Free shipping within so many miles of....

I'm thinking of offering free shipping within so many miles of a particular location.Or as I'll be supplying to the UK and Europe, perhaps just offering free shipping to UK residents.How do I do that with zen cart?

Thanks!

One way would be to clone the flat rate module (all of it) and name it suitably free shipping or?

Create a zone with just those regions that can get free shipping and then configure your new module for only that zone

Thanks for the reply.Been stopping and starting with this project, but now I'm focused on getting my store live.

It seems that creating a zone might be the way to go, seeing as though I want free delivery within so many miles.I'll have a look in the admincp and see if I can configure it.

Thanks!

ok I installed the zone called it free shipping and added two regional zones to that zone so theyll be offering the free shipping.Then I go to the shipping modules and edit the FREE SHIPPING! module area and add this new zone to it.
Now it shows a yellow button next to it and not a green button and the option doesnt show when I try to order something.
Oh will it just work ffs ya know! come on!!!!!

ok, I'm using the Big Royal mail shipping modules and above the FREE SHIPPING! module there is another module called Free Shipping Options.
When I set that one up, it now shows in the checkout process.
Dunno what the difference is with these options, it doesnt seem obvious.
Anyway this enw module still shows a yellow button next to it and not a green button.What does the yellow button mean? Can't mean it's not active coz it's in the checkout process.Hmm seems to be working anyway.
Only thing is I have set it up zones with two regions closest to me to offer free shipping and I haven't done it in "so many miles" which is what I ideally wanted.
So my ideal solution isn't there yet.

Only thing is I have set it up zones with two regions closest to me to offer free shipping and I haven't done it in "so many miles" which is what I ideally wanted
How will you determine that they are within so many miles?

Most available things are within some boundary - mail code - political boundary or??

Yes exactly, it would be ingeniously cool if some way were found.I fully understand it is an undertaking to have this feature, but my client asked if it could be done so I had to enquire just in case it were possible.
I've explained to my client and they now understand the situation.

I've actually been contemplating on this though, as I'm always one for anything can be done.Perhaps if there were some kind of mod that had a map with it with a circle on it (which is expandable so you could expand the radius) and you could drag the circle anywhere you wanted on the map.All addresses that fall within the circle would get free shipping (or some other parameter).In order that the customer knows that they qualify for free shipping, they're notified after they enter their address.

Something like that must be possible, if I can imagine it, that's my belief.In fact wouldn't just highlighting states or countries or areas on a map be so much more easier than having to add endless linear text.I just feel that the visual is so underused.Why is everything so complicated and fiddly.I mean simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, right!

You can use googlemap api, I'm not sure if they support uk locations. But it's very cool, given 2 locations it can calculate the distance _.
Edit:
Check this out: http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm

For the US, there are open source databases like Zipdy will do distance calculations that you could prototype with. If you find this is something you'd like to roll out in production, you'll probably want to buy a subscription to a zip code database service that's up-to-the-minute accurate (Zipdy's data is pretty old).

Good luck,
swguy

The author of this thread does business in UK and the other countries in Europe only.

swguy:

For the US, there are open source databases like Zipdy will do distance calculations that you could prototype with. If you find this is something you'd like to roll out in production, you'll probably want to buy a subscription to a zip code database service that's up-to-the-minute accurate (Zipdy's data is pretty old).

Good luck,
swguy

yellow1912, that google calculator looks good but I would need to know the customers address before I could work out whether to charge shipping for them or not.Zipdy looks good too, if there was a UK version.Again though, how could this be integrated with zen cart itself.Customers are going to want to know at the point of purchase whether they'll be charged for shipping or not.It's not like I can put a note in the cart area saying "put your address in, purchase your product and I'll let you know later whether I'll charge you shipping or not".It's not practical.And it's not as if I can expect the customer to work this out themselves, really.

Yes the maps and codes are cool but as I see it now they need to be integrated into zen cart in order for this to be viable.

You would have to write a shipping module that used Google API or whatever mechanism to determine distance.

Good luck,
Scott

swguy is absolutely right. And again, there is no way you can calculate the distance if you do not know the address.

I found this: **Geo::Postcode**
Again though, as with my previous post, integrating this into zen cart is what is needed I think.

yellow1912:

there is no way you can calculate the distance if you do not know the address.
Well zen cart will know the address when the customer types it into the shipping option.If zen cart can take that info and work it out then the customer can be told straight away and then continue to place their order.That's what I mean by integrating this calculating software into zen cart.Sort of like how zen cart updates the currency conversion rates by accessing external servers.If zen cart could access some kind of calculating software when the customer puts in their shipping address, then that would be ideal and immediately work out the distance.

I'm not a coder myself so I don't know how to write shipping modules.

flex22:

.......I'm not a coder myself so I don't know how to write shipping modules.
But luckily for us Conor of Ceon fame is and he has kindly already released this for the Zen Cart comunity. :clap:

If you like it don't forget to say thanks by clicking on his Paypal link so we can get more of the same.:D