Evidently there was some kind of USPS change over the weekend… Now my customers only get the choice of Priority Mail. I have always offered First Class Mail and Media Mail, but these options are no longer showing up in my cart. Has anyone else had this issue and if so, how do you fix it?
Thanks in advance.
No one else has had this problem?
Is it because I haven't upgraded to 4.2.2? (I'm still on 4.1.5).
I submitted a ticket on this and got this answer:
You are correct. I tested on 4.2.2 and First Class does not work any longer. The change over the weekend must have broke something. Let us know if you decide to put a bug report in.
I upgraded my site last night to 4.2.2 (from 4.1.5) just in case there was something in the update that would fix this, but unfortunately the problem is still there as you say. I guess I will wait and see what help desk says, but yeah, looks like a bug. Bummer! I am currently losing sales because of this.
Guys, check if you receive any error when clicking on the Test button on the shipping method settings page?
Yes, this is what I get:
Shipping service: USPS First-Class Mail Weight: 0.50 lbs Error: The requested Mail Service is not available for the specified request attributes. / The requested Mail Service is not available for the specified request attributes. / The requested Mail Service is not available for the specified request attributes. / The requested Mail Service is not available for the specified request attributes.
For Media Mail I get the following. Note that it seems to be confused. I chose Media Mail but it's complaining about my package being too heavy for First Class Mail. Beats me.
Shipping service: USPS Media Mail Weight: 2.00 lbs Error: First Class mail must weigh 13 ounces or less. / The requested Mail Service is not available for the specified request attributes. / The requested Mail Service is not available for the specified request attributes. / The requested Mail Service is not available for the specified request attributes.
According to USPS Web Tools Release Notes from two weeks ago there is this change (my installations of v3.0.6 & v4.1.5 are still getting First Class quotes LIVE from USPS without an error)[list]
[]Media Mail and Library Mail updates
[list]
[]CLASSID=6 response value change from “Media Mail†to “Media Mail Parcelâ€
[]CLASSID=7 response value change from “Library Mail†to “Library Mail Parcelâ€
[/list][]First-Class Package Service Update
[list]
[]When =â€FIRST CLASS COMMERCIALâ€, “PARCEL†will no longer be a valid enumeration
[]Use “PACKAGE SERVICE†instead
[/list]
[/list]
For USPS First Class Mail / Domestic USPS shipping method configuration, I have:
Package Size = Regular
First Class Mail Type = Parcel
Machinable = True
Container (Priority Mail) = None
Container (Express) = None
Ground only = unchecked
Extra service = none checked
I don't think we are using “First Class Commercial” which has the change. And the problem with First Class might just be that there are options chosen in the form that are not supported for First Class.
Thank you Magpie Don. I was hoping you would chime in on this.
The only thing I have different is where you have
First Class Mail Type = Parcel
I have:
First Class Mail Type = Letter
What would be the effect of me changing “Letter” to “Parcel” do you think?
Try it, and test it, it can’t break it any further 
I just upgraded my v4.1.5 store to v4.2.2 and I’m getting First Class rates with the setting above.
What I don’t get is the Extra Service for Tracking when added to First Class (I have a second First Class method defined called First Class with Tracking).
In my PHP error logs I get 50 errors for each USPS request they all look like this:
[10-Sep-2014 14:34:19 America/New_York] PHP Notice: Undefined index: 160 in /home/***/public_html/v4/app/Tygh/Shippings/Services/Usps.php on line 458<br />
```<br />
Trying to troubleshoot the Special Service : add Tracking, I can see the the USPS XML request is passing the value of 13 for the Special Service, but there is no Response in the logs.<br />
<br />
Your problem with Media Mail is probably going to be solved by renaming the service from “Media Mail†to “Media Mail Parcel†in the cs-cart_shipping_services database table (I have that as service_id = 50). Can you do that without me providing a query? If you use phpMyAdmin, you can manually change the value right in the table field without a query.OK.
I can confirm that if I change the First Class Mail setting to parcel it brings in those rates. They look a bit high though.
Media Mail still does not work, but I'll try your suggestion later.
Thanks so much!
I can confirm that when you select CS-Cart's Extra Service option for USPS Tracking (which can be added to First Class), it does not add the Price to the cost of the shipping in v4 or v3. USPS must have changed something that is now enforced when the name was changed from “Delivery Confirmation” to “USPS Tracking” last year.
Other Extra Service work properly.
Also, every request to USPS for rate information on checkout will write multiple errors into your PHP error log - as indicated above - EVEN if you don't request any of the Extra Services.
It's also weirdly inefficient that an http request is made to USPS for EACH USPS shipping method you have set up. I have two for Domestic and two for International. The process then makes 4 requests to USPS for each domestic order or each international order. I see in each of the domestic requests, there is a request for a rate for ALL the services CS-Cart includes - even ones I don't use.
There's a definitely problem with the efficiency of the USPS.php script which has existed for a long time.
Added to Bug Tracker today:
http://forum.cs-cart.com/tracker/issue-5249-usps-extra-serviceusps-tracking-error/
I renamed the service from “Media Mail†to “Media Mail Parcel†in the cs-cart_shipping_services database table, set up the service as a new shipping method and tested it with success.
How do you define products for use with Media Mail? I would love to offer this method, but I have non-media products mingled with media products. USPS is pretty strict on what can be included in a Media Mail shipment and if I put ANY non-media item in with the media then it will get returned. Books, especially, (as you know) get heavy and I can now only offer USPS Priority Mail for anything over 13oz. - books could be shipped via Media Mail cheaper.
Yes, I just changed the Media Mail to Media Mail Parcel in the database as you suggested, and I now have Media Mail back! Thanks!
Everything I sell is media-related: Books, CDs, and DVDs. I've just always assumed they qualify. When I actually go to ship the items, I use Library Mail, which is a little bit cheaper than Media, but basically the same service.
On the First Class Mail: Do you know if changing “Letter” to “Parcel” puts me into a different price tier? Most of the time I am shipping one book or DVD inside a bubble envelope when I use First Class.
Does anyone have any idea how to fix Standard Post as well? I can confirm that changing to Media Mail Parcel in the DB will fix Media Mail.
But my site uses Standard (formerly Parcel Post) and I can't figure out what to change it to. The USPS website and documentation is amazingly useless.
In the “September 7th Maintenance Release Notes” that are available on this page:
https://www.usps.com/business/web-tools-apis/welcome.htm
There is no indication of Standard Post being renamed.
CS-Cart has two: Standard Post M & Standard Post N (M is for machinable, N is for non-machinable), but I have tried both, with different configurations for Large packages, machinable option, etc. I tried removing the M or N from the code, and I can't get a Live Rate for Standard Post at all. Sorry, but I don't know how to configure Standard Post.
I also notice that First Class is not showing. We used to have this option as well for Real Time shipping, but now not showing.
Kingsley, did CS-Cart respond to you?
I too can only make it work if I switch from letter to parcel…and I don't want to do this because as you noted, the pricing is higher.