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Custom Shipping Options

Shipping options you create


ProductCart supports a variety of custom shipping options based on the weight, quantity, or total dollar amount of products ordered. Custom shipping options can be used in combination with the shipping rates dynamically provided by one or more of the supported shipping providers. Of course, they can also be used on their own.

For example, an online store may allow customers to have orders shipped via UPS Ground, UPS Next Day Air®, or have orders picked up at its retail store location(s). How can you setup your store to do this? With ProductCart it's quick and simple: just set up the two shipping services with UPS , and then add a custom shipping option called “Customer Pickup” that applies to all orders (e.g. amount $0 to $9,999,999) and has a $0 rate.

For each of the options below ensure the setting/ranges cover all possible scenarios as otherwise it's possible to get “No Shipping Rate Returned” messages.

 

Domestic vs. International customers


ProductCart also has the ability to restrict a shipping option only to domestic customers or only to international customers.
  • If a shipping option is limited to international customers, when a domestic customer visits the store, that shipping option is not shown.
  • If a shipping option is limited to domestic customers, when an international customer visits the store, that shipping option is not shown.

Of course, shipping options can also be set so they are shown to both. International customers are considered all customers whose ship-to address is for a country other than the one that the store ships from (the one specified in the Shipping Settings page).

ProductCart supports a variety of custom shipping methods. You can use more than one method on the same store, and set up multiple shipping services for each method. You can even determine how they are sorted when displayed to the customer using the ordering feature described in the next section. The methods are listed below.
 

Flat rate based on order amount


Select this option if you wish to charge a flat rate based on the total order amount (e.g. for orders between $50 and $100, charge $7.50).

The parameters that need to be set to configure a shipping method based on the total amount of the order are:
  • Shipping Option Name (required)
  • Delivery Time (optional - text)
  • Price Ranges (up to 10 tiers): “From” price, “To” price, and ship rate
  • Order amount above which this shipping service would be free (optional)
  • Handling Fee (optional) and whether it should be displayed as a separate “Shipping & Handling” charge or rather integrated into the shipping rate.
  • Limitation of applicability. Choose whether this shipping option should be visible to all customers, only domestic customers, or only international customers.
 

Percentage of order amount


Select this option if you wish to create a shipping option that charges a rate based on a percentage of the total order amount (e.g. for orders between $50 and $100, charge 11% of the order amount). The parameters are:
  • Shipping Option Name (required)
  • Delivery Time (optional)
  • Price Ranges (up to 10 tiers): “From” price, “To” price, and percentage value
  • Order amount above which this shipping service would be free (optional)
  • Handling Fee (optional) and whether it should be displayed as a separate “Shipping & Handling” charge or rather integrated into the shipping rate.
  • Limitation of applicability. Choose whether this shipping option should be visible to all customers, only domestic customers, or only international customers.
 

Flat rate based on order quantity


Select this option if you wish to create a shipping option that charges a flat rate based on the total number of the items in the cart (e.g. for order between 10 and 20 units, charge $5). The parameters are:
  • Shipping Option Name (required)
  • Delivery Time (optional - text)
  • Quantity levels (up to 10 tiers): “From” units, “To” units, and ship rate
  • Order amount above which this shipping service would be free (optional)
  • Handling Fee (optional, same as above).
  • Limitation of applicability. Choose whether this shipping option should be visible to all customers, only domestic customers, or only international customers.
 

Flat rate based on order weight


Select this option if you wish to create a shipping option that charges a flat rate based on the total weight of the items in the cart (e.g. for order between 5 and 10 pounds, charge $12). The parameters are:
  • Shipping Option Name (required)
  • Delivery Time (optional - text)
  • Weight range (up to 10 tiers): “From” weight, “To” weight, and ship rate
  • Order amount above which this shipping service would be free (optional)
  • Handling Fee (optional, same as above).
  • Limitation of applicability. Choose whether this shipping option should be visible to all customers, only domestic customers, or only international customers.
 

Incremental calculation based on order quality


An example is the best way to describe this shipping method: charge $5.00 for the first item, then an additional $1 on the next 9 items, then $0.50 on all items over 9. If the order contained 22 units, shipping would be calculated as follows: ($5 + ($1*9) + (.50*12)) = $20.00. The parameters are:
  • Shipping Option Name (required)
  • Delivery Time (optional)
  • Amount to be charged on first unit. Here you need to enter the amount to be charged on the first unit (e.g. $5.00 in the example mentioned above).
  • Quantity levels (up to 10 tiers): “From” units, “To” units, and ship rate
  • Order amount above which this shipping service would be free (optional)
  • Handling Fee (optional, same as above).
  • Limitation of applicability. Choose whether this shipping option should be visible to all customers, only domestic customers, or only international customers.