USPS Flat Rate Shipping advice needed....

[huntleybill]

V1.3.9
It is easier and more economical to ship items from my store using USPS Flat Rate shipping. It also saves me from having to setup multiple shipping methods.

The products I sell are different sizes but can fit in the flat rate boxes the post office provides. I have experimented several ways to set this up to be as best for me and the customer as possible. I don't want to get into configuring API's and setting up USPS server stuff etc. Just bill a flat rate and ship it!

This is what I am thinking:

• Set a base flat rate of $5.00 for ANY shipment.
• If a product does not fit in the base rate box, I use the next size bigger box and add an additional amount (to the specific product) to compensate for the additional cost.

Flat Rate Shipping Rates:
Small $5
Medium $12
Large $18

For example: product "A" fits into $5 box. It is billed by default shipping setting and I'm done. Item "B" is to big for $5 box so I configure product "B"(specifically) to automatically add $7 to the base shipping cost. 5+7=12, no problem.

If I configure each product to to a specific flat rate shipping cost then I run into issues of shipping being too high.

For Example: A customer purchases product B and C. Product "B" fits in flat rate box for $12. So does product "C". IF i have each product set up with their own shipping flat rates, then the customer would be charged $24. There just so happens to be a flat rate box for around $18 and product B and C would fit in that box. Looks like I am robbing them!!! Oh, you KNOW they check!!!!

So..if you have things set up as in the first example with product A and B then my shipping rate would be $19 ( flat charge of $5 + additional added rate of $7 from product "B" + additional rate charge added from product "C").

$19 is not dead on but it is MUCH closer to what the actual costs are.

My question is Can a scenario like this be set up in Zen cart? If so, How? or..is there a better way? if so, how? Remember, I'm only using USPS flat rate shipping.


I actually had this scenario set up in Prestashop and it worked quite well. I don't know how to/or if it can be set up in Zen cart.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you
Bill