Double Postage on Shipping calculator

I am currently using the Australia Post shipping module.
I must have made a change today and cannot figure out what I have done.

Checkout and the postage calculator is doubling the postage cost - but only when I have more than 4 items in my shopping cart.

I am sure it is only a little thing I am missing and would appreciate any advice.

My website is https://www.lollyworld.com.au

Lollyworld:

I am currently using the Australia Post shipping module.
I must have made a change today and cannot figure out what I have done.

Checkout and the postage calculator is doubling the postage cost - but only when I have more than 4 items in my shopping cart.

I am sure it is only a little thing I am missing and would appreciate any advice.

My website is https://www.lollyworld.com.au

This would probably be caused either by weight or dimensions exceeding the predefined allowable limits, causing the parcel to be split in half and quoted as two (or more) parcels rather than one.

Keep your weights and dimensions as accurate as possible.

Cheers
Rod

Hi Rod,
Thank you.
Where do I input product dimensions?

Lollyworld:

Hi Rod,
Thank you.
Where do I input product dimensions?

The global/default dimensions are set from the admin/config/shipping/austpost control panel.

Individual product settings are made on the usual product editor page(s). If the dimension fields aren't visible it means you haven't installed the required files into /admin/

Cheers
Rod

Hi Rod,

I'm using your Australia post module for zencart 1.3.8
Thanks for the great module.

I'm also having the postage rate double when adding 84 items.
Looking at the previous post here I was able to fix the problem by reducing the default parcel dimensions to 5,5,5.
Previously I had set it to 23,16,4 which is the dimension of the box I ship in. None of my products have sizes defined so in the product categories show 0 dimensions for each product. As I don't exactly understand whats going on here I was hoping you could explain why the problem is fixed (apparently) when reducing the default parcel size.

Its clear the boxes were doubling up, although it doesn't show this. I'm using zencart 1.3.8 on a zeus server. I had the same problem when using zencart version 1.3.7. With version 1.3.7 I could clearly see the number of boxes shipped but version 1.3.8 doesn't show the number of boxes despite having set
configuration>shipping and packaging>display number of boxes to 3 (weight and boxes). I think the logo images are obscuring this information. Is there anyway to remove the logos and go back to text as in 1.3.7?

p1drobert:

Hi Rod,

I'm also having the postage rate double when adding 84 items.
Looking at the previous post here I was able to fix the problem by reducing the default parcel dimensions to 5,5,5.
Previously I had set it to 23,16,4 which is the dimension of the box I ship in.
None of my products have sizes defined so in the product categories show 0 dimensions for each product

From the sounds of this, the parcels are being split due to the maximum allowed dimensions being reached.

By setting the dimensions smaller than the actual sizes is simply hiding the issue and sooner or later you'll come unstuck by having quotes supplied for items that simply can't be mailed due to the Australia post limitations.

p1drobert:

As I don't exactly understand whats going on here I was hoping you could explain why the problem is fixed (apparently) when reducing the default parcel size.

See comments above.

p1drobert:

Its clear the boxes were doubling up, although it doesn't show this. I'm using zencart 1.3.8 on a zeus server. I had the same problem when using zencart version 1.3.7. With version 1.3.7 I could clearly see the number of boxes shipped but version 1.3.8 doesn't show the number of boxes despite having set configuration>shipping and packaging>display number of boxes to 3 (weight and boxes).

The setting you are referring to will only show the boxes that are split due to weight constraints. This is a function/feature of zencart itself. If/when the parcels are split due to the dimensions being exceeded it won't reflect this on screen because there is no easy way to pass the data back to the zencart code to do so.

p1drobert:

I think the logo images are obscuring this information. Is there anyway to remove the logos and go back to text as in 1.3.7?

The AustPost module is now obsolete. It has been replaced with the 'ozpost' module.

However, you probably won't like the new module if you are currently relying on large or heavy parcels being split into smaller ones, because this new module (currently) doesn't perform any parcel splitting whatsoever. It even ignores the splitting by weight that is performed by zencart itself. This means that if a parcel gets created that exceeds the Australia Post limits for weight or size the module is either disabled completely or, it will supply a 'fixed price' quote (depending on user settings). The reason for this change is/was that parcels were often being split in impossible ways.

Cheers
Rod

Hi Rod,

Thanks for the reply.

I'm sorry, but I must be misunderstanding something.
I'm assuming the default parcel dimensions refers to the size of the box I mail my items in. My mailing box will measure 23x16x5cm and this box may contain 100 small items.
If I put 83 items in this box theres no problem but if I put 84 in, the parcel splits. Yet, the parcel is still a 23x16x5cm box
and can handle 84 objects.

What is determining the maximum number of components that can go into this 23x16x5cm box?

p1drobert:

I'm assuming the default parcel dimensions refers to the size of the box I mail my items in.

Not so. The default dimensions refer to the dimensions used when the items themselves don't have any dimensions associated with them.
The idea behind it was that until this module is installed none of the items would have dimensional data, so rather than the store owner having to retroactively add this data to all the products in the store it allowed them a means to set a 'typical' set of dimensions that would be used until they got around to adding accurate data for all products.

p1drobert:

My mailing box will measure 23x16x5cm and this box may contain 100 small items.

Errr, how is the module supposed to know how many items of unknown dimensions will fit into any given space?

p1drobert:

If I put 83 items in this box theres no problem but if I put 84 in, the parcel splits. Yet, the parcel is still a 23x16x5cm box
and can handle 84 objects.

Unless your items have dimensional data, the default dimensions will be used. Example: If you have the default dimensions set as 23x16x5 then if you have two of these items in the cart the parcel will calculated at 23x26x(5x2)

Please read the "cubing.txt" file that is supplied with the distribution file for more information regarding this.

p1drobert:

What is determining the maximum number of components that can go into this 23x16x5cm box?

Absolutely nothing. That isn't the way the module works. Please see the 'cubing.txt. file for more information.

Cheers
Rod

Hi Rod,

Ahh, that explains the problem. I misunderstood the term "default parcel dimensions" as to mean the shipping box dimensions and not the default product dimensions.

Thanks for that.

I'll also take a look at your latest module as I didn't realize the one I was using is outdated.