Australian Post (AusPost) Virtuemart 3.0 Shipping Plugin

[GJC Web Design]

The Australian Post Virtuemart 3.0 Shipping Plugin

This is the VirtueMart 3.0 AusPost "Australia Post" Shipping Plugin that fully integrates and shows real time shipping quotes based on vendor and customer postcodes in the checkout process.
Installs as a native VirtueMart 3.0 - Joomla 3.x Shipping Plugin.

You can download it here - The Australian Post Virtuemart 3.0 Shipping Plugin

Dedicated Test Site here - GJC Web Design Aussie Test Site

Download our Australian Post Virtuemart 3.0 Shipping Plugin Instruction PDF to see just how simple it is.



Our VirtueMart 3.0 Shipping Module/Plugin for the Australian Post Office Parcel Service - Domestic and International services has been in constant development since we followed up our Australian Post VM1.1 version in early 2012.

So we thought it is about time we had a round up of what it can do and how best to configure it as a lot of new features have been added over the last year.

The latest version is 3.4.1 - fully tested on J3.7.+/VM3.2.+

26.08.2014
Full rewrite for Virtuemart 3.0 & Joomla 3.0 - current owners please contact me for an upgrade - a small fee is charged - only nesscesary if you are moving to Joomla 3.x

Just clone the method to add multiple shipping posibilities



# added full cURL debugging for server connection problems

e.g.

Code Select Expand

2013-10-18 13:28:51

* About to connect() to auspost.com.au port 443 (#0)
*   Trying 202.58.62.160...
* connected
* Connected to auspost.com.au (202.58.62.160) port 443 (#0)
* successfully set certificate verify locations:
*   CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt
  CApath: none
* SSL connection using RC4-MD5
* Server certificate:
* subject: 1.3.6.1.4.1.311.60.2.1.3=AU; businessCategory=Government Entity; serialNumber=28 864 970 579; C=AU; ST=Victoria; L=Melbourne; O=Australian Postal Corporation; OU=EBPP; OU=Terms of use at www.verisign.com/rpa (c)05; CN=auspost.com.au
* start date: 2012-03-28 00:00:00 GMT
* expire date: 2014-05-27 23:59:59 GMT
* common name: auspost.com.au (matched)
* issuer: C=US; O=VeriSign, Inc.; OU=VeriSign Trust Network; OU=Terms of use at https://www.verisign.com/rpa (c)06; CN=VeriSign Class 3 Extended Validation SSL SGC CA
* SSL certificate verify ok.

Remember - updates for current major VM or Joomla releases free for 12 months!!!

Just use our Support Page and request your update - please mention your order id and email you used while ordering.
We will email you the new zip bundle - just re-install as normal - all your methods and settings will be saved.

Features:
Free shipping with proper labels:
Many shipping plugins just return a blank when free shipping is triggered. Ours returns a proper label!





Add your own icon images:
Just upload your own images (60px x 40px) to plugins/vmshipment/auspost/auspost_images/ and they will be available in the plugin admin for selection.

Automatically finds the cheapest AusPost method:
If you select 'Cheapest Rate Always' in the 'Choose the required shipping method' drop down our plugin will automatically find the cheapest rate and display its correct name!

N.B.  don't mix the 'Cheapest Rate Always' with other relevant (i.e. Domestic or International) methods.







Over length protection:
AusPost sets length limits for it's parcel delivery as below:

    Standard parcel: 105cm
    Small satchel: 35.5cm
    Medium stachel: 40.5cm
    Large satchel:  51cm

(source: http://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/prepaid-satchels.html)

We have of course provided full length detection for these methods and if any of the products in the order are over these dimensions ( and your not using 'One click set for measurements' ) that particular method will not be returned by the system.


One click set for measurements:
As you probably know AusPost calculates the shipping cost based on weight. But they also calculate a "volume weight" based on length x height x width. This will apply to large bulky but light parcels but won't affect 99% of users (unless you ship feathers etc). Therefore AusPost requires these measurements to be sent as well.

There is also a 105cm length limit on standard parcel measurements and a length limits for the Satchels. This is also checked by the plugin.
If your articles have only weights without size measurements the plugin will calculate a per side measurements to send to AusPost (they are required) based on the cube root of the total volume.

This is an all or nothing system - so if you have no measurements it will work but if some of your items have measurements and are added to the cart with the non-measurement items the total of the with measurements will be used and be inaccurate!
For best accuracy ALWAYS ad measurements to your products especially if they are of "unusually" large sizes!



Fail safe protection:
We have had some reports of the AusPosts servers timing out at busy periods in which case a the native shipping routines would consider a no-return as zero and make it selectable for the client!

We have coded the AusPost Shipping Plugin to check for a valid response and if non is received to grey out (make non-selectable) the radio button and to display a message: 'AusPost did not respond - please try again'.




Fully GST compatible:
Our plugin also is coded to provide the correct GST diaplay within the cart, taking the value from the tax configuration of your site.







Clear Information for your visitors:
We also return the the error meesages from AusPost to the client so they understand any problem that may occur e.g. a non-valid postcode.
This can be displayed in the methods themselves or use the Virtuemart messaging system or both.

You can even choose your own message to display in the methods when an error occurs!
The method selection of course is disabled for any method that has an error - the radio button is disabled and greyed out.







Pre-fail on errors:
Another option that is selectable for each domestic method is Pre-fail on an AusPost error (normally it would be a non valid postcode). This effectively works as a postcode validator for your site, by simply changing the default VirtueMart error message 'We are sorry, no shipment method matches the characteristics of your order.' (COM_VIRTUEMART_CART_NO_SHIPPING_METHOD_PUBLIC) to 'Please check your postcode!'
This can slow the return of the shipping price a little so try it and see if it's acceptable.




Signature on Delivery:
This is fully configuable in the plugin administration with choice of price and label. The labelling is automatic.



Full debugging available:
If for any reason the AusPost Virtuemart shipping plugin doesn't return what you expected debugging is a breeze. Simply switch on the debugging option in the AusPost plugin options and a full and complete readout of everything the system is calculating and receiving from AusPost is printed out.
Any problems are simple to diagnose!



Installation
Our plugin is very simple to install and configure and if you need any help we are always here.
Just read some of the reviews on Joomla Extensions to see what other customers think of our service!

Configuration
Our plugin is very simple to install and configure and if you need any help we are always here.

Just download our Australian Post Virtuemart 3.0 Shipping Plugin Instruction PDF to see just how simple it is.

You can read some of the reviews on Joomla Extensions to see what other customers think of our service!

Australian Post Virtuemart 3.0 Shipping Plugin on Joomla Extensions

e.g

"Thanks for a great, well coded, extension with great support.

Took a couple of minutes to install and select the appropriate options, the instructions page is simple but covers everything needed (included an override to display zero values which I implemented first go) and when the client later wanted free shipping for selected items, John from GJC was as good as his word and responded within 12 hours (different time zones) with a solution."

You can download the plugin here - The Australian Post Virtuemart 3.0 Shipping Plugin


Any questions just use our support page - we are here to help! Support Page

[GJC Web Design]

Our very popular Australian Post VirtueMart 2.0 Shipping Plugin has just had another upgrade. Insurance has been added and the ability to apply discounts.
But most importantly a heavy recode has eliminated two thirds of the cURL calls to the AusPost server resulting in a significant speed up of the postage returns.
It also as standard prechecks the validity of the requests (postcode, size etc) saving more time and more reliable error checking...

# logo choose on cheapest v1.2.7 08.01.2014
# added discount v1.2.8 18.01.2014
# heavy rewrite - eliminated extra cURL calls v1.2.9 26.04.2014
# insurance added v1.2.9 26.04.2014

This is all selectable in the plugin configuration.

Needs a minimum of VM2.0.26

[GJC Web Design]

The latest version is 3.3.2

26.08.2014
Full rewrite for Virtuemart 3.0 & Joomla 3.0 - current owners please contact me for an upgrade - a small fee is charged - only nesscesary if you are moving to Joomla 3.x

[GJC Web Design]

If you find your parameters won't save in Joomla3 / VM2.9.9d+ you need the latest AusPost3.3.3 - just email me and I will send.

[kennethrules]

I think, I gonna bought this, when my new project has sign.. ^_^

[GJC Web Design]

Another 100% happy customer at VM AusPost Shipping for VirtueMart

Fully updated for VM3 and latest Auspost api changes

[GJC Web Design]

 VM AusPost Shipping for VirtueMart

All older versions will now not work as AusPost have changed all their endpoint urls and many of their in-house codes for the different methods.
There are now no versions available for VM2.6 as the code base now has so many differences.
This version is fully compatible with all VM3 versions from VM3.0.9
Contact me if you have difficulties with this.

Latest changes for the VirtueMart 3.0 Australian Post shipping plugin v3.3.9

# new endpoint urls https://digitalapi.auspost.com.au 28.06.2016 v3.3.7
# fix for latest ShipTo address select / postcode in display 14.09.2016 v3.3.8
# weights in display, volume fix, mm heights 24.09.2016 v3.3.9