To all UK zencart stores !!!
I am looking at initiating a project to develop a sophisticated shipping module that calculates shipping by postcode.
I know this has been discussed before... and that Ryk has been active in getting something like this off the ground, but what I'm thinking of is far more extensive.
Heres the outline:-
UK Postcodes comprise TWO elements:
1. The OUTBOUND CODE
2. The INBOUND CODE
eg: CB1 10RE
CB1 is the OUTBOUND part of the code
10RE is the INBOUND part of the code
These postcodes can be GEO-MAPPED, meaning that if we know the postcode of the WAREHOUSE (or shop distribution point), we can calculate the distance to the customer's postcode.
Now, to base a module on the WHOLE postcode (while possible) will require a significant level of input, to base it on just the OUTBOUND part is a little less complex.
My vision is this:-
The shop's location is identified by its postcode.
This set's the "bullseye" for the shipping calculations.
Through the geo-mapping, the module configures five or six shipping zones:-
eg:
- 10km from shop
- 20km from shop
- 50km from shop
- 100km from shop
- 200km from shop
- more than 200km from shop
The geo-mapping can work out exactly what postcodes fall into each of these 6 zones - RELATIVE to the shop's postcode.
When a UK customer signs up, he/she gives us their postcode.
The shipping module looks at whether the customer is UK.
If TRUE, module is ACTIVE.
Shipping module looks at OUTWARD portion of customer's postcode.
Algorithm calculates and determines ZONE, based on Postcode of shop.
Shopkeeper can determine RATES for each zone, depending on personal preferences and bespoke shipping policy.
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THIS CAN WORK !!!
Take a look at the following example of how geo-mapping works (based on the relationship between POSTCODE ONE and POSTCODE TWO:-
http://www.homeworkerzone.co.uk/home...rch.member.php
We just need to port this concept across to zencart and we will have the ability for UK zenshops to calculate shipping using the customer's postcode.
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If anyone else is interested in this concept, add to this thread, and let's see if we can find someone to build this for us.
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