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Deliveries App Loses Functionality as Shipping Companies Refuse to Participate

Seems like there's a lot of blame on the delivery companies here, but reading the blog post, it reads like the developer simply doesn't have the resources to keep up with changes that Fedex et al keep making to their tracking APIs/interfaces. I assume the app mostly works by web scraping, which means putting in a lot of effort to fix things when Fedex decides to change the look of their website. I understand this takes effort, which is why I'm a happy purchaser and then paid subscriber of Deliveries, which I've been using since it was a Dashboard widget.

However, if they're not going to maintain the backend, what am I paying for exactly?
 
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Most of these solutions are a nightmare of user privacy issues. From Shopify ShopApp having full access to read your gmail emails, to other storing your Amazon credentials. No wonder companies are trying to shut them down because at the end of the day the convenience can be costly. Not to mention this data is probably sold to data brokers as well.
 
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wallaby said:
As much as I want to like Deliveries, the Shop app is just easier. Hook it up to Gmail, and you automatically get your notifications. No copying and pasting.
Click to expand...
Is this app available on Mac as well?

And also curious if these changes have affected Parcel users as well?
 
So I use the deliveries app mostly for my eBay sale via USPS, but I would from time to time use it to track FedEx and UPS shipments to me. What other app can I use that will do the same. I have the Shop App but dont use Gmail nor would I want an app connected to my mail.
 
mariusignorello said:
Yeah….Parcel is working just fine, and issues WAY more updates than Deliveries ever did. The developer went silent for a while, so I moved to Parcel. It’s much more reliable and accurate. Not sure what the difference is between the two apps in terms of accessing data.
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But cost 3-9 a month, correct?
 
4jasontv said:
Subscriptions are never justified. The developer is paid when the app is purchased. The argument that this app costs more to maintain doesn't justify a subscription rather it justifies a higher cost.

What about the people who already paid and can't use the service now? Will they get refunds? No, of course not.F
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And for how long would you expect a developer to make security and bug fixes to an app after your one-time payment?

In this case, the developers have added new services or updated integrations with other services over time. All for the cost of a Starbucks once a year.

If it's useful to you, then sign up. If it's not useful to you, then who cares what it costs?
 
dvkid said:
And for how long would you expect a developer to make security and bug fixes to an app after your one-time payment?

In this case, the developers have added new services or updated integrations with other services over time. All for the cost of a Starbucks once a year.

If it's useful to you, then sign up. If it's not useful to you, then who cares what it costs?
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When you pay a lifetime fee it means lifetime, not until they make version 2.
 
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dvkid said:
And for how long would you expect a developer to make security and bug fixes to an app after your one-time payment?
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They would use the same tools they used to build the app in the first place. It's their job to predict those costs and figure out if the business is viable.
dvkid said:
In this case, the developers have added new services or updated integrations with other services over time. All for the cost of a Starbucks once a year.
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But here we didn't add new services, we lost services, and paying the subscription didn't prevent disruption. Developers should be paid for adding value, not for the promise that they might add value.
dvkid said:
If it's useful to you, then sign up. If it's not useful to you, then who cares what it costs?
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It's not a matter of how much it costs but how it's billed. $20 upfront costs less than $5 a year for four years because tracking that subscription includes the burden of managing costs for the customer. They pay for what they are getting. If the developer wants to add features to attract more customers, great, but the expectation is this is what it does today and this is the cost.

But again, that's not even the biggest issue. The developer should not get paid until the product is delivered. There is no justification for paying first in case updates are needed.
 
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This one has been working well for me:

apps.apple.com

‎Tracking - Packages/Deliveries

‎Are you tired of searching through your emails to figure out when your online purchases will arrive? Now, you can track all your shipments in one easy-to-use app! - Add your packages that are on their way and see them all in one app - Following along with detailed tracking status and shipping...
apps.apple.com
 
spaceywilly said:
This one has been working well for me:

apps.apple.com

‎Tracking - Packages/Deliveries

‎Are you tired of searching through your emails to figure out when your online purchases will arrive? Now, you can track all your shipments in one easy-to-use app! - Add your packages that are on their way and see them all in one app - Following along with detailed tracking status and shipping...
apps.apple.com
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I wonder will the app also run I not the same issues
 
blairh said:
It’s the same price. $4.99.

Well this news stinks. I love Deliveries. Gonna try Parcel now.
Click to expand...

Parcel doesn’t support Family Sharing. Deliveries does, so if your goal is consolidate all the delivery information for a household with multiple residents in one place, Delivers is more cost efficient.
 
Holy smokes, did not think an article on this subject would generate this much discussion. I’ve never used this app nor any of its competitors yet I have been receiving probably an average of 2 deliveries a week since 2017. Not once did I even have inkling to seek out an app like this.

Are you all using this (or similar apps) because you frequently mail out packages and tracking them is a matter of business oversight?

Or are ya’ll that excited to get your stuff you can’t help but watch it like a hawk??
 
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suns93 said:
Holy smokes, did not think an article on this subject would generate this much discussion. I’ve never used this app nor any of its competitors yet I have been receiving probably an average of 2 deliveries a week since 2017. Not once did I even have inkling to seek out an app like this.

Are you all using this (or similar apps) because you frequently mail out packages and tracking them is a matter of business oversight?

Or are ya’ll that excited to get your stuff you can’t help but watch it like a hawk??
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By combining them in one place its easier to watch, at time I may send out 10-20 so I know its way easier to track the stuff out sent out if its all in one app.
 
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TheOldChevy said:
That's the difficulty when you try to make money based on data provided for free by someone else...

These apps are convenient but the business model is not robust.
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Agreed. I'd rather just pull up the free app by the company versus paying a subscription fee for free data. Basically, they are charging you for being lazy.
 
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antnythr said:
Always a risk when something you do depends on building off the infrastructure of someone else
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The problem is all those delivery companies want you to download their apps. It’s very annoying because having it in a centralized app by a real application programmer is nice. You know the companies are going to be releasing bloated, shady applications and now you’re going to have to download more than one of them too!

This is an area where regulation would be a good idea. If they’re going to regulate the App Store (and they should) they should regulate this too
 
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Dang, I've used this app since it first came out in the early days of the App Store and before that as a dashboard widget. I've found myself not using it as much in recent years. So much stuff is ordered through Amazon or Apple so those companies just send me notifications. I've only used it in the past couple years when I order something custom from a manufacturer direct, or the odd B&H order. Sucks. I don't think I've had to pay for any subscription though. Maybe I'm grandfathered or maybe I don't use it enough anymore since they added that.

All these shipping companies want you to sign up through their app and then pay a subscription service to do who knows what. Everything is turning into a subscription service. Drives me crazy. Like I shouldn't have to do something special to track my package. That's like the most basic minimum functionality that you should offer if I'm paying you to send me stuff. It's not like API requests are expensive nowadays, especially for how much they're charging for shipments.
 
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