Routes and Subscriptions

Understanding how shipping routes and subscriptions work in SoshiaConnect.

What are Routes?

Routes represent shipping paths between origin and destination ports, operated by various carriers. Each route contains:

Route Information: Name, code, carrier details
Geographic Data: Origin port, destination port, waypoints
Schedule Details: Transit times, departure frequencies
Service Levels: Express, standard, economy options
Pricing Information: Base rates, surcharges
Capacity Data: Available slots, booking status

Route Hierarchy

Routes are organized in a hierarchical structure:

Region (e.g., Asia-Pacific)
  └── Trade Lane (e.g., Asia-Europe)
      └── Route Group (e.g., China-Netherlands)
          └── Individual Routes
              └── Periods (Time-based data segments)
                  └── Reports (Specific data points)

Route Types

By Service Level:

Express Routes: Faster transit, premium pricing
Standard Routes: Regular service, balanced pricing
Economy Routes: Slower transit, budget pricing

By Cargo Type:

Container shipping
Bulk cargo
Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off)
Break bulk

Accessing Route Data

Via Portal:

Navigate to Routes section
Use filters to find routes
View route details
Subscribe for access

Via API:

# List all routes
GET /route-access/all-routes

# Get specific route
GET /route-access/routes-data?id=123

# Check route access
POST /route-access/check-access

Understanding Subscriptions

Subscriptions grant you access to route data for a specified period.

Subscription Model

How It Works:

Choose a route you want to access
Select subscription term (1-12 months)
Complete payment
Gain immediate access to route data
Access continues until subscription expires

Subscription Terms

Available subscription durations:

Term	Discount	Best For
1 Month	0%	Trial/Testing
2 Months	5%	Short-term projects
3 Months	10%	Quarterly planning
6 Months	15%	Medium-term needs
12 Months	25%	Long-term operations

What's Included

Each subscription includes:

API Access: Programmatic data retrieval
Portal Access: Web-based route viewing
Historical Data: Past periods (where available)
Real-time Updates: Current schedule changes
Analytics: Usage statistics and reports
Support: Technical assistance

Subscription Status

Active

Full access to route data
API calls counted toward quota
Can view in portal and API

Expiring Soon

Within 7 days of expiration
Renewal reminders sent
Full access still available

Expired

No longer able to access route data
Historical access may be limited
Can renew to restore access

Cancelled

Access continues until period end
Auto-renewal disabled
Can resubscribe anytime

Subscription Lifecycle

1. Discovery Phase

Finding the Right Routes:

# Browse available routes
GET /route-access/all-routes

# Filter by criteria
GET /route-access/all-routes?origin=CNYTN&destination=NLRTM

Evaluating Routes:

Review route details
Check pricing
Verify coverage period
Compare alternatives

2. Purchase Phase

Price Calculation:

POST /subscriptions/calculate-single-route-price
{
  "period_id": 123,
  "subscription_term": "3_months"
}

Creating Subscription:

Calculate price
Create payment intent
Process payment
Confirm subscription activation

Payment Flow:

# Step 1: Calculate
POST /subscriptions/calculate-subscription-price

# Step 2: Create payment
POST /subscriptions/create-payment-intent

# Step 3: Confirm
POST /subscriptions/payment-success

3. Active Phase

Using Your Subscription:

# Get your active routes
GET /subscriptions/my-routes

# Access route data
GET /api-routes-data?id=123
Headers:
  X-API-Key: your_key
  X-Username: your_username

Monitoring Usage:

# View statistics
GET /subscriptions/my-stats

# Check API usage
GET /api-usage-logs

4. Renewal Phase

Auto-Renewal:

Enabled by default
Charges 3 days before expiration
Email notifications sent
Can disable in portal

Manual Renewal:

Receive expiration notice
Review pricing (may have changed)
Select new term
Complete payment

Upgrading/Downgrading:

Can change term length during renewal
Longer terms offer better pricing
Prorated billing for changes

5. Expiration/Cancellation

What Happens:

Access ends at period close
API calls return 403 Forbidden
Portal shows expired status
Can resubscribe anytime

Data Retention:

Downloaded data remains yours
Historical analytics available
Usage logs preserved

Pricing Structure

Base Pricing

Routes are priced based on:

Route Popularity:

High-demand routes: Premium pricing
Standard routes: Regular pricing
Low-demand routes: Budget pricing

Data Freshness:

Real-time data: Higher cost
Daily updates: Standard cost
Weekly updates: Lower cost

Geographic Factors:

Major trade lanes: Variable pricing
Regional routes: Standardized pricing
Emerging markets: Promotional pricing

Discount Structure

Term-Based Discounts:

month:  No discount
months: 5% off
months: 10% off
months: 15% off
months: 25% off

Volume Discounts:

5-10 routes: 5% additional
11-20 routes: 10% additional
21+ routes: Custom pricing

Partner Discounts:

Partner referrals: Commission earned
Bulk licensing: Contact sales
Enterprise contracts: Custom terms

Cost Optimization

Save Money By:

Choosing Longer Terms

Instead of: 12 × 1-month = $1,200
Choose: 1 × 12-month = $900
Savings: $300 (25%)

Bundling Routes
- Subscribe to multiple routes
- Negotiate volume discounts
- Consolidate billing
Annual Planning
- Commit to yearly terms
- Lock in pricing
- Avoid price increases
Monitor Usage
- Cancel unused subscriptions
- Optimize API calls
- Use caching effectively

Managing Subscriptions

Via Portal

View All Subscriptions: Dashboard → My Subscriptions

Subscription Actions:

Renew early
Change auto-renewal settings
Upgrade term
Cancel subscription
View billing history

Via API

List Active Subscriptions:

GET /subscriptions/my-routes
Authorization: Bearer {token}

Response:

{
  "subscriptions": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "route_name": "China-Netherlands Express",
      "subscription_term": "3_months",
      "start_date": "2025-01-01",
      "end_date": "2025-04-01",
      "status": "active",
      "auto_renew": true
    }
  ]
}

Check Expiring Subscriptions:

GET /subscriptions/upcoming-expirations
Authorization: Bearer {token}

Best Practices

Planning Subscriptions

✅ Do:

Evaluate needs before subscribing
Start with shorter terms for testing
Monitor usage regularly
Set up expiration alerts
Budget for renewals

❌ Don't:

Over-subscribe to unused routes
Ignore expiration warnings
Let critical routes expire
Subscribe without API testing
Forget to disable auto-renewal if not needed

Optimizing Costs

Regular Review:

Every Month:
- Check active subscriptions
- Review usage statistics
- Identify unused routes
- Plan renewals

Every Quarter:
- Evaluate ROI
- Consider term changes
- Negotiate volume discounts
- Update budget

Usage Monitoring:

# Weekly check
GET /api-usage-logs

# Analyze patterns
- Peak usage times
- Most accessed routes
- Underutilized subscriptions
- API efficiency

Access Management

Team Access:

Create separate API keys per team
Track usage by key
Set permissions appropriately
Regular access audits

Security:

Rotate API keys regularly
Monitor for unusual access
Disable unused keys
Use IP whitelisting (if available)

Subscription FAQs

Q: Can I pause a subscription? A: No, but you can disable auto-renewal and let it expire, then resubscribe when needed.

Q: What happens to my data when subscription expires? A: You retain any data you've downloaded, but can no longer access new data.

Q: Can I transfer a subscription to another account? A: No, subscriptions are non-transferable. Contact support for special cases.

Q: Do I get refunds for unused time? A: Subscriptions are non-refundable, but we offer prorated credits for annual plans in special circumstances.

Q: Can I share my subscription access? A: Each subscription is for single account use. Contact sales for multi-user licensing.

Q: How do I know which routes I need? A: Start with our free trial or contact our sales team for consultation.

Support

Need help with routes or subscriptions?

📧 Email: support@soshiaconnect.com
💬 Live chat: Available in portal
📞 Phone: Enterprise customers
📚 Documentation: API Reference

Related Guides:

What are Routes?​

Route Hierarchy​

Route Types​

Accessing Route Data​

Understanding Subscriptions​

Subscription Model​

Subscription Terms​

What's Included​

Subscription Status​

Subscription Lifecycle​

1. Discovery Phase​

2. Purchase Phase​

3. Active Phase​

4. Renewal Phase​

5. Expiration/Cancellation​

Pricing Structure​

Base Pricing​

Discount Structure​

Cost Optimization​

Managing Subscriptions​

Via Portal​

Via API​

Best Practices​

Planning Subscriptions​

Optimizing Costs​

Access Management​

Subscription FAQs​

Support​