Customizing Shipping Methods

  • Article

You use the Shipping Methods module in Commerce Server Business Desk to customize shipping methods that appear on your Web site.

Note the following requirements:

  • Before users can place orders on your Web site, you must have at least one shipping method available.
  • Before a shipping method can appear on your Web site in a language other than the default language for your server, you must select the language that is associated with the shipping method.
  • If you need additional shipping methods, or if you use a delivery service (such as UPS or DHL) that offers a third-party application, contact your site developer for help.
  • If you need to use a third-party application provided by a delivery service, contact that delivery service to receive their standard country/region codes before adding country/region codes to your Commerce Server database.

You can make shipping services available on your Web site in multiple languages. You use the Shipping Methods module in Commerce Server Business Desk to create shipping methods and descriptions in multiple languages.

Commerce Server Business Desk supports three shipping methods:

  • Charge by weight. Use this method to determine shipping charges based on the weight of an order. You use this method to specify the charges for a range of weights.
  • Charge by quantity. Use this method to determine shipping charges by the number of items in an order. You use this method to specify the charges for either an exact number or a range of item quantities.
  • Charge by subtotal. Use this method to determine shipping charges by the subtotal amount of an order.

You can change the shipping method properties of a selected shipping method. For example, as shipping costs change, you can change the cost per method accordingly.

If you use a delivery service that offers a number of shipping options (such as USPS or Federal Express), or a delivery service whose rates are figured by weight and zone (such as UPS), you will need to use a third-party pipeline component from that delivery service.

Ee784513.note(en-US,CS.20).gif Notes

  • You must use the Publish Order Codes module to update your site after you have added a shipping method. For more information about publishing order codes, see Publishing Order Codes on Your Web Site.
  • To charge by weight, all products in your catalog must have the product property "weight." If you have products that do not have "weight" as a property, this option will not function properly on your Web site. For more information about adding product definitions, see Adding a Catalog Product Definition.

To add a multilingual shipping method

To add a charge by weight shipping method

To add a charge by quantity shipping method

To add a charge by subtotal shipping method

To edit shipping method properties

To add a multilingual shipping method

  1. In Orders, click Shipping Methods.

  2. In the Shipping Methods screen, click Language on the toolbar, and then select the language associated with the shipping method from the drop-down list.

  3. In the Shipping Methods screen, click Add on the toolbar, and then select the shipping method from the drop-down list.

  4. In the Charge by <shipping method> -New screen, in the Shipping Method Properties section, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Language Select the language that is associated with the shipping method from the drop-down list.

    Ee784513.note(en-US,CS.20).gifNote

    • If you previously selected the language associated with the shipping method in the Shipping Methods screen, skip this step.
    Name Type a name for the shipping method.
    Description Type a description for the shipping method.
    Enabled Select this check box to enable the shipping method. If you do not enable the shipping method, it will not appear on your Web site.

  5. In the Rates section, click New, and then do the following:

    Use this To do this
    <method name>, up to Type the amount for the <method>.
    Shipping Rate Type the amount of the rate.

  6. Click Accept.

  7. After you have entered all the rates, click the last row in the rates list, which reads over <highest quantity entered>, and then click Edit.

    Ee784513.important(en-US,CS.20).gif Important

    • You must edit the last line under Rates to save your shipping method.

  8. Enter the highest rate for this shipping method, and then click Accept.

  9. To save the shipping method and return to the Shipping Methods screen, click Save and go back on the toolbar.

The shipping method is saved.

To add a charge by weight shipping method

  1. In Orders, click Shipping Methods.

  2. In the Shipping Methods screen, click Add on the toolbar, and then select Charge by Weight from the drop-down list.

  3. In the Charge by Weight - New screen, in the Shipping Method Properties section, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Language Select the language that is associated with the shipping method.
    Name Type a name for the shipping method.
    Description Type a description for the shipping method.
    Enabled Select this check box to enable the shipping method. If you do not enable the shipping method, it will not appear on your Web site.

  4. In the Rates section, click New, and then do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Weight, up to Type a weight amount for the rate level.
    Shipping Rate Type the amount of the rate.

  5. Click Accept.

  6. After you have entered all the rates, click the last row in the rates list, which reads over <highest weight entered>, and then click Edit.

    Ee784513.important(en-US,CS.20).gif Important

    • You must edit the last line under Rates to save your shipping method.

  7. Enter the highest rate for this shipping method, and then click Accept.

  8. To save the shipping method and return to the Shipping Methods screen, click Save and go back on the toolbar.

The charge by weight shipping method is saved.

To add a charge by quantity shipping method

  1. In Orders, click Shipping Methods.

  2. In the Shipping Methods screen, click Add on the toolbar, and then select Charge by Quantity from the drop-down list.

  3. In the Charge by Quantity-New screen, in the Shipping Method Properties section, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Language Select the language that is associated with the shipping method.
    Name Type a name for the shipping method.
    Description Type a description for the shipping method.
    Enabled Select this check box to enable the shipping method. If you do not enable the shipping method, it will not appear on your Web site.

  4. In the Rates section, click New, and then do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Quantity, up to Type the quantity for the rate level.
    Shipping Rate Type the amount of the rate.

  5. Click Accept.

  6. After you have entered all the rates, click the last row in the rates list, which reads over <highest quantity entered>, and then click Edit.

    Ee784513.important(en-US,CS.20).gif Important

    • You must edit the last line under Rates to save your shipping method.

  7. Enter the highest rate for this shipping method, and then click Accept.

  8. To save the shipping method and return to the Shipping Methods screen, click Save and go back on the toolbar.

The charge by quantity shipping method is saved.

To add a charge by subtotal shipping method

  1. In Orders, click Shipping Methods.

  2. In the Shipping Methods screen, click Add on the toolbar, and then select Charge by Subtotal from the drop-down list.

  3. In the Charge by Subtotal - New screen, in the Shipping Method Properties section, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Language Select the language that is associated with the shipping method.
    Name Type the name of the shipping method.
    Description Type the description of the shipping method.
    Enabled Select this check box to enable the shipping method. If you do not enable the shipping method, it will not appear on your Web site.

  4. In the Rates section, click New, and then do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Price, up to Type the subtotal amount for the rate level.
    Shipping Rate Type the amount of the rate.

  5. Click Accept.

  6. After you have entered all the rates, click the last row in the rates list, which reads over <highest subtotal entered>, and then click Edit.

    Ee784513.important(en-US,CS.20).gif Important

    • You must edit the last line under Rates to save your shipping method.

  7. Enter the highest rate for this shipping method, and then click Accept.

  8. To save the shipping method and return to the Shipping Methods screen, click Save and go back on the toolbar.

The charge by subtotal shipping method is saved.

To edit shipping method properties

  1. In Orders, click Shipping Methods.
  2. In the Shipping Methods screen, select the shipping method you want to edit, and then click Open on the toolbar.
  3. In the Charge by <method> - Open <method name> screen, edit the properties for the shipping method.
  4. To save your edits and return to the Shipping Methods screen, click Save and go back on the toolbar.

The edited shipping method is saved.

See Also

Workflow for Order Management

About Orders

Adding Tax Rates

Publishing Order Codes on Your Web Site

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