ozpost shipping module

[RodG]

But with shipping costs approaching 25% of the total cost in some cases, I am toying with the idea of absorbing some of the shipping cost. A sale is a sale.

You really are treading 'dangerous' grounds here.. I know that a sale is a sale, but there really does come a time where the sale isn't worth the time or effort it costs to make.

I am well aware of what you are saying about the shipping costs... if you look in our store you'll find a number of items that we sell for a mere $1.00, but the shipping on them is between $5-$10. If we tried to absorb the shipping costs on these we would end up having to pay people to take them off of our hands. Clearly you are not quite in this position yet, but it is something to keep in mind.

Ozpost, however, displays - as it should - the total shipper's charges.
So, for the sake of demonstration, if the actual shipping cost was, say, $10.00, I would like to have a field option of Shipping cost percentage discount. I enter "90%" and the shipping estimator displays: $9.00.

So the final equation will be:

(actual_shipping_cost + P&H) - x% ?
or
(actual_shipping_cost - x%) + P&H

Yes, I know you don't charge P&H, but if I implemented this I still need to add it to the equation, even if the value is zero.

Somewhere I tell customers "Now with 10% shipping discount!".

As "Joe Customer" I would read this as being "10% off of your *normal* shipping rates, which the cynic in me would assume that you already added AT LEAST 10% to the *ACTUAL* shipping rates.

I know that this isn't your plan or intention, but if people don't know the 'actual' cost, then any discount is pretty meaninless.

I consider this a bit like a store that advertises products "at 50% off" - Yeah, right, what they REALLY mean is that the 'normal' prices are usually double that of the competition - That, or we are simply being screwed by the 'normal' prices anyway.

If I entered "110%" I wouldn't be running that ad, of course!

No, but I suspect you MAY be tempted to offer 'Free Shipping' in order to attract a sale - Not that there is anything wrong with that, BUT, doing so will also give your customers a false impression about the actual value of your products - If you can afford to cover the shipping (or even a part of the shipping), then surely you must be making *at least* that much profit on the item itself. (Of course, the reality is that you are barely breaking even) but your customers won't know (or care) about that.

Maybe it's a dumb idea

Until just now I didn't think it was such a dumb idea (it will be relatively easy and painless to implement, which is why I've been pushing you for more specific details)... However, now that I've done my 'devils advocate' by looking at it from a customers perspective I don't really see how it could possibly be good for a merchant.

If you STILL think it is a good idea I'll certainly respect your opinion, and yes, at some stage I could add such a function for you (or at least provide you with the line or two of code that it will take to implement)

but what do others think?

Good question.... If anyone else is interested in this please speak up now.. if enough people are interested I'll implement it in the core code, otherwise, as I said, I'll just probably create/release a piece of code that can be pasted in for those that need it. (The idea being that if it isn't in demand then it could be detrimental to add it as another configuration setting/option.

Cheers
Rod