Answer to:
How do you currently charge for shipping? I
charge by item quantity - the more items customers order,
the more they pay for shipping. |
If you charge for shipping by item quantity,
there are two things you can do: (1) You can charge a flat rate
per item (e.g., $4.00 shipping per item) or (2) You can
make your own rate table. The rate table option will
generally be the best option because it allows you to charge
a scaled rate based on the number of items ordered (e.g.,
from 1-3 items, $5; for 4-8 items, $8; etc).
There are two rate tables available: Basic
Rate Table and Advanced Rate Table (set up instructions for Advanced Rated Table). (There are also rate tables available for Canada
and for International (countries other than Canada). These rate
tables are set up the same way you set up the Basic Rate Table). More about international shipping.
OPTION 1: To Charge a Flat Rate
per Item Ordered
> Click on the Shopping Cart icon at the top
> Scroll down to the Shipping Options section
> Click on the Set Shipping Charges Link
> Under the Alternate Shipping Methods section
select Charge by Item Quantity
> Under the Alternate Shipping Charges section,
type the amount you want to charge per item
> You can also type in an Alternate Method Name.
If you are using an alternate shipping method or rate table in
addition to other options such as USPS or UPS shipping, you can
specify the name to be displayed up to 25 characters. If nothing
is specified it will be labeled Standard shipping on the Check
Out page.
> Scroll down to the bottom and click on
the Update Shipping button
> Click on the Website Home icon at the top and
double check your work
What your customers will see when
they go to your check out page when your settings are
Charge by Item Quantity and the Standard Value is set at $5.00
per item:
Notice that customers pay $10 for shipping
(because 2 items x $5 per item is $10). Notice that next to
shipping, you see the words Standard. If you put something else
into the Alternate Method Name section, then you would see those
words in that space along with the space in the drop down
Shipping Options box.
OPTION 2: Making your own Rate
Table
Difference between Basic
Rate Table and Advanced Rate Table
The Advanced Rate Table (instructions) allows
you to set shipping prices based on set units delivered to a
specified distance. The Basic Rate Table does not
include calculations for distances. The Advanced Rate Table is
similar to what USPS, UPS and FedEx use for their shipping
calculations. It is an excellent way to charge for local
deliveries and truck freight.
Setting up Basic Rate Table
> Click on the Shopping Cart icon at the top
> Scroll down to the Shipping Options section
> Click on the Set Shipping Charges Link
> Under the Alternate Shipping Methods section
select Charge by Item Quantity
> Under the Alternate Shipping Charges section,
check the box to Use Your Own Rate Table
> You can also type in an Alternate Method Name.
If you are using an alternate shipping method or rate table in
addition to other options such as USPS or UPS shipping, you can
specify the name to be displayed up to 25 characters. If nothing
is specified it will be labeled Standard shipping on the Check
Out page.
> Scroll down to the bottom and click on
the Update Shipping button
> Under Shipping Options, click on the Basic
Rate Table link
> Because you are charging based on Quantity,
type in the information for Quantity and Cost ONLY. More
examples of using the Basic Rate Table.
> Scroll down to the bottom and click on the
Submit button to save your changes
> Click on the Website Home icon at the top and
double check your work
The settings in the above table will result
in the following shipping charges when your customers make
purchases:
- When your customers purchase 1 item,
they will pay $5 for shipping
- When your customers purchase anything
between 1 item and 5 items (including 5) (e.g.,
2 items), they will pay $8.50 for shipping (See below for
graphic)
- When your customers purchase 10 items,
they will pay $12.00 for shipping
- NOTE:
If you stop at 10 items, customers will see a notice that
says: "Contact for Shipping Rates" because the
system does not have any parameters for handling an order
that has more than 10 items. This means you should
consider your customer's shopping habits and figure out
the most items you think they will order. (See below for
graphic)
What your customers see on the Check Out
page:
Instructions on setting up the Advanced Rate Table.
|