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On January 22, 2012, USPS will update domestic shipping services and international pricing and product features. For detailed information on prices and new product features, please reference the Federal Register Notices viewable at http://pe.usps.com/.

Price Change updates will be available in the Web Tools testing environment for integrator access on or around January 6, 2012. The test environment can be accessed, using your production UserID, via the following URL scheme, host and path:
Secure APIs: https://stg-secure.shippingapis.com/ShippingApi.dll
Non-secure APIs: http://stg-production.shippingapis.com/ShippingApi.dll

Please note that the changes below are intended to be backwards compatible, however, may not be depending on how individual programs are integrated with the APIs.

Web Tools APIs will be affected in the following manner:
·         All Web Tools APIs with postage prices incorporated will be updated to reflect the price changes;
·         Domestic Rate Calculator API Changes:
o        New <Container> request enumerations added to RateV4 to support the USPS product offerings and prices listed in the Federal Register Notice:
§         FLAT RATE BOX (Express Mail Flat Rate Box),
§         REGIONALRATEBOXC (Priority Mail Regional Rate Box C);
o        New <FirstClassMailType> request enumeration added to RateV4:
§         PACKAGE SERVICE;
o        Optional <ReturnServiceInfo> tag added to RateV4 to return “Loss Guarantee Only” commitment information when an Express Mail Commitment is requested to certain destinations
o        First-Class Mail Package <MailService> response values updated in RateV3 and RateV4 as follows:
§         Postage CLASSID="0" - Retail Pricing
<MailService>First-Class Mail® Package</MailService> will become:
<MailService>First-Class Mail® Parcel</MailService>,
§         Postage CLASSID="61" - Commercial Pricing
<MailService>First-Class Mail® Package</MailService> will become:
<MailService>First-Class Mail® Package Service</MailService>;
o        New response nodes in RateV3 and RateV4 to support the USPS product offerings and prices listed in the Federal Register Notice (Express Mail Flat Rate Box and Priority Mail Regional Rate Box C, specifically);
o        Rate and RateV2 responses will be modified to:
§         Return trademarked product names,
§         Enforce dimensional requirements through error messaging for large, oversize and S-restricted destinations.
·         All Rate Calculator API integrators are encouraged to migrate to the latest API versions (RateV4, IntlRateV2):
o        Rate and RateV2 versions of the domestic Rate Calculator will be retired on March 31, 2012, requiring all integrators to migrate to the latest versions;
·         International Rate Calculator API:
o        New response nodes in IntlRate and IntlRateV2 to support the USPS product offerings and prices listed in the Federal Register Notice (Express Mail Flat Rate Box, specifically);
·         Express Mail Label and Hold For Pickup Express APIs:
o        New <Container> request data tags to support the Express Mail Flat Rate Box;
§         FLAT RATE BOX
·         Delivery Confirmation and Signature Confirmation APIs:
o        New <Container> request data tags to support the Priority Mail Regional Rate Box C;
§         REGIONALRATEBOXC
·         Express Mail International API:
o        New <Container> request data tags to support the Express Mail Flat Rate Box:
§         FLATRATEBOX.

Please contact the USPS Internet Customer Care Center with any questions or concerns at 1-800-344-7779 or uspstechsupport@esecurecare.net.

- Web Tools Program Office