrome

Just got this message from the USPS notification center & wanted to bring it to your attention...

Hello,

In conjunction with the January 17, 2016 USPS Price Change, USPS will implement changes and additional features to the suite of Web Tools APIs. Preliminary release notes are available now at usps.com/webtools. Impacted APIs will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Domestic Price and Label APIs
International Price and Label/Customs Forms APIs
The Web Tools external testing environment will be available with these changes December 14, 2015 and updated release notes with XML request samples and customs forms/label images will be available concurrently at usps.com/webtools.

To receive future Web Tools updates, follow us on Twitter @USPSWebTools. Please direct any questions to the Internet Customer Care Center at uspstechnicalsupport@mailps.custhelp.com.

Thank you,
USPS Web Tools Program Office

Hello,
We'll check which changes they have made on the USPS API, and will adapt the USPS shipping plugin if we have to.
Thanks for your notice.

Great! Thanks for looking into it Mohamed!

Do let us know even if no changes are necessary. Clients are asking for an update. Thanks!

Hello,
Sure, I checked their release note for January 2016 and the plugin should still work despite their API update.
Note that I sent them an email to have more information about it.

Great thank you Mohamed! Please update us when you hear back.

Mohamed, any news on this?

I was referring to the fact that he emailed them for more information...so I was wondering what the current status was on that part. Just trying to avoid a situation like the last time they updated the API because all Priority Mail packages were coming up as free and I lost a bunch of money due to that. I just cannot afford that kind of error again.

Hello,
Unfortunately I sent them some emails but they did not respond, her is the email that I sent if you also want to contact them :

Hello,

I'm part of the Hikari softwares development team and I'm in charge of the USPS shipping module, Hikari software propose to ecommerces a solution named Hikashop in Joomla which allow them to build their website with multiple shipping and payment method including USPS.

Our plugin is currently using your 2 API RateV4 / IntlRateV2, from what I saw our plugin will probably continue to work properly but I wanted to ask you if some specific changes will need to be applied.

Best regards,
Mohamed Thelji

Thanks for the heads up Mohamed. Unfortunately they are not very responsive, and while they do take a while to contact back programers that impliment the API for programs such as HikaShop...they usually don't respond to us users. I'll try...but I doubt I will hear from them.

Thank you!

Hello,
Well, we never know, but be sure that we'll be responsive to any potential issue with the USPS shipping plugin !

I completely understand, and wasn't faulting you guys at all. You all have been a MAJOR help, and are typically always responsive within 24 hours of a post. I learned my lesson with the last update to test the day before, day of, and day after to check for any issues as I never thought it would cause a "free" shipping issue with a simple update. Web design learning pains!

Thank you again for all you guys do!

Well...I haven't heard back from them...but I did get this in my email today...

Hello,

This is a final reminder that on January 17, 2016, in conjunction with the USPS Price Change, USPS will implement updates and additional features to the suite of Web Tools APIs. Updated release notes are available now at usps.com/webtools. Impacted APIs will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Domestic Price and Label APIs
International Price and Label/Customs Forms APIs
The Web Tools external testing environment is now available. For instructions on accessing the test environment, please see the release notes under the Announcements section at usps.com/webtools.

To receive future Web Tools updates, follow us on Twitter @USPSWebTools. You may also sign up for our mailing list by selecting the "Subscribe Now" link on usps.com/webtools. Please direct any questions to the Internet Customer Care Center at:
uspstechnicalsupport@mailps.custhelp.com.

Thank you,
USPS Web Tools Program Office

On Sunday, January 17th, 2016, the Click-N-Ship application will be implementing the required changes for the USPS price change. You may be unable to generate Click-N-Ship labels from Saturday, January 16th, at 11:45 PM CST to approximately 12:45 AM CST on Sunday, January 17th. Please note that as part of these changes, Click-N-Ship will no longer be offering Commercial Based pricing. Retail pricing will be applicable. We apologize for any inconvenience.

No problem, just wish I could have something more to report. Guess I'll cross my fingers & hope for the best. I'll try to test it as soon as I wake up in the morning...but my 22 month old son may have other plans! Haha

Awesome...thanks Jerome!

Joomla 2.5.28 [patched]
Hikashop 2.6.1 [latest patch]

The new rates and services went into affect yesterday, and now we are not receiving the correct shipping rates during Hikashop checkout.

Are we sure there are not updates required to the USPS plugin?