Shipping with 3 variables: which module do I use?

[hedron]

I am trying to set up shipping with 3 different variables:

- The first variable is the Zone: US, CA and international
- The second variable is the speed (USPS): First Class, Priority, Express
- The third variable is the total amount:
More than a certain total amount is free for US First class, another price for priority and another price for Express. Same for CA and international, with higher amounts. Then less than 100 a price for each speed and zone.

Is this possible?

With what module/s?



The goal here is to keep the price as low as possible for the customers. Free if possible. But we cannot do free for express or international.

Are there alternative methods to accomplish this?


I am using version 1.3.8
Site: http://www.saleyla.com


Thank you in advance for your insights.

[hedron]

OK. We changed strategy and decided to simplify the variables:

- We are keeping the first Zone variable intact: US, CA and international
- We changed the delivery speed variable into a constant: USPS Priority Mail (If customers want Express they would have to contact us and be invoiced separately.)
- We changed the third variable from price ranges to items. (This one is the issue.)

For US we are using the Free Shipping Options module. All deliveries to the US will be free and shipped Priority Mail in most cases.

For Canada and International we are using the Zone Rates module (with an average flat rate).
Zone 1 is set to CA and Zone 2 is set to 00 (everywhere else). We have skipped the US (under Skip Countries).

Here is the last unresolved problem:
--------------------------------------
Zone 1 Shipping Table
1:11.00,2:22.00

Zone 2 Shipping Table
1:13.00,2:26.00
--------------------------------------

Which means that shipping cost for one item is $11, for 2 items $22, etc.

As it appears I have to define all the possible multiplications manually. If a customer buys 50 of something, I have to manually enter from 1:11.00 to 50:550.

Is there a way to make these table multiplications automatically?


Other than this specific issue everything else works fine. I set up one customer with 3 addresses and tested all 3 within the shopping cart page, while also changing the quantity.


Thanks.

[Ajeh]

What if you used Item Rate item and cloned it for the Zones that you need?

You can check on how to clone shipping modules with searches on:
clone item
clone flat

[hedron]

Thank you for the reply Ajeh.

We refined our strategy one more time and came up with this:

Settings:
Enter the Maximum Package Weight you will ship 20
Package Tare Small to Medium - added percentage:weight 0:0
Larger packages - added packaging percentage:weight 0:0
Order Free Shipping 0 Weight Status 1


Modules:
Free Shipping Options freeoptions (for US only)
FREE SHIPPING! freeshipper (for our Custom Order Deposit $1 item, which has no weight)
Zone Rates zones (for Canada and International)


Zone 1 Countries
CA,MX

Zone 1 Shipping Table
0.25:2.00,0.5:3.00,0.75:4.00,1:5.00,4:10.95,20:25.95


Zone 2 Countries
00

Zone 2 Shipping Table
0.25:4.00,0.5:6.00,0.75:8.00,1:10.00,4:12.95,20:41.95

-----------------------------

I tested this out and it seems to work fine.

The limit of 20lb is basically the limit set by USPS for international Priority flat rate.

I set the tare to 0:0, because if I understand it correctly that voids it, since we are setting the full approximated weight in the product area itself.

The only issue for International customers will be orders over 20 pounds, which will probably be rare and will be handled on a case by case basis...


What do you think? Could a set up like this create any conflict?

Thanks.

[Ajeh]

Be aware that those settings on the Zones means 20 lbs is $25.95 and 21 lbs is $51.90 ...

[hedron]

Yes. I realized that during testing. And thank you for the heads up.

I suppose there is not an easy solution for that right?


If not, we will probably worry about that on a case-by-case basis, probably by refunding the customer. Most of our orders are smaller than 20lb. Larger orders would be custom and therefore will be quoted.

Thank you for everything by the way. I have read a lot of your replies in these forums and you are always very helpful.

[Ajeh]

Zone Rates are a funny animal ... so there isn't really a work around for that one ... other than to code a large setting on the last one defined ...

[hedron]

Right on Ajeh. Thanks for clearing that up.

As far as I can tell, this thread is resolved.