Shipment service comparison web application

A small business owner was looking for a way to streamline their logistics process and find the best prices for shipping their products to customers. They were currently using multiple logistics service providers, but found it time-consuming and difficult to compare prices and services between them.

The objective of this project was to create a web application that would allow the small business owner to easily compare prices and services from multiple logistics service providers, including FedEx, USPS, and UPS. The application needed to be user-friendly, easy to navigate, and able to provide real-time shipping rates.

• Design database architecture
• FedEx API integration
• UPS API integration
• USPS API integration
• Web development
• Build deployment pipelines
• Analytics and optimization

The solution implemented was a custom logistics service comparison web application built on a LAMP stack. The application was designed to be easy to use and navigate, with a clean and modern user interface. The application also included advanced features such as real-time shipping rates, tracking information, and the ability to create shipping labels.

The web application integrated with the APIs of FedEx, USPS and UPS to provide real-time shipping rates for the user, and also allows them to compare and choose the best price and service for their shipping needs. Users can also track their shipments and create shipping labels directly from the application.

Challange 

The key aspect of the application was that it allowed customers to enter information about their shipment and receive a comparison of prices from various shipment service providers. However, due to the need to access the APIs of each service provider in order to retrieve quotes, the system’s performance was impacted and it ran quite slowly.

Solution

We needed to obtain quotes from various service providers in order to provide customers with a price comparison. This included FedEx, UPS, USPS, and seven other providers. To improve the system’s performance, we considered using multithreading to call each API simultaneously, however, PHP does not support multithreading. To overcome this, I implemented a combination of openswoole and AWS SQS to run multiple processes and reduce the time required to retrieve quotes.

Technology stacks

• PHP, Codeigniter
• MySql
• ReactJS
• AWS SQS

The logistics service comparison web application was a great success for the client. The application was well-received by customers, who found it to be easy to use and navigate. As a result, the customer was able to find the best prices and services for shipping their products to customers, resulting in cost savings of 15% on their logistics expenses.

The application also streamlined their logistics process, resulting in a more efficient workflow and less time spent on comparing prices and services. The application’s tracking feature also helped customers keep better track of their shipments, which increased customer satisfaction.

Overall, this logistics service comparison web application provided customers with a powerful tool for managing their logistics process and finding the best prices for shipping their products. The application was able to streamline their logistics process, save them money, and provide a better experience for customers, making it a valuable investment for the business.