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The Eternal Shipping Problem

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    The Eternal Shipping Problem

    Hello,

    Our site sells maps (both folded and flat), guide books, globes and compasses. We have a major problem in our shipping system. Because we have a relatively wide range of products, all of different sizes and weights, we have to have several shipping bands. Because of this, we have to let the customer choose the appropriate shipping method. However, customers being customers, we often get people contacting us complaining that their shipping has been charged wrong. We have a disclaimer in our T&C that says we can amend the shipping if neccessary, but this isn't an ideal solution by any means. We have experimented with the weight system but this is also impractical. Problems also arise when someone orders, say, a book and a map.

    Books are charged at £2.94, and maps are charged at £1.10 for the first map and 50p for every map thereafter. What we would do for a customer,say, on the phone is charge £2.94 for the book, and 50p for the map. Obviously Actinic can't work this out, so we have a message in our shipping section saying that the customer can leave the shipping and we'll work it out for them. This is fine when the customer sees it, but when they don't...well, you know the rest.

    We can't charge a single shipping option because there would be no happy medium - we couldn't charge £5 for a map that weighs nearly the same as a normal letter, and we couldn't charge £2 for a guide book to the whole USA.

    So, can anyone suggest anything they may have done or can think of to help out?

    Many thanks,

    HMC

    #2
    Couldn't this be done using weights:

    i.e.

    Set a book weight of 1kg
    set a map weight 0f 0.01kg

    then your shipping table would be

    0.01kg = 1.10
    0.02kg = 1.60
    0.03kg = 2.10
    etc

    and

    1.00kg = 2.94
    1.01kg = 3.44
    etc.

    I think I've got this the right way round. i.e. it charges the amount up to the defined weight and then charges the next band.

    Mike
    -----------------------------------------

    First Tackle - Fly Fishing and Game Angling

    -----------------------------------------

    Comment


      #3
      That's a good idea - the only problem being we have hundreds of products and it would take an age to input all the weights.

      Comment


        #4
        We have thousands of products and ship by weight. If it's got to be done, it's got to be done. Should only take a day to sort it out with a few hundred products
        Fitness for life!www.fitness-focus.co.uk


        DIFN - Doing nothing is not an option

        The Supplement Warehouse - Bodybuilding & Fitness Supplements

        Comment


          #5
          make the default weight the one that there's most of and then you only have to change the rest.

          Mike
          -----------------------------------------

          First Tackle - Fly Fishing and Game Angling

          -----------------------------------------

          Comment


            #6
            If you have to set the shipping weight for many products, your best bet may be to export a Hierarchical csv file and edit in Excel.
            Fill in the weight as "Shipping Data" for each product, then re import the saved csv spreadsheet as update.
            Stephen

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