Help with complicated postage

[YZ250]

Hi guys. I am at the stage now where I want to finalise my shipping options and make the store live. I have a large list of "wants" and im not sure if it is possible to do everything on it. If you could look at this list and tell me what can and can't be done, and the best way of going about it, I would be very grateful, first, an overview of my products.

Plants - are packed in custom designed packaging which works best when 6 plants are ordered. Packaging costs $4.50. I want to pass this on to customers, and I want to encourage or force customers to order plants in multiples of 6.

Seeds - are sent in envelopes traditionally. I want to charge a surcharge for orders under $20, and post for free when the order is over $20 or with plants. If customers are forced to order 6 plants this should trigger (plants are $8 ea)

Sauce - bottled in glass, I want to send it as cheaply as possible to encourage customers to buy sauce again and again.

Dried chillis - I want to charge a surcharge for orders under $20, and post for free when the order is over $20.

I am worried about running into problems when customers order a couple of packs of seed, a couple of bottles of sauce and a couple of plants. I want them to be able to do this whilst keeping postage to a minimum. All post is through Australia Post (I have downloaded the AusPost module, but not installed it yet)

Please let me know if there are modules out there or existing functionality in Zencart that will allow me to do all of the above, if there isnt...it woudl be great if you cold let me know which of my "wants" is causing the problem.

Cheers,

Brendan

www.sgtpepper.com.au
www.sgtpepper.com.au/store (in development)

[kobra]

For seeds, plants and chili's, it appears that you desire a surcharge or packaging charge if less than $20.
Try to strike a balance and many ship modules allow a Handling Fee to be applied but I am not familiar with AU Post...It might be simpler to create a table rate where the shipping is "0" over $20

Your sauce can be/use the freeshipper which also allows adding a Handling Fee

I am worried about running into problems when customers order a couple of packs of seed, a couple of bottles of sauce and a couple of plants. I want them to be able to do this whilst keeping postage to a minimum.

If this trips/goes over $20 - will it not be free??

[YZ250]

The problem is that I cant have blanket free postage for purchases over $20, as that will mean free postage on a $48 order worth of plants, which would cost me $22 to some parts of the country.

I only want free postage on seeds, and people to pay for postage on my other items. I might have to can the idea of free postage at all.

The issue is that the plants are bulky, but light. thus the aus post charges are the same for posting one plant or six. this is why I encourage customers to fill the boxes I had made right up.

Is it possible to setup different postage rates for different product categories? I.E a table rate for plants and a flat rate for seeds?

[Ajeh]

What distinguishes the Plants from "everything else that is not a Plant"?

If you built your shipping based on "Everything that isn't a Plant" and then built in the charges for Plants you may be able to create a manageable shipping module to handle your shipping charges ...

Shipping modules can always be customized to your specific needs, it is just a matter of defining the costs and distinguishing the products to apply the costs ...

[YZ250]

Thanks Ajeh. Im trying to come up with something along those lines....Ill keep you posted.