US Parcel Shipping Rates (SMKlog)

Shipping logic is a bottleneck for logistics apps and marketplaces. Calculating rates usually requires precise dimensions and weights that users rarely have on hand. This skill bridges that gap by connecting to the SMKlog API to fetch live rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL Express using nothing but a plain-text item description.

What it does

• Natural language pricing provides live shipping quotes based on item descriptions like "acoustic guitar in hard case" without requiring box dimensions.
• Multi-carrier comparison returns up to five rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL Express in a single call.
• International routing supports US-origin shipments to domestic addresses, Canada, the UK, Germany, and Australia.
• Manual overrides allow for exact weight_lb and length_in inputs when precise data is available to skip server-side estimation.
• Boundary detection identifies shipments that exceed parcel limits or require freight, preventing incorrect quotes for oversized items.

How it works

1. Identify shipment by detecting a product description, origin zip, and destination zip or country.
2. Execute request via the get_parcel_quote MCP tool or the SMKlog POST endpoint.
3. Parse results to extract the amount (total checkout price including fees) and retail_amount for comparison.
4. Handle errors if the shipment requires multiple boxes or is flagged as not_a_parcel.

Frameworks & tools

The skill uses the SMKlog Quote API and is compatible with MCP (Model Context Protocol) for direct tool invocation or standard REST calls using JSON.

Why this beats prompting it yourself

Standard LLMs cannot access real-time carrier rates or accurately estimate the packed dimensions of specific items like industrial parts or musical instruments. This skill provides the proprietary backend logic to convert descriptions into billable shipping weights and live pricing data.

Use cases

• Add shipping estimates to e-commerce marketplaces during item listing.
• Build internal logistics tools to compare carrier costs for warehouse staff.
• Create customer service bots that answer "how much to ship this to London?"
• Audit shipping costs by comparing user-paid amounts against retail carrier prices.

Known limitations

Origin must be in the US. Supports only US, CA, GB, DE, and AU destinations. Maximum 150 lb or 108 inches. Does not facilitate label purchases or freight.