Flat Rate shipping

Is it possible to set flat rate shipping on a per item basis? I have a bunch of items that all vary in shipping costs but I would like to set the shipping rates on all of them so that they are fixed/flat rate but all different values, if that makes sense.

If I understand this right :unsure: then you want

item A - shipping $5
item B - shipping $20
item C - shipping $18
etc

My humble guess: almost impossible to code if every item has a different rate.

Or am I missing something?

frank18:

If I understand this right :unsure: then you want

item A - shipping $5
item B - shipping $20
item C - shipping $18
etc

My humble guess: almost impossible to code if every item has a different rate.

Or am I missing something?
Yeah that is what I am wanting. I have alot of item shipped from warehouses and they charge a flat rate fee and I want to charge that same flat rate fee. Some of my shippers get discounts which they pass along, but more to the point I don't want to have the Shipping caculated for me and then be to low and the customer not get charged the correct amount.

You can "hoodwink" zencart into doing this, if you know your times-tables, and/or didn't flunk math in the third grade! :D

Ajeh has described a technique where you use the product's WEIGHT field as a "container" for the variable on one side of the equation.

(You need to render the site-side display of "weight" invisible as it's no longer a "weight" value.)

Then you configure your shipping module to calculate the shipping rate by weight, and then apply the constant for the other side of the equation.

EXAMPLE:

Set the constant in the shipping module to $1 per 1 lb (or whatever value is needed - I use 1 for my example.

Item A shipping is $1.25 (the variable) - (so in the weight field, put 1.25... 1*(the constant)X1.25 = 1.25)
Item B shipping is $2.99 (the variable) - (so in the weight field, put 2.99... 1(the constant)*X2.99 = 2.99)

...etc

schoolboy:

... Then you configure your shipping module to calculate the shipping rate by weight, and then apply the constant for the other side of the equation.

That works fine if all items have a different weight. How would you approach this if shipping is based on weight and/or volume, which frequently happens when shipping with AusPost?

schoolboy:

You can "hoodwink" zencart into doing this, if you know your times-tables, and/or didn't flunk math in the third grade! :D

Ajeh has described a technique where you use the product's WEIGHT field as a "container" for the variable on one side of the equation.

(You need to render the site-side display of "weight" invisible as it's no longer a "weight" value.)

Then you configure your shipping module to calculate the shipping rate by weight, and then apply the constant for the other side of the equation.

EXAMPLE:

Set the constant in the shipping module to $1 per 1 lb (or whatever value is needed - I use 1 for my example.

Item A shipping is $1.25 (the variable) - (so in the weight field, put 1.25... 1*(the constant)X1.25 = 1.25)
Item B shipping is $2.99 (the variable) - (so in the weight field, put 2.99... 1(the constant)*X2.99 = 2.99)

...etc

this makes sense. But for a brand new Zenner such as myself how would I go about doing this?

I also read about different Payment Modules? What exactly is that?

frank18:

That works fine if all items have a different weight. How would you approach this if shipping is based on weight and/or volume, which frequently happens when shipping with AusPost?

If the intention is to have a rate per item (irrespective of that item's actual weight), then the need for weight is completely negated. All you are doing here is using the field (normally used for weight value) as one side of a simple multiplication equation.

Simple logic indicates that if you want to ship by WEIGHT, (as opposed to by ITEM) then you would not need to invoke this system.

This system caters for BY ITEM shipping - configurable to suit the calculating of rates for individual items.

outeredge2:

this makes sense. But for a brand new Zenner such as myself how would I go about doing this?

I also read about different Payment Modules? What exactly is that?

Shipping, and calculating it accurately, is one of the more challenging areas of online shopping. Get it wrong, and you see your profits going into the pockets of shipping companies. Charge too much, and your customers think you are robbing them and abandon their carts.

Unless you have your own distribution and fulfilment network (ie: you are the owner of DHL), all owners of webshops are reliant on third parties to get the product from the warehouse (or garden shed) to the customer's front door.

So... the FIRST thing a webshop owner needs to do is decide just WHO this organisation is going to be... WHO is going to do your shipping?

It may be (if you are selling widely - eg: to different countries), that SEVERAL shipping companies will need to be involved. Additionally, some companies have limits to the WEIGHT and VOLUME of consignments. Others place restrictions on WHERE they deliver to and WHEN (not on a Saturday - or a lot extra on a Saturday).

But in any event, you cannot start configuring ANY shipping module until you know who is going to do it for you, and how.

Then, you need to look at HOW they charge for their services. What rates do they apply to what type of consignment, and how do prices increment according to weight (volumetric weight in some cases) and destination distance?

Only when you have an accurate schedule of these charges, is it possible to start configuring your webshop shipping to accurately apply the proper rates.

As I said, it may be that you need to use SEVERAL shippers if just one does not meet your requirements, and when this is the case, you need SEPARATE SHIPPING MODULES for each supplier - and in some cases you need separate modules for different SERVICES from one supplier.

I have a lot of UK clients who use Royal Mail AND ParcelForce. There are cost advantages to use RM up to certain weights/sizes, and above these weights/sizes ParcelForce becomes cheaper.

Then there is the consideration that DESTINATION needs to be factored in too. Royal Mail not ony divides the UK up into specific pricing zones, but also divides the rest of the the world into pricing zones too.

So, you now have a combination of 3 variables - METHOD, WEIGHT PRICE and DESTINATION PRICE to factor into your equations.

If you can find a module that handles TWO of these variables, you can account for the THIRD by creating CLONES of that module.

I like the ZONE TABLES module (free addon section) as it combines the benefits of the ZONE module and the TABLE module. It therefore gives you a process that will account for TWO variables - WEIGHT PRICE and DESTINATION PRICE.

If you then CLONE this module (create a copy that is functionally identical) then you have a mechanism to cater for the THIRD variable - the METHOD (eg: Royal Mail 1st Class, or Royal Mail 2nd Class).

Many shipping modules can be cloned, Zonetables is one of them.

On some sites where clients use many Royal Mail METHODS, I have up to 12 clones of ZoneTables running !

So in doing that cloneing method how does that allow me to charge the set price I need to charge that my Suppliers are charging me for shipping the item out from the warehouse (Direct shipped to customer)?

schoolboy:

If the intention is to have a rate per item (irrespective of that item's actual weight), then the need for weight is completely negated. All you are doing here is using the field (normally used for weight value) as one side of a simple multiplication equation.

Simple logic indicates that if you want to ship by WEIGHT, (as opposed to by ITEM) then you would not need to invoke this system.

This system caters for BY ITEM shipping - configurable to suit the calculating of rates for individual items.

So setting up the shipping by ITEM as you described means that I can just enter the value I want my customers to be charged for shipping and therefore I can set the exact price per each individual item. Is that correct?

There is obviously more detail than I describe. I can only give you an overview of the techniques. Just HOW it is done is something you must tackle (or hire someone to tackle it for you).

Does your shipper charge PER ITEM?

If they do ... all well and good.

If they don't, you will have some serious marketing and business challenges.

I take it you are using a drop shipper.

If you are you can be sure they have a LOT of other people doing what you are doing.

And it is likely that all these other people are all competing with each other to sell that supplier's products, so you will be competing with many others who could be charging lower prices.

Now, if your drop shipper is applying UPS rates (or whatever rates) and you apply PER ITEM rates, your customers will see their shipping costs escalate dramatically if they put several items in their cart.

Your competitors who mimic the supplier's shipping rate will fare better. Their total price to the customer will be lower than yours.

Where do you think people are going to shop? Not with you.

If you are working with a drop shipper, then RULE ONE is that you mimic exactly, their shipping method and rates.

In an earlier post I said:
*
Shipping, and calculating it accurately, is one of the more challenging areas of online shopping. Get it wrong, and you see your profits going into the pockets of shipping companies. Charge too much, and your customers think you are robbing them and abandon their carts.*

read that post again.

schoolboy:

If the intention is to have a rate per item (irrespective of that item's actual weight), then the need for weight is completely negated. All you are doing here is using the field (normally used for weight value) as one side of a simple multiplication equation......

Makes sense to me schoolboy. I was probably too focused on the term WEIGHT.

Frank

frank18:

Makes sense to me schoolboy. I was probably too focused on the term WEIGHT.

Frank

Hey Frank

Of late the wife's been getting me to focus on WEIGHT too... My OWN :laugh:

(and I have to admit, she has a point).

schoolboy:

There is obviously more detail than I describe. I can only give you an overview of the techniques. Just HOW it is done is something you must tackle (or hire someone to tackle it for you).

Does your shipper charge PER ITEM?

If they do ... all well and good.

If they don't, you will have some serious marketing and business challenges.

I take it you are using a drop shipper.

If you are you can be sure they have a LOT of other people doing what you are doing.

And it is likely that all these other people are all competing with each other to sell that supplier's products, so you will be competing with many others who could be charging lower prices.

Now, if your drop shipper is applying UPS rates (or whatever rates) and you apply PER ITEM rates, your customers will see their shipping costs escalate dramatically if they put several items in their cart.

Your competitors who mimic the supplier's shipping rate will fare better. Their total price to the customer will be lower than yours.

Where do you think people are going to shop? Not with you.

If you are working with a drop shipper, then RULE ONE is that you mimic exactly, their shipping method and rates.

In an earlier post I said:
*
Shipping, and calculating it accurately, is one of the more challenging areas of online shopping. Get it wrong, and you see your profits going into the pockets of shipping companies. Charge too much, and your customers think you are robbing them and abandon their carts.*

read that post again.
Thank you for that.

I understand what you are saying about the Dropping shipping. Yes I do do some drop shipping, not alot, but 2 companies I work with drop ship items from their ware house as they have so many item that I can not carry them all in house, but they have set prices they charge for shipping.

For example
Product Group 1 $149
Prodcut Group 2 $65
Product Group 3 $110

I'm not wanting to over charge my customers, I'm only wanting them to be charged the exact amount I'm being charged for the shipping.