shipping batteries

[amart79196]

Hi there,
I have read a few places that there is a per-unit module and it is setup by entering the price per unit in the weight area.
I have multiple items that will require GROUND only shipping.

Here is the best and most clearest example of what I am looking to do:

-a customer wants to buy three items from my store. two of these items are normal items and one is a battery which will require ground shipping.

I want to be able to make it that I get paid to put the battery in a parcel post ground shipment and also get the proper fund for the other two items. I will denote this in the item description for the battery that it will come separately and also incur its own shipping costs as well....

Any suggestions on how to do this?

[Ajeh]

What denotes the Product is a battery (HazMat) product?

And what shipping module are you trying to do this with?

[amart79196]

The postal service asks if it is a battery. If it is, they do not allow priority mail and only parcel ground service.
I am only using the USPS January 24 2014 shipping module.

[Ajeh]

NOTE: there is a new release for March 7, 2014 just put out last night ...

You should subscribe to the News & Announcement forum.

How are you identifying these Products that are batteries?

Are you trying to use the USPS Standard Post for when these Products are in the cart?

Or are you trying to manage them differently?

[gjh42]

What internal feature distinguishes it as needing special handling in your store setup? Are all batteries in one or more separate categories? This is so we have something to test in code to trigger the special handling.

Like Ajeh said :)

[amart79196]

Im going to subscribe to that news and announcements forum right now.

Maybe I am lost when you ask "how are you identifying these products that are batteries?" because I just post them as another product that I am selling and they are listed as batteries.

I don't have anything setup that would distinguish it from any other product...I wouldn't know where to start on that.

I would like to use standard post (I believe it is parcel --but I might be incorrect on what USPS calls it)..basically whatever is ground service only...as they are restricted from being airmailed.

I wouldn't know any other way to manage them. I am assuming that this would be the best way about going about this. Maybe it would be better that if that item is selected it automatically forces the entire order to go ground service...but I thought that it also would be better to split the order and have the battery go ground and the rest go priority. I am not too sure the flexibility of this. Please advise. Sorry for the noobish questions..
Thanks very much for your help.

[Ajeh]

The issue are:

1 How to identify the Product that is a battery

2 What to do when the cart holds batteries and other products


You have 1 Product that is a battery today ... might you get other products that are batteries?

USPS, at this time, when the quotes are setup for forcing Standard Post for Hazmat shipping disables the other shipping methods. This is good and bad as if you have 1 battery in the box, doesn't the whole box of Products need to then be shipped as Standard Post?

I am working on a possible "better" fix for folks with HazMat Products to get more accurate quotes with USPS but most of this is for few people and so far, each have more custom needs for their sites ...

There isn't a real one fix suites them all ...

Now if you want to force the whole order to be Standard Post, which allows the Hazmat, products, there is a way to do this with more limited customizations than trying to get a quote for the battery and a separate quote for the rest of the cart and combine those charges somehow into a single quote ...

It is just this one battery Product? Or are you planning on more products that require Standard Post (HazMat)?

Are you planning to ship the Battery in the same box as the other Products in the order? Or will you *always* make a separate box just for the battery and a separate box(es) for the rest of the Product(s) in the order?

[gjh42]

How many different battery products do you ultimately expect to have? Just a few, or dozens, hundreds...?
If just a few, you could test based on the products_id for special handling. For many, that method becomes a maintenance headache to keep the code in step with the product line.

[amart79196]

You have 1 Product that is a battery today ... might you get other products that are batteries?

No, just this one item...We don't see things changing for at least 6 months and even then it might never change from just the one battery.

USPS, at this time, when the quotes are setup for forcing Standard Post for Hazmat shipping disables the other shipping methods. This is good and bad as if you have 1 battery in the box, doesn't the whole box of Products need to then be shipped as Standard Post?

Agreed, I think it would be best that when a customer adds the battery to the cart that the entire package go standard post.

Now if you want to force the whole order to be Standard Post, which allows the Hazmat, products, there is a way to do this with more limited customizations than trying to get a quote for the battery and a separate quote for the rest of the cart and combine those charges somehow into a single quote ...

Okay, I agree. Any instructions on how to do this?

It is just this one battery Product? Or are you planning on more products that require Standard Post (HazMat)?

Just one

Are you planning to ship the Battery in the same box as the other Products in the order? Or will you *always* make a separate box just for the battery and a separate box(es) for the rest of the Product(s) in the order?

I think I will see if the customer wants to have the rest of the items shipped via priority mail. If so, then I will explain to them that the reason why it doesn't show up as the shipping method would be that they are also ordering a battery as well. I just need to get it to do that where it forces standard post...

[amart79196]

How many different battery products do you ultimately expect to have? Just a few, or dozens, hundreds...?
If just a few, you could test based on the products_id for special handling. For many, that method becomes a maintenance headache to keep the code in step with the product line.

I guess just one at the moment.