Shipping Method Properties

All shipping methods can be split into 2 groups, depending on how the rates are calculated:

  • Manual shipping methods calculate rates based on the rules you specify manually in the Administration panel.
  • Real-time shipping methods send the relevant order data to third-party services when a customer proceeds to checkout. If the service ships to the specified destination, the shipping method will be available to the customer.

General

  • Name—the name of the shipping method as it appears on the storefront.

  • Store—the storefront to which the shipping method belongs.

  • Icon—an image to represent the shipping method.

    You can upload an icon from your computer, find it on the server, or provide a URL to the image. Make sure to enter the alternative text that’ll appear when the icon is missing or can’t be displayed. Specifying alternative texts is good for SEO.

    Images must be of one of the following formats only: JPEG, GIF, PNG. The maximum size of an uploaded image depends on your server configuration. As a rule, it should not exceed 2 MB.

    Note

    Shipping method icons appear on the storefront in a special Shipping methods block. You can create this block on the Design → Layouts page.

  • Delivery time—the time it takes to deliver an order. This info is displayed on the storefront, so that customers can decide if the delivery time meets their requirements.

  • Weight limit—the minimum and maximum weight of the order that can be delivered via this method. If an order doesn’t meet the weight requirements, then this shipping method won’t be offered to the customer.

  • Rate calculation—the way how the shipping cost will be calculated:

    • Manual calculation is based on the tables with charges and rates. You define those rates in the Shipping charges tab on the shipping method editing page.

    • Realtime calculation is based on the rates that your store receives from a third-party service. The rates are received in real time at the moment when the order is being placed.

      Note

      Carrier-specific settings are defined in the Configure tab.

  • Shipping service—the online service or a carrier API that will be used for rate calculation. This select box is available only if rate calculation is set to Realtime.

  • Test—click the Calculate shipping cost link to see a special form to test the selected real-time shipping rate estimation service. Test estimation considers the weight that you specify in the form, as well as the company address and default customer address.

  • Taxes—the tax rates that apply to the shipping method.

  • User groups—the user groups, the members of which will be able choose this shipping method at checkout.

  • Status—the status of the shipping method: Active or Disabled.

Configure

This tab appears only if you have selected real time rate calculation on the General tab. It means that the rates will be requested from a third-party service depending on the order data when a customer proceeds to checkout.

Here you should specify the settings of the selected shipping service. Such settings vary depending on the shipping service provider. So, if you do not know how to configure it, please refer to the carrier’s help pages and our documentation.

Hint

Once you have configured the settings, click Save. Then you’ll be able to go back to the General tab and test the rate calculation as described above.

Shipping Charges

Important

If you use a manual shipping method, make sure to add at least one shipping charge for each location where you want it to be available. Otherwise the shipping method won’t appear to customers at checkout.

The rates that you define here are used to calculate the shipping cost, regardless of whether you use real-time shipping rate estimation or not.

If you receive rates from a shipping service provider in real time, the charges from this section will be simply added to the received rates. You can use this to compensate for your actual expenses if they exceed the values returned by the carrier (e.g., packing, insurance, etc.)

The rates can depend on the product cost, weight or quantity, and on customer’s location. Once you’re done specifying the rates, click Save.

Hint

A (+) next to the location name means that you have specified the rates, and the shipping method will be available to the customers who specified the address matching that location.

Shipping charges in CS-Cart.
  • Product cost/Weight/Quantity—the minimum value when the rate must apply.
  • Rate value—the shipping rate itself.
  • Type—the type of the rate: an absolute value or a percentage.

Hint

If you want to make a manual shipping method free, you still need to add at least one shipping charge for the desired location, or the shipping method won’t appear at checkout. You can set it up as described below.

Products cost Rate value Type
More than $0.00 0 Absolute ($)
More than $1.00 0 Absolute ($)

Share

Other storefronts that share this shipping method. Learn more about sharing objects.