ELEX WooCommerce USPS Shipping Plugin gets USPS eVS Vendor Certification

Electronic Verification System (eVS) helps high volume eCommerce store owners to use electronic manifest files to manage their shipping documentation and postage payment. Basically, when you are shipping large number of packages on a regular basis, this can be a cost effective strategy. For efficient integration, vendor software applications are certified by USPS based on their compliance to eVS and Impb (Intelligent Mail package barcode). In addition to ensuring eVS and impb compliance, the software vendors who receive this certification are able to meet specifications for displaying rates, delivery address elements and label layout and barcode quality. We would like to proudly inform you that ELEX WooCommerce USPS shipping plugin has got the USPS eVS Vendor Certification. In this article, we will help you understand the nuances of this certification and how eVS can benefit your shipping process.

What are the advantages of USPS eVS?

If you have an eCommerce store that has relatively higher number of packages to send, USPS eVS can offer you several advantages. The process of preparing and entering packaging for shipping becomes simpler with eVS. This is because it integrates with multiple systems and processes to make data collection and performance measurement more effective. Let’s take a quick look at some of the standout benefits of using eVS.

  • You will get a single national permit for all the sites that you ship from.
  • It is a more cost effective solution when you have a larger number of parcels to send regularly. No need to pay annual mailing permit fees.
  • The process of shipping with USPS becomes more streamlined and simple. In addition, you can avoid the usual verification process at the origin post office for each package. Basically, you don’t need to worry about the operating hours of the origin post office. You will be able to find a flexible appointment for entering your packages to USPS.
  • It eliminates paperwork considerably as you can manage shipping documenation electronically. As a result, there is no need of maintaining hardcopy manifests, postage statements, adjustment worksheets, etc.
  • With USPS eVS, postage will be deducted from your PostalOne! account. You can view postage statements online through this account. Moreover, you will find addition account monitoring and reports on your mailing data.
  • For dropshipping, you don’t have to submit PS Form 8125, which is a requirement otherwise.

What is IMpb?

Intelligent mail package barcode (IMpb) helps to increase the overall efficiency of the shipping process. Furthermore, it enhances the tracking facilities of the carrier as well. Basically, it will help you find the best shipping services and the best discounts.

The primary requirements of IMpb that you need to ensure on the package are as follows:

  • Your package should have a unique IMpb. This will ensure better visibility for your package and it would mean better customer satisfaction.
  • A Shipping Service File (SSF) with all the required details filled in (version 1.6 or higher). This enables USPS to use the automated system to sort and track packages going through various destinations. Moreover, the postal service will be able to allocate resources more effectively by correctly assessing the workload.
  • Each record in the SSF should have the correct delivery address, and/or a Delivery Point Validated Zip Code. This will help to improve the operational efficiency as it has the necessary information to dynamically direct the package to the correct route. In the traditional system, employees had to memorize routes, which could have hampered the accuracy and speed of the delivery.

Why choose a shipping plugin with USPS eVS Vendor Certification?

 

To be able to participate in eVS, you need to submit Shipping Services Files (SSF). This file actually contains information such as a master ID of the eVS customer, the number of packages in the manifest and the zip code of the location through which it is entered. The SSF will include the information required to determine the shipping rate of each package as well. In addition, it has information regarding the specific USPS service, Impb, weight of the package, zip code of the delivery location, etc.

So, USPS recommends new users who are using their eVS option to use software developed by vendors who have USPS eVS Vendor Certification. This is to ensure that you provide compatible data for generating SSF Tracking as well as the Postage layout required for eVS.  It will also help you to make use of pre-certification for files and labels.

How ELEX got USPS eVS vendor certification?

ELEX completely revamped the USPS shipping plugin to comply to the regulations of eVS. The plugin uses the eVS API of USPS to integrate USPS shipping services to your WooCommerce store. Moreover, for the USPS eVS vendor certification, using the plugin we generated the Shipping Service File, which contained 1000 shipments. In addition, 100 labels were generated with the plugin by using all the combination of services available with the plugin.

In addition to generating the sample SSF and IMpb compliant shipping labels, there are a few more criteria that were evaluated, which are listed below:

  • Barcode quality – The readability and compliance with the existing guidelines were checked for the barcode.
  • Manifest quality – The components of the SSF that deals with the rate of each services and payment information was assessed here.
  • Address quality – The delivery address included in the SSF was validated for the quality of the address as well. According to IMpb guidelines, there should have a complete Delivery Point Validation (DPV) address or the 11-digit delivery ZIP Code.
  • Prompt file sending timeline – The SSF should be submitted well in time. It should reach before the package reaches the USPS facility for the physical scan.

Ensuring all these specifications were important to get the USPS eVS vendor certification. After the submission of all the specific requirements from our side, the USPS eVS team has validated ELEX as an eVS compliant vendor. That makes us among the best option for you to integrate USPS services on your WooCommerce store, if you have an eVS account with USPS.

Now, let’s do a quick recap of the standout features of ELEX USPS Shipping Plugin.

ELEX WooCommerce USPS Shipping Plugin with Print Label

The plugin helps you automate USPS shipping method on your WooCommerce store. By integrating to the USPS eVS API, it will help you get access to the advanced features of USPS right on your WooCommerce admin. The plugin has USPS eVS Vendor Certification to ensure that you have a hassle free integration of all the requirements for the electronic verification system (eVS) of USPS. If you are not an eVS customer of USPS, try our Stamps.com Shipping Plugin with USPS Postage for WooCommerce. Here is a quick reminder of what you can do with the ELEX WooCommerce USPS eVS-Certified plugin.

Display live shipping rates

You will be able to display a range of domestic and international USPS shipping services and their real time rates on your Cart and Checkout pages. The displayed rates will be based on the product weight, box dimensions, and shipping destination address, etc. If you have account specific discounted rates available on your account with USPS, you can pass on these rates to your customers.

The plugin also helps you make price adjustments to each of the displayed services. You can add a markup or offer a discount to the available rates in the plugin settings page. The plugin allows a fixed value or a percentage value for price adjustments with separate columns for both. If you want to add a markup, you can enter a positive value, and for discount, enter a negative value.

Print Shipping Labels

The plugin helps you print labels paying postage automatically within your WooCommerce store admin. You can use the plugin to create eVS shipments in bulk as well.

eVS Scan form

The scan form will have information about multiple packages in a shipment. This actually helps to speed up your fulfillment process. When a number of packages are picked up by USPS, if there is a scan form, the process will be faster. The scan form will have a master barcode of multiple packages in a group of shipments. Using this form, the USPS personnel can scan a single barcode to verify rather than scanning the barcode of each package. The ELEX USPS plugin has a scan form dashboard where you can create this form by specifying multiple order ids, or the date of label generation.

Shipment tracking

An efficient shipment tracking is one of the notable advantages of having an eVS account with USPS. As tracking is automated, it is more efficient and as a result your customers will have a clear idea on the whereabouts of their parcels. While generating a shipping label using the ELEX USPS Shipping plugin, the tracking code will be automatically available on the order details page. Customers can access the tracking code through their My Account page. In addition, you will be able to include the tracking code in the order completion email.

Parcel Packing options

The USPS eVS API calculates the shipping rates based on the shipping destination as well as the weight and dimensions of the product. Based on the weight and dimensions of your products you can also choose an appropriate parcel packing method using this plugin. So, the rates will be determined based on the ideal parcel packing option for your products. There are three available parcel packing methods you can choose from:

  • Pack items individually
  • Pack into boxes with weight and dimensions
  • Weight based packing.

You can choose the right one for your products, and the displayed rates will be based on that.

USPS Flat Rate Boxes

If your products weigh below 70 lbs, you can make use of the USPS Flat Rate Boxes. These boxes come in different sizes and will have a fixed rate. So, you can use these to ship your products and get better rates if you have relatively heavier products. A product of smaller dimensions, which is relatively heavy, can be shipped at a better rate using a flat rate box. Our plugin allows you to choose one or more flat rate boxes from the settings page.

The single site subscription of the plugin would cost you $69. The 5-site subscription and the 25-site subscription are priced at $99 and $199 respectively.

Hope this article has given you a better idea on the USPS eVS vendor certification and the relevance of using our plugin for USPS shipping integration on your WooCommerce store.

You can read the documentation to understand the configuration of the plugin. For any queries, please contact our support team.

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