Version 2.6 is now available for you to test. I expect to release the update for production use in a week or two.


Based on customer requests, 3 new features have been added:

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* Fine tune your Google Checkout shipping options to avoid the 3 second rule

* New properties to test including item inventory so you can create backorder packages

* Ability to compare properties such as the rates from 2 different shipping methods
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Video showing how to compare the cost of Priority Mail and Parcel Post.

Shipping Rate Providers 2.6 Release Candidate 2 is now posted. I think this will be the last release candidate before final release.


Changes from Beta and RC1

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* The Plug-In is now available as a separate download if all you want is the free postal code support. The article, "Postal Code Validator for BVC5" demeonstrates how to use the postal code support to validate US zip codes.

* Product names have changed slightly. The product that was called the "Shipping Rate Provider Suite" is now called "Rule Providers". I will use the term provider suite to refer to all the add-on providers collectively.

* A Canada Post provider is now available. The article, "How to setup a Canada Post shipping method for BVC5" shows how to use the Canada Post provider.
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In other news, today Google moved direct carrier support out of beta and into production. With direct carrier support, Google will contact FedEx, UPS, and/or USPS directly to retrieve shipping costs instead of calling back to your store for those rates. Presumably this will reduce the number of timeouts. I noticed that their USPS support does not cover international mail. You will need to continue using callbacks for those.

I have no idea when, or if, BV Software will change their integration to support direct carrier rates.

I'm also wondering the same, since promo codes are the only payment input on cart pages.