FedEx retiring their Shipping API - what's the solution?

[sparky672]

My client is using Miva Merchant v4.20 (Miva Engine v4.1000) and OpenUI along with Miva's built-in FedEx(R) Shipping Cost Estimate module version 4.2301

FedEx sent recently them a letter which states, "on May 31, 2012 the FedEx Ship Manager API and FedEx Ship Manager Direct solutions will be retired." or something to that effect.

It continues, "Please update this to a FedEx Compatible Solution. A list of these providers can be found at fedex.com/us/compatiblesolutions/"

However, I don't see how any of those listed solutions have anything to do with Miva Merchant, nor do I see Miva on the list of Software Vendors. Can we no longer have FedEx as a Miva Cart shipping option?

Can somebody explain the bottom-line about what all this means?

Without the FedEx API, how are Miva 5 carts presently getting FedEx shipping rates? Can that be applied to Miva version 4?

Thank-you!

[Rick Wilson]

Re: FedEx retiring their Shipping API - what's the solution?

You can but not on 4.x.

We released our upgraded FedEx integration back in early Q1 of this year but 4.x is long since obsolete and not supported, so the only way to get it is to upgrade to 5.5 PR8 Update 5 or higher.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: FedEx retiring their Shipping API - what's the solution?

The only hope you might have on 4.x but I doubt is if Viking Coders chose to update their 4.x module.

[Siamese-Dream.Com]

Re: FedEx retiring their Shipping API - what's the solution?

On a side note...

If they are using Merchant 4 compiled, Shouldn't they really upgrade to 4.24?

And also stating the obvious here, but:

Merchant 5.5 is SSSOOOO MMMUUUUCCCHHH better than merchant 4 it is unbelievable.

[sparky672]

Re: FedEx retiring their Shipping API - what's the solution?

You can but not on 4.x.

We released our upgraded FedEx integration back in early Q1 of this year but 4.x is long since obsolete and not supported, so the only way to get it is to upgrade to 5.5 PR8 Update 5 or higher.

Thank-you very much for the clear and definitive answer. I totally understand your company's stance on upgrading legacy software.

However, this stance also puts Miva at a competitive disadvantage, where my client would be paying a webmaster to either upgrade to Miva 5 or move to another Shopping Cart. Since they're paying either way, I think they'll ultimately go with an open-source cart system to save on monthly licensing fees.

I'm also a long-time OLM hosting customer, and the recent letter Miva sent out (to my OLM hosting clients) making strange accusations in an attempt to get them to switch hosting companies came off as a very sleazy thing. I'm sure Miva had the best of intentions, but the confusing and negative message left a somewhat damaging impression of Miva on my clients. My clients are loyal to OLM and do not want to be caught between any legal wrangling of these two companies.

On a side note...

If they are using Merchant 4 compiled, Shouldn't they really upgrade to 4.24?

And also stating the obvious here, but:

Merchant 5.5 is SSSOOOO MMMUUUUCCCHHH better than merchant 4 it is unbelievable.

I have no doubt that Miva 5.5 is better than Miva 4.

However, unless there's a way to easily transition a Miva 4 (w/ OpenUI) installation over to Miva 5.5, my client might as well consider just switching to a whole different Shopping Cart system... it's going to cost webmaster time either way.

I've always liked Miva, but since the Miva 4 days, other competing products have caught up and they don't have the monthly fees.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: FedEx retiring their Shipping API - what's the solution?

I disagree with what you'll find using the Open Source carts. Most of them are Resource Hogs, have Security Issues or often both.

Ultimately $29 a month to use our product to host elsewhere or $49 a month to host with us is a bargain for PCI Compliant software. With Magento you have to pay $15k a year for PCI Compliant software.

As for the OLM issue, we may have overreacted a little. When a partner sends out something suggesting people change carts we get defensive. We also don't know who are resellers and who are direct customers.

We do have an affiliate program if you're interested and if you give us a list of your direct OLM customers then we will know not to contact that as if they were direct customers of OLM.

Finally on the upgrade thing, what most web developers find is that it takes roughly 1/4th the time to build the same exact store in Miva Merchant as it does Magento Community. So yes you might be paying a dev either way, but if it's 50 hours to do it in Miva and 200 hours in Magento, that's a LOT of monthly fees you need to save for it to even out.

[Siamese-Dream.Com]

Re: FedEx retiring their Shipping API - what's the solution?

If you find a free cart that works out well, be sure to let me know. I LOVE to save money wherever I can.

I would, though, in the best interests of your clients, take a long look at the latest built-in features in Merchant 5.5 AND take a good look at the ToolKit / toolBelt modules, as for a VERY reasonable amount of money (around $50 or so), they let you add an awful lot of features.

I don't know how it compares to magento, but I guess before deciding to go with ANY cart, you have to figure out how much it will cost to get all the features you will want installed.

Don't get me wrong; Miva Merchant drives me crazy some times. But for MY needs, I still find it a great value - especially since if I ever have a problem, hostasaurus / miva hosting is on top of it right away.

As for moving the OUI settings, I ain't gonna lie; it is a PITA. But I found that trying to leverage the new format of the new CSSUI instead of trying to adapt it to the design that I used to have when my site was OUI made the site look nicer.

Hope this helps, and good luck with whatever you do.

[nottheusual1]

Re: FedEx retiring their Shipping API - what's the solution?

In 2 MIVA 4.24 stores, we moved back to using UPS via the Viking Coders UPS Custom module. You'll need to get the MIVA engine upgraded to at least 5.10 for it to work, though.

But it may be your only option.

While it's a shade of FUD to disparage all open source carts, it is true many of them have issues, but that's no different than the "closed source" community - or we'd never need an upgrade.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: FedEx retiring their Shipping API - what's the solution?

I was essentially saying "you get what you pay for". I believe that while Open Source carts can come with no license fees, they also come with unknown costs. Security compliance, Hosting fees (especially for stores with legitimate volume), programming time, etc...

There is no such thing as a free lunch in the end.

[nottheusual1]

Re: FedEx retiring their Shipping API - what's the solution?

Sure - but there needs to be some context to the debate - and blanket assertions don't serve that purpose.

Any more than V*lutions ads disparaging Miva do. FUD is FUD.