Ship Time Stamp in Fedex

-- url of the page with the problem -- : aquacorals.com
-- HikaShop version -- : 4.1.0 Business
-- Joomla version -- : 3.9.10
-- PHP version -- : 7.2
-- Browser(s) name and version -- : Firefox 68.0.1
-- Error-message(debug-mod must be tuned on) -- : none

I need to remove the Ship Time Stamp in the XML code sent to FedEx by the shipping method.
Can this be done, how?

Hello,

Sure, you'll just have to edit the file "plugins\hikashopshipping\fedex\fedex.php" and what's sent to their platform by editing the "_getRates" function.

I need to remove the Ship Time Stamp in the XML code sent to FedEx by the shipping method.

This might share some light on it. This is the email I received from the customer who has been working with FedEx to prevent unintentional Saturday Delivery Quotes or Saturday Pickup Quotes.

"Just got off another lengthy conversation with FedEx Web Services - Senior Support Team - they told me that it seems the problem is our orders send out to FedEx for a rate request which apparently also includes a "Drop Off" element which our system is set to "Regular Pickup". Though Saturday is not a regular pickup day for FedEx, their system assumed the order would be shipped on Sat so it automatically included a $16 Pickup Fee which also had higher fuel surcharges. The "Fix" he said was to eliminate the "Ship Time Stamp" in the XML code sent to them. We could change the "Drop Off Type" element to "Business Service Center" but he said eliminating the "Ship Time Stamp" would take care of it."

Thanks,
Matt

Hello Matt,

Thank you for the clarification, If you want to eliminate the "Ship Time Stamp" sent to the FedEx platform through the XML code, then the solution will be to edit the file "plugins\hikashopshipping\fedex\fedex.php" and change that line :

$request['RequestedShipment']['ShipTimestamp'] = date('c');

//$request['RequestedShipment']['ShipTimestamp'] = date('c');

Thank you for that. I was able to find that line and comment it out.

Apparently though disabling that line did not take care of the problem, according to Fedex representatives the orders placed on a Saturday are still coming in with a Saturday Pickup request. Do you know of any other way to disable that request?

Hello,

Sure, you'll just have to edit the file "plugins\hikashopshipping\fedex\fedex.php" and change that line :

$request['RequestedShipment']['DropoffType'] = 'REGULAR_PICKUP';

//$request['RequestedShipment']['DropoffType'] = 'REGULAR_PICKUP';

Hello Mohamed,
Apparently commenting out that line did not take care of the problem. Shipping values on orders placed on Saturday are coming in $20 to $30 higher than they should be. The client does not ship on Saturdays or Sundays so Saturday Pickup Fees should not be part of the equation. Is there any other setting that could be causing this increase? Or a setting that could fix the issue?

Hello,

We removed both the "DropoffType" and "ShipTimestamp" from the request, so if you're still having issue with the prices returned from the FedEx shipping platform then you should directly contact about it.

A good thing can be to send them the code sent to their platform. To do that, you'll just have to use the "Debug" mode option of your FedEx shipping configuration page to see what's sent to and returned from the FedEx shipping platform through the HTML code of your checkout workflow.

Kind regards,
Mohamed Thelji.

Thank you for that, I've run the debug and saved what is generated. It looks like there are two sections to that result. The Request and the Response. Just to make sure I understand, is the Request portion what hikashop sends and the response being what Fedex responds? If the Request is exactly the same on a Thursday and Saturday, then the Response should also be identical. Other than the days/dates. Correct?

I spoke to Fedex Web Services and they claim that since we have chosen Priority Overnight as the service needed, they will automatically quote the Saturday Pickup Surcharge and additional Fuel charges etc. Their solution was to have you create a custom request that essentially is an If/Then statement such as if the order is placed on a Saturday, then pickup is on a Monday. Does that make sense? I'm going to Private Message you the Fedex Case Number and they said you can call for clarification if you need it.

Thank you for the help

Hello,

Just to make sure I understand, is the Request portion what hikashop sends and the response being what Fedex responds?

If the Request is exactly the same on a Thursday and Saturday, then the Response should also be identical. Other than the days/dates. Correct?

Their solution was to have you create a custom request that essentially is an If/Then statement such as if the order is placed on a Saturday, then pickup is on a Monday. Does that make sense?

Hi,
They (fedex) suggested you contact them directly for any assistance with the code requirements. I did forward the Fedex case # to you in a PM if that should help. What can I do to assist you in this?

Hello,

In that case we'll send them an email with the FedEx Case #, asking them which changes will be required prevent what you described from happening :

I spoke to Fedex Web Services and they claim that since we have chosen Priority Overnight as the service needed, they will automatically quote the Saturday Pickup Surcharge and additional Fuel charges etc. Their solution was to have you create a custom request that essentially is an If/Then statement such as if the order is placed on a Saturday, then pickup is on a Monday. Does that make sense? I'm going to Private Message you the Fedex Case Number and they said you can call for clarification if you need it.

We were able to finally reach a support agent with fedex that seemed to know how to fix that issue simply.
We changed the DropOffType to BUSINESS_SERVICE_CENTER in the fedex.php file. Ran tests and that seemed to do it.

Now my question to you is. I've got now, several items that have to be changed in the fedex.php file every time we upgrade due to varying circumstances. Is there anyway or place I can make the changes and not have them erased with every hikashop upgrade? Changes I have to make are:


if(@$data<1){
$data=1;
}

TO

if(@$data<9){
$data=9;
}


AND

Comment out the line that has "ShipTimeStamp"

AND

Change DropOffType to BUSINESS_SERVICE_CENTER

Hello,

The solution will either be to zip the plugins file and install that plugin after every update, or to directly create a copy of the FedEx shipping plugin named differently.

Kind regards,
Mohamed Thelji.