Newest KB Articles in Shipping

How to configure Shipping

Thu, 08 May 2008 20:35:22 GMT

STEP 1

In your admin under My Catalog choose Shipping > Setup. There are four options to choose from:

Flat Rate Shipping
This type allows you to charge one flat rate for each shipping carrier or method. It also allows you to set an additional item fee for multiple items being purchased. For example, if your Flat Rate cost for UPS Shipping company was set at $10.00 with an additional item fee of $5.00. A purchase of two items with a completed order totaling $70.00 would be $85.00 due to shipping. If you would like to use this option, select Flat Rate Shipping and click 'Submit'.

Order Total Based Percentage Shipping
This type allows you to set up a percentage of the order total cost to be used for shipping your products for each shipping carrier or method. For example, if you have the default shipping configuration set to Percentage Based at 10% and the cost of the items you sold to the customer is $100.00, your shipping cost to the customer will be $10.00, putting the total order cost to $110.00. If you would like to use this option, select Order Total Based Percentage Shipping and click 'Submit'.

Order Total Based Range Shipping
This type allows you to set up order total cost ranges for shipping your products for each shipping carrier or method. For example, you can configure ranges for orders totaling from $.01-$20.00 and you can set shipping charge to $7.00. The next range could be from $20.01-$50.00 and the shipping charge could be set to $12.00 and so on. If you would like to use this option, select Order Total Based Range Shipping and click 'Submit'.

Weight Based Range Shipping
This type allows you to enter a range of weights which are used to determine the cost of shipping. This method will add the weight of all of the producs in the shopping cart, and depending on your ranges, it will apply a shipping cost for each carrier. For example, you can set up a weight range from 0-10. The next range could be 10.01-20 and so on. When the total weight of the products in the shopping cart falls into one of the ranges, the shipping cost for that range will be used.

STEP 2

In your admin under My Catalog choose Shipping > Add/Delete Shipping Carriers.

Adding Carriers and Methods
Click on each Available Shipping Methods one at a time and select the ">>" button in the middle section and it will move your shipping selection to the right. If you would like to select multiple 'Available Shipping Methods' at a time, hold down your "Ctrl" key on your keyboard and click each shipping method one by one. They will each be highlighted once you click them. Once you have selected all items you wish, click the ">>" button in the middle section and it will add your selections to Selected Shipping Methods.

Deleting Carriers and Methods
To remove Selected Shipping Method(s) select it from the right column and click the "<<" button in the middle section.

STEP 3

In your admin under My Catalog choose Shipping > Shipping Carriers for Ship Free Products.

You can specify different carriers for your products that have free shipping enabled. When adding or editing a product you have the ability to specify that product to have free shipping enabled. Upon customer checkout, if all of the products in the shopping cart have free shipping enabled, the system will use the carriers you have enabled in Shipping Methods for Ship Free Products. If not all of the products have free shipping enabled the system will use the default carriers at Shipping / Add/Delete Shipping Carriers that you have specified in Step 2.

Deleting Carriers and Methods
To remove Selected Shipping Method(s) select it from the right column and click the "<<" button in the middle section.

STEP 4

In your admin under My Catalog choose Shipping > Rates. Depending on choices you made from Step1 and Step 2, the price setup rates will apply.

Flat Rate Shipping
For each carrier and method enter in a flat rate. You are also able to add an additional item fee for each extra item that will be included to the total. When you have finished updating all of the pricing information for each shipping method, click the ‘Submit’ button. Note: You will have to configure each specific carrier or method that you have selected.

Order Total Based Percentage Shipping
Enter the percentage for each shipping carrier or method and click the 'Submit' button. Note: You will have to configure each specific carrier or method that you have selected.

Order Total Based Range Shipping

Adding a range: For each shipping carrier and method you have assigned, you can set up ranges and specific shipping amounts for that range. Enter the 'Order Minimum' and 'Order Maximum' and the 'Shipping Cost' for each range you would like and then click on the 'Add' button.
Updating a range: You can update a existing range and shipping cost also. After updating the range amount or shipping Cost click on the 'Update' button
Deleting a range: You can delete a range by putting a check in the box under 'Delete' on the right of the range. Then, click the 'Update' button.

Weight Based Range Shipping

Adding a range: For each shipping carrier and method you have assigned, you can set up weight ranges and specific shipping amounts for that range. Enter the 'Minimum Weight' and 'Maximum Weight' and the 'Shipping Cost' for each range you would like and then click on the 'Add' button.
Updating a range: You can update a existing range and shipping cost also. After updating the range amount or shipping Cost click on the 'Update' button
Deleting a range: You can delete a range by putting a check in the box under 'Delete' on the right of the range. Then, click the 'Update' button.

Important: You must cover all possible ranges for every carrier or method you have chosen in order for the shipping to be covered correctly.

Note: If a product has extra shipping costs involved you can add it at the product level at Products > View/Edit Products and when you bring the product up there is a field for shipping surcharge which adds extra shipping costs when checking out.

How to enable International Shipping

Thu, 08 May 2008 20:34:05 GMT

This article will explain how to enable International Shipping for customers outside of the US.

In your admin, go to "Shipping > Add/Delete Shipping Carriers". Next, select "Other International (Outside USA)" from the list of "Available Shipping Methods" and click the arrow pointing to the right. This will move the selected shipping method to the "Selected Shipping Methods" list. Thus, "International Shipping" will be available to your customers.

That's all there is to it! If you have any questions, please call us at 954-341-7031 or email us at coolsitesupport@colony1.net.

Flat Rate Shipping Issue (Additional Charge)

Thu, 08 May 2008 20:33:46 GMT

One issue that has confused some customers recently is regarding the flat rate shipping additional charge. The additional charge is incorporated in the original purchase as well (not just additional items). Here is an example of how you can set up your shipping properly.

Say you want your additional charge to be $5.00 and you want your original first item to be $10.00.

Instead of having $10.00 in the base cost and $5.00 in the additional cost field you would have...

$5.00 in the base cost and $5.00 in the additional cost field. That way now when someone buys one product it is $10.00 and every additional is $5.00 and so on, etc. You just subtract the additional cost from the total cost and you will get your base cost.

Shipping Surcharge Issue

Thu, 08 May 2008 20:33:15 GMT

The reason why your shipping charges are coming up to such enormous amounts is due to the fact that you currently have dollar amounts listed in the “Shipping Surcharge” field of one or more of your products. In addition, you already have your shipping rates defined in your admin area (Shipping > Rates). Therefore, when someone checks out from you site, the system is actually calculating the rates that you have defined in Shipping > Rates as well as the shipping surcharges currently defined for your products. This results in an enormous dollar amount.

To correct this problem, you will first need to click on “Shipping > Rates” from your admin are and make sure that the appropriate rates (based on the drop shipper you are using) are entered for each of the shipping carriers that you have currently selected. When you are done making the necessary changes to your rates, you will need to click on “Submit” at the bottom of the page.

Next, you will need to edit your product(s) to either update or remove the shipping surcharges completely from any given product. To edit existing products, you will need to click on “Products > View/Edit Product” from your admin area. Next, click on any product and from the next page, scroll down to the field that says “Shipping Surcharge”. Here you can edit the existing dollar amount or delete it completely if you wish to. After making the necessary changes to your dollar amount, please click on “Update Product” at the bottom of the page.

NOTE: You will need to repeat the steps above for editing the Shipping Surcharge for your other products.

When you are done editing the Shipping Surcharge for all your products, you can then go back to your site and select an item to purchase and go through the checkout process to see if the shipping charges are now being calculated correctly.

If you are still having problems at this point, please let us know, thanks!

Weight Based with Zip Codes Not Available

Thu, 08 May 2008 20:32:53 GMT

In the top left help section at Cool Site Guide you will see instructions to configure shipping and one of the options will be for weight based. There are too many combinations of drop shippers and client destinations to be able to enter in the zip code and it compute the shipping automatically as many clients use multiple drop shippers from different sources. If you choose to do the weight based set up it will add the total weight of the items in your shopping cart and give the carriers you specified. You will have to come up with an average range to cover the locations. Ex. 1-10lbs might cost 10$ to California but 5$ to Florida, so you can set up your shipping at 7$ (medium) to cover the costs.