Magento Shipping Method Loading speed

Question

In my e-commerce site, I have configured FedEx shipping with Shipping API. In methods, I've only choose only 1 Allow method which is "International Economy". Even though I only have 1 method allow, by checking the logs of FedEx, it seems API query all the methods and return the result. Because of this, it took at least almost a minute to return the shipping rates.

Is it normal for Magento? Or Is there anyway to speed up the query speed or Is there any modification or hack I can make it to query only allow method?

Kindly advise.

Thank you.

Answer 1

I have seen a few questions about FedEx Magento and speed recently.

I am not convinced it is the FedEx request that is causing the delay, but to help us figure it out (and to answer your questions):-

The code that sends out the requests is:

//file: app/code/core/Mage/Usa/Modell/Shipping/Carrier/Fedex.php
//class: Mage_Usa_Model_Shipping_Carrier_Fedex
//function: _getQuotes()
    protected function _getQuotes()
    {
        $this->_result = Mage::getModel('shipping/rate_result');
        // make separate request for Smart Post method
        $allowedMethods = explode(',', $this->getConfigData('allowed_methods'));
        if (in_array(self::RATE_REQUEST_SMARTPOST, $allowedMethods)) {
            $response = $this->_doRatesRequest(self::RATE_REQUEST_SMARTPOST);
            $preparedSmartpost = $this->_prepareRateResponse($response);
            if (!$preparedSmartpost->getError()) {
                $this->_result->append($preparedSmartpost);
            }
        }
        // make general request for all methods
        $response = $this->_doRatesRequest(self::RATE_REQUEST_GENERAL);
        $preparedGeneral = $this->_prepareRateResponse($response);
        if (!$preparedGeneral->getError() || ($this->_result->getError() && $preparedGeneral->getError())) {
            $this->_result->append($preparedGeneral);
        }
        return $this->_result;
    }

So ANSWER 1: yes, Magento does collect all methods irrespective of which methods you allowed via the admin. It does it in two requests, one for SMARTPOST and one for all the other methods.

ANSWER 2: If you want to ask for a single service type then you are seeking to set, for example,

$ratesRequest['RequestedShipment']['ServiceType'] = 'INTERNATIONAL_ECONOMY';

For testing*, you could copy the file from

//file: app/code/core/Mage/Usa/Modell/Shipping/Carrier/Fedex.php

to

//file: app/code/local/Mage/Usa/Modell/Shipping/Carrier/Fedex.php

and then change the code to:

//file: app/code/local/Mage/Usa/Modell/Shipping/Carrier/Fedex.php
//class: Mage_Usa_Model_Shipping_Carrier_Fedex
//function: _getQuotes()
    protected function _getQuotes()
    {
        $this->_result = Mage::getModel('shipping/rate_result');
        // make separate request for Smart Post method
        $allowedMethods = explode(',', $this->getConfigData('allowed_methods'));

        //a little test code for me; you can omit it
        //echo(nl2br(print_r($allowedMethods,true)));
        //exit();
        /*
        Array<br />
(<br />
    [0] => EUROPE_FIRST_INTERNATIONAL_PRIORITY<br />
    [1] => FEDEX_1_DAY_FREIGHT<br />
    [2] => FEDEX_2_DAY_FREIGHT<br />
    [3] => FEDEX_2_DAY<br />
    [4] => FEDEX_2_DAY_AM<br />
    [5] => FEDEX_3_DAY_FREIGHT<br />
    [6] => FEDEX_EXPRESS_SAVER<br />
    [7] => FEDEX_GROUND<br />
    [8] => FIRST_OVERNIGHT<br />
    [9] => GROUND_HOME_DELIVERY<br />
    [10] => INTERNATIONAL_ECONOMY<br />
    [11] => INTERNATIONAL_ECONOMY_FREIGHT<br />
    [12] => INTERNATIONAL_FIRST<br />
    [13] => INTERNATIONAL_GROUND<br />
    [14] => INTERNATIONAL_PRIORITY<br />
    [15] => INTERNATIONAL_PRIORITY_FREIGHT<br />
    [16] => PRIORITY_OVERNIGHT<br />
    [17] => SMART_POST<br />
    [18] => STANDARD_OVERNIGHT<br />
    [19] => FEDEX_FREIGHT<br />
    [20] => FEDEX_NATIONAL_FREIGHT<br />
)<br />
*/
    //THIS IS THE NEW BIT (non core)
if(count($allowedMethods)==1){
      //then there is only one method so use it
        $response = $this->_doRatesRequest($allowedMethods[0]);
        $preparedSingleRate = $this->_prepareRateResponse($response);
        if (!$preparedSingleRate->getError() || ($this->_result->getError() && $preparedSingleRate->getError())) {
            $this->_result->append($preparedSingleRate);
        }
}else{
      //revert to default treatment:
            if (in_array(self::RATE_REQUEST_SMARTPOST, $allowedMethods)) {
            $response = $this->_doRatesRequest(self::RATE_REQUEST_SMARTPOST);
            $preparedSmartpost = $this->_prepareRateResponse($response);
            if (!$preparedSmartpost->getError()) {
                $this->_result->append($preparedSmartpost);
            }
        }

        // make general request for all methods
        $response = $this->_doRatesRequest(self::RATE_REQUEST_GENERAL);
        $preparedGeneral = $this->_prepareRateResponse($response);
        if (!$preparedGeneral->getError() || ($this->_result->getError() && $preparedGeneral->getError())) {
            $this->_result->append($preparedGeneral);
        }
}
          return $this->_result;
    }

And edit the end of the function _formRateRequest in the same file to cope with a specific rate request purpose:

//file: app/code/local/Mage/Usa/Modell/Shipping/Carrier/Fedex.php
//class: Mage_Usa_Model_Shipping_Carrier_Fedex
//function: formRateRequest()
protected function _formRateRequest($purpose)
{
    $r = $this->_rawRequest;
    //...
    //...
    if ($purpose == self::RATE_REQUEST_GENERAL) {
        $ratesRequest['RequestedShipment']['RequestedPackageLineItems'][0]['InsuredValue'] = array(
            'Amount'  => $r->getValue(),
            'Currency' => $this->getCurrencyCode()
        );
    } else if ($purpose == self::RATE_REQUEST_SMARTPOST) {
        $ratesRequest['RequestedShipment']['ServiceType'] = self::RATE_REQUEST_SMARTPOST;
        $ratesRequest['RequestedShipment']['SmartPostDetail'] = array(
            'Indicia' => ((float)$r->getWeight() >= 1) ? 'PARCEL_SELECT' : 'PRESORTED_STANDARD',
            'HubId' => $this->getConfigData('smartpost_hubid')
        );
    } else {  //THIS IS THE NEW BIT (non core)
        $ratesRequest['RequestedShipment']['RequestedPackageLineItems'][0]['InsuredValue'] = array(
            'Amount'  => $r->getValue(),
            'Currency' => $this->getCurrencyCode()
        );          
        $ratesRequest['RequestedShipment']['ServiceType'] = $purpose;
    }

    return $ratesRequest;
}//end function _formRateRequest    

that should fetch just the rate you want. But it might not solve your speed issues.

You can run timing tests by adding some timers and some logging (to var/log/shipping_fedex.log) like this:

//file: app/code/local/Mage/Usa/Modell/Shipping/Carrier/Fedex.php
//class: Mage_Usa_Model_Shipping_Carrier_Fedex
//function: 
    protected function _getQuotes()
    {
        $this->_result = Mage::getModel('shipping/rate_result');
        // make separate request for Smart Post method
        $allowedMethods = explode(',', $this->getConfigData('allowed_methods'));
    //THIS IS THE NEW BIT (non core)
if(count($allowedMethods)==1){
                //then there is only one method so use it
        $time_start = microtime(true);
        $response = $this->_doRatesRequest($allowedMethods[0]);
        $preparedSingleRate = $this->_prepareRateResponse($response);
        if (!$preparedSingleRate->getError() || ($this->_result->getError() && $preparedSingleRate->getError())) {
            $this->_result->append($preparedSingleRate);
        }
        $time_end = microtime(true);
        $time = $time_end - $time_start;        
        $this->_debug('Polled '.$allowedMethods[0].' in '.$time.' seconds');
}else{
    //revert to default treatment:

        $time_start = microtime(true);       
        if (in_array(self::RATE_REQUEST_SMARTPOST, $allowedMethods)) {
            $response = $this->_doRatesRequest(self::RATE_REQUEST_SMARTPOST);
            $preparedSmartpost = $this->_prepareRateResponse($response);
            if (!$preparedSmartpost->getError()) {
                $this->_result->append($preparedSmartpost);
            }
        }
    $time_end = microtime(true);
    $time = $time_end - $time_start;        
    $this->_debug('Polled SMART_POST in '.$time.' seconds');

        // make general request for all methods
        $time_start = microtime(true);       
        $response = $this->_doRatesRequest(self::RATE_REQUEST_GENERAL);
        $preparedGeneral = $this->_prepareRateResponse($response);
        if (!$preparedGeneral->getError() || ($this->_result->getError() && $preparedGeneral->getError())) {
            $this->_result->append($preparedGeneral);
        }
        $time_end = microtime(true);
        $time = $time_end - $time_start;        
        $this->_debug('Polled all methods in '.$time.' seconds');
}

          return $this->_result;
    }

I'm hitting the FedEx sandbox but for what it is worth I record these timings in the log file:

    //file: var/log/shipping_fedex.log

    Polled SMART_POST in 1.1807501316071 seconds
    Polled SMART_POST in 1.3307409286499 seconds
    Polled all methods in 0.78275394439697 seconds  //returns warning 556 [Message] => There are no valid services available.
    Polled all methods in 2.0135650634766 seconds  //returns 8 valid shipping methods
    Polled all methods in 1.3563330173492 seconds  //returns INTERNATIONAL_ECONOMY and INTERNATIONAL_PRIORITY
//single service request results
    Polled FEDEX_2_DAY in 3.1365180015564 seconds
    Polled FEDEX_2_DAY in 3.6471431255341 seconds
    Polled FEDEX_2_DAY in 2.1428818702698 seconds
    Polled INTERNATIONAL_ECONOMY in 2.2340540885925 seconds
    Polled INTERNATIONAL_ECONOMY in 2.9664940834045 seconds

So load up your files with the timers and let us know what you get.

*for production it is of course customary to say here 'make your own module that extends the class Mage_Usa_Model_Shipping_Carrier_Fedex'.

**Notes : I had to force the currency code that is sent in the request to 'USD' to get FedEx to return any shipping rates for service types other than SMART_POST, so if you are testing this thing look out for that.