I'll probably write this for my own satisfaction anyway, but would anybody be interested in:

Modules to interface with Fedex, UPS, Airborne, USPS (or whichever ones I can figure out the web services interfaces for) in the cart?

I'll write it in VB.NET.

I think it'd be great addition to the Store!

Martin

If it does tracking, and gives shipping cost, I would pay a descent price for it.

Take a look at this link:

http://www.dotnetship.com/

Yep - They got there first. Maybe I'll write it, but its at the bottom of the list now.

Have your seen thier prices ? $125 per site. If you have to write ecommerce sites for more than one customer it's deffinatly worth it to write your own. Might check out Intershipper at www.intershipper.com. It's free.

Advent,

To make it even worse - they don't even have a OEM/developer license in place. I emailed them and asked how much it would be for a one time buy out of rights or a per license price to include it in a e-commerce package I am creating. They didn't have an answer. Are they for real? Imagine how much business they are going to miss out on because of it.

TIM

Looked at http://www.intershipper.com. Free! Nice! Looks like a XML/API solution. I don't even have the time to implement this, but what a great project for someone. If someone wrapped this in a .NET object. Oh Boy!

Just an FYI on the Intershipper stuff. I checked the XML schema and it's a complex type. In otherwords when importing the xml into a dataset it used hidden columns to create the parent/child relationships. You wouldn't believe how long it took me to figure out what it was doing ;p So if you plan on binding results of a rate request to a control just be aware of this little gotcha.

Here's an example :

Wanted to create a combo with Carrier Name - Shipping Method Name - Rate

Problem: Carrier Name when read into a dataset from the XML is put into a different tables than the Shipping Method Name and Rate

The dataset creates a hidden column named "Carrier_ID" for both the Carrier Name tables and the Shipping Method table to let it know the relationship between the two. That column, however, is hidden.

So I use the "Carrier_ID" in the Shipping Method table as the row Index for the Carrier Table

Example:

For Each row In ds.Tables(2).Rows

ComboBox1.Items.Add(ds.Tables(1).Rows(row.Item("Carrier_ID")).Item("Name").ToString + "-" + row.Item("Name").ToString + "-" + row.Item("Rate").ToString)

Next

Carrier table = Table(1)
Method table = Table(2)

Anyway.. hope this helps anyone who is planning on implementing this. If I can save more than 1 minute of grief for another programmer then it's worth it :)

Survey time:

What would you pay for a module that did all the things being discussed? Specifically:

With 1 shipper: $
All the major ones (fedex, UPS, Airborne, & USPS): $

Just Webservices (e.g. no pretty stuff, just the api to call each shipper through asmx's): $

A Dev License: $
An OEM License: $

App License: $
Server License: $
Which of the two immediately above do you prefer?

I'm considering this project again.

hmm, good question.

Let me just say that if I was only creating a store for myself that I would have no problem paying the $100+ that netshipper is charging or any other product (yours for example). But since I am creating a complete ecommerce package to sell and believe me I intend to sell it for a VERY low price there is no way I can pay even close to that. Otherwise I have to increase my price and then it just defeats the purpose of trying to offer a nice store front package that is very feature rich for a very affordable price.

My theory is this.. Assume you create a component for all the major shippers and you charge $60-80 to under sell and give back to the ASP.NET community :) That is fine for one company or one person to pay for the ease of use and functionality it provides. But think about it really - how many people really need that functionality? I know the numbers can't be that hight. So from a business stand point it would make sense to want to offer it as a OEM product at a very low price and this way have OTHERS selling your product for you and these are sales that you would never of had in the first place - so are you really loosing out?

To sum up:

1 Shipper - $20
All Major ones- $80 max, but $40-$60 will put you in a good place.

Webservices? Just make it easy to inteface (send and receive information).

OEM: Should be per situation. Small dollar amount or a percentage of sales.

App/Server/License - Make it wasy and have a 1 fit's all approach.

TIM

Yep I agree. If your a developer who is creating an ecommerce solution, whether a shrink wrap type software or as a hosting service the market is pretty competitive. In order to maintain a competitive price the service has to be priced to fit that. With this type of software or service your money will be made in volume if it's the developer or shopping cart hosting companies your targeting. While Intershipper certainly didn't make it easy for us.. it is a free service (still don't know how they make money) so you have some pretty stiff competition to start out with. One strategy might be to offer a software cost (easy to use .NET control) based on liscense type and absorb the upfront cost in a small monthly or yearly fee for use of the service.

Another avenue is to make an ASP.NET component for credit card processing. The fees other companies are charging for these kinds of products are insane. If, as a developer, I want to offer a complete choice of gateways my customer can chose from, which is often the case depending on what company that person does thier credit card processing from, I have to code in all the options for Verisign, LinkPoint, Authorize.net etc. In order for me to keep a competitive price I simply cannot afford the costs companies like .NETCharge are going to cost me, wich is the only .NET solution for this as far as I know. And I certainly don't want to go back to using COM with something like xAuthorize. In my opinion, this market is wide open to someone who makes an affordable product. I wish I had the time :)

[Edit by="bdesmond"]Should pay mroe attention during English - can't spell.[/Edit]
I think I've been convinced that writing this could be profitable. (and if it isn't, at least I'll learn something in the process.)

Stay tuned - I'm going to start turning the crank on this real soon.

Advent,

Have you had any luck with Intershipper? shoot me an email pappaleon@hotmail.com.nospam (minus the nospam)

Talk to you soon

TIM

Email sent !