Advanced Shipping

This article does not address Standard shipping.

Shipping - Where? - What? - How?

Where and What Do I Define?

For Mal's cart, Advanced shipping is mainly defined from the Admin page.

Units

In some cases you also need to define a 'units' value for each product which, for example, might be the weight. This is defined with your other product definitions.

In Admin

• Login to your cart and click on the 'Cart setup' tab
• Click on 'Tax and Shipping'
• Click on 'Advanced shipping'
• Click on the radio button 'Use advanced shipping calculations...'
• Click on 'Submit' to save.

You will be defining one or more zones (up to 20), each containing one or more options (up to 6).

The customer will first choose a zone, using your zone name or indirectly by geography, then with the cost of each option in the zone.

In an option you define the basis for charging shipping. For each option you can also define an order value above which shipping will be free, and minimum and maximum charges. 'Free shipping' when applicable would override the minimum.

The charging bases are:

1. fixed charge for the order
2. based on a shipper's rates calculator
3. based on the total quantity of products in the order
4. based on the value of the order

   If migrating from standard shipping, note that the noship facility of standard shipping which excludes a product's cost from the total is not available. The units basis can be used. More work!

5. based on the total sum of units posted in with your products

One zone can include several different charging bases. For example, one option might be a fixed charge for local pick up, a second might be USPS Priority, and a third USPS First Class.

Option Tables

If you have an option that does not use a calculator, and is not a fixed charge, you will be defining one or more rows in a table

For more on how to achieve different results see Advanced Shipping Examples.

Defining Zones, Options, and Rate Tables

Defining Zones

• On the Advanced shipping page click on 'Edit Shipping tables'
• After reading the first paragraph, click on 'Click here to add a new zone...'
• To delete an existing zone, click on the bin to its right.
• To name or rename a zone, just enter your text.

Only one zone will be used for a given order. How is it chosen? The customer may be shown your zone name list, or geographical dropdown menus which are linked to your zones.

• On the Advanced shipping page click on 'Links to Zones'.
• There are three boxes that may be checked. When you have done so, click on 'Update'
• Countries list. To edit the list click here...
• List of US States and Canadian Provinces. To edit the list click here...
• A drop down list of your zones names
• If you use a calculator and ship abroad, use the Countries list.
• If you use a calculator and do not ship abroad, do not use the Countries list.

At the time of writing I have no idea how it all works if you check more than one box and I don't have time to experiment just now. Feedback welcomed!

Countries List

• If the left column does not have your Home region selected, click to select your Home region.
• If you made a change then click on 'Update Countries List'. The right column content will change to display countries in the new home region.
• In the left column, select 'Exclude' in the 'Zone' column for regions to which you do not wish to ship. Similarly for such countries in the right column.
• You may want to insert a message in the box above such as "Select your country: These are the only areas to which I ship".
• For the remaining regions and countries select the name of your appropriate zone from each dropdown.

The way to actually limit shipping destinations appears to be Cart setup / Customize / Language, Country & Currency / using the Countries List there or a custom version

List of US States and Canadian Provinces.

If the majority of your customers are in North America and multiple zones apply you may want to use this list. There's a checkbhox causing Canadian Provinces to come in the list before US States.

You can select a specific zone from the dropdown for each state name, or Exclude.

List of your zone names

Ensure your zone names make the choice obvious.

Defining Options

• When you add a zone, the first option is created called 'New shipping option'.
• To name or rename an option, enter the text description you want the customer to see.
• To edit an existing option, click on 'Edit' to the right of that option.
• When you want another option, click on 'Add new option' within that zone.
• To delete an option, click on 'Delete' to the right of the option.
• Enter the 'Free over' value if applicable
• Click on a radio button to select the charging basis
• If using a calculator select a service from the dropdown. If you specify a handling charge it will be added to the value received from the shipper's calculator.
• Optionally enter maximum and minimum charges
• Click on 'UPDATE OPTION' to save before making other changes

If you are only using calculator based charges, go to USING CALCULATORS below.

Defining Rate Tables

• Enter your values in the table, selecting 'each' or 'the band' as appropriate.
• If you need more rows, fill in the first three and click on 'Submit'. Two empty rows will be added.
• If no rows are visible it is because 'fixed charge' was selected. Changing the charging basis and clicking on 'Submit' will display empty rows.

Remember to 'Submit' to save your setup.

USING CALCULATORS

A warning. I'm not in a position to use any of the calculators!

• The relevant calculators are shown on the Advanced shipping page for Premium Accounts and will vary by country
• Each option can specify one shipper service. You can complete your option specifications before setting up your account with the shipper(s) if wished.
• To set up your account, click on the shipper name and follow the instructions
• If you check the box 'Use quotes direct from the XYZ rates service' then XYZ will appear as a possible charging basis for each option.

Options

• Click on the radio button for the shipper, adding a handling charge if wished.
• Click on the appropriate dropdown menu service
• If you choose a shipper service that is not applicable to the order weight, or does not apply to the destination, no quote will be listed for that option.
• Click on 'UPDATE OPTION' to save before making other changes