Shipping by Category?

I need help, please. I have 5 Categories of Items. One category can be shipped for a flat rate. The other 4 categories need to be shipped based on weight.

Is there a way to have an "intelligent" look at the items in the cart that is being checked out to offer flat rate if all items are in the 1st category, but not to offer it if any are in any of the other 4 categories? Can it be done at all? HELP, please.

Thanks

:blink::blink::blink:

It could be done ... but this would take some custom coding as there is not an option for shipping by category at this time ...

Would it be a "major" project (very expensive?) or modest to some extent, in your truly expert opinion? I am very interested in doing this, but need to be within my budget. I would value your thoughts, including any interest you may have to do it.

It would really depend on how the shop is setup ...

There isn't anything right now as there is such a variety as to how categories are laid out ... and whether this would manage 5 categories or 55 categories or 555 categories can really make a difference in how this should be written ...

Store set up is as follows: 6 Categories, total of 37 items.
One category is only light weight seasoning packets (1-2 ounce) Everything else is more weighty.

Need is to have the shopping cart evaluated at checkout.

If the cart contains up to 12 items of Category 3, we would want the Flat Rate $7.00 shipping option to be shown. If there are items from any other category present, or if there are more than 12 Category 3 items present, we would want that Flat Rate to be hidden or not shown as an option. Possible?

What happens when 13 items are in the shopping cart for Category 3?

We would ship via FedEx Ground, like all the other categories

up to 12 packets fit perfectly in a USPS Priority Envelope for 4.85

Do you have other Categories like this?

Let's say you have Product A from Category 3 and Product B from Category 23 ...

You order <= 12 of Product A which is $7.00 Flat ...

You order <= 12 of Product A which is $7.00 Flat ... you order 10 of Product B ... what is being charged here for shipping?

You order 13+ of Product A ... you switch to FedEx ...

You order 13+ of Product A ... and 10 of Product B ... what is being charged here for shipping?

If there were anything different than the 12 or less of Category 3, then the Flat Option would be hidden and the other options would show(ie: USPS, FedEx and Local Delivery). If other, heavier items are ordered, we provide economy to the customer by just bundling the heavy and the very light packets together in the FedEx ground box.

The idea is to provide an option only if someone wishes to order just seasoning packets. FedEx seems to have a base of about 8.00 for almost any package. We want to give a viable option on the light stuff. Thanks.

So you only need a Flat rate of $7.00 when the quantity of the items ordered is <= 12 and all Products are from Category 3 ...

In this case, all other shipping modules turn off? Or, in this case this Flat turns on, allowing the customer a choice of the cheap $7.00 Flat rate or a more expensive other rate to choose from?

The concept is that all options except the flat rate are always available. The flat rate would only show if ALL the items in the Cart are Cat 3 and there are 12 or less. If anything other than that is in the cart, the flat rate is gone.

The full question is ...

When the Flat Rate shows, which only shows when the number of items ordered is <= 12 and all are from Category 3 ...

Does this Flat Rate for $7.00 AND all the other Shipping Modules show?

So is it really Flat Rate that needs to be customized and all the others run normally and still show even when the Flat Rate comes and goes based on the order?

Absolutely correct. Yes. Exactly. All activated shipping modules remain exactly as they are, but the Flat Rate comes and goes based on cart content. Thank you for your patience and help!

This could then be customized with a function to test the contents of the cart ...

The Flat Rate flat Shipping module could then be cloned and have the function added to test whether or not it should show or be disabled based on the number of items and if they are all in the same master_categories_id ... this assumes that all Products in Category 3 use categories_id 3 as their master_categories_id ...

Yes. You sound as though you have sucessfully scoped the project, in spite of my inability to give you clear answers. Thanks for the persistence. Please give me cost / contribution to the cup of coffee fund / case of Hawaiian BBQ sauce shipped to Ohio / etc to get this little gem in place. I really appreciate your help. Thanks.

site in question is www.orders.nohbetterbbq.com