"Shipping" - based on weight, location, method

The quote is for different items. Each item has its own weight and pricing, and shipping is based on item weight (and packaging weight), shipping location, and shipping method.

For example, a quote for 5 X items, 10 Y items, and 20 Z items comes to $100.00 for the items, and has a total weight of 43 lbs.

If the order is shipped to location A via shipping method T, the shipping rate is $15.00

If the order is shipped to location A via shipping method U, the shipping rate is $26.00

If the order is shipped to location B via shipping method T, the shipping rate is $18.00

The idea is to duplicate the shipping tables of a shopping cart (at least as closely as possible)

Possibly have multiple dependent select boxes?

Is this possible? This would help yield a very complete, accurate quote.

Many thanks

Yes, it is possible. There are several ways to go about doing this.

First, you need to find the total shipping weight. Based on your description, the customer has already entered in a quantity ordered to calculate the price. What you need to do is setup a new line (in a separate area from the costs), probably straight line cost, for each product entering in the weight instead of a cost and using the input quantity for the product that has already been entered. You'll probably want to have the weight put in the cost component total to keep it separate from the actual product costs. Add in a cost component sub-total at the end of the "weight" lines summarizing from the 1st cost component line. That will have the total weight. For all these lines, make sure there's no line text and hide the total so that the line is hidden from the customer. (The rules changed a bit for hiding lines with EasyEstimates 5.0).

Next, Add a Total to Input Line that points to the total weight line. This just allows you to use the total weight in a further calculation.

The are a few different ways to manage the next bit but this should give you an idea of some possibilities.

Add a Block Select with the different shipping methods, enter in the cost per pound for the shortest distance, hide the total.

Add a Straight Line Cost (or use another formula if that makes sense) to multiple the weight (from Total to Input) with the cost from the shipping methods. Hide the total again.

Add a Total to Input Line that points to the previous line.

Add a Block Select with the shipping locations. For costs, use a multiplier for the cost from the closest location. If a multiplier doesn't work for you then you may need a table lookup of shipping method/shipping distance.

Add a straight line cost that multiples the weight/shipping method from the previous Total to Input with the shipping locations multiplier. This is the shipping cost.

This may not fit your shipping costs, there are lots of ways to calculate shipping costs. If you get stuck, provide a bit more detail and I can suggest something that fits a bit closer.

Hi Mitch

It's GREAT to hear that this could work out

One thing I forgot to mention is that each of these items has a different weight. So, there would need to be some way to tally up all the different weights.

It still sounds like it's do-able. So, I'm gonna go ahead and start plugging in your suggestions.

I really appreciate your help. Thanks

I don't understand "Add a Total to Input Line"

I can see how to "Add a subtotal or total line", and I made it dependent on the total-weight subtotal line, but when I preview, I don't see the new line mirroring the value in the total-weight subtotal field.

"Total to Input" is found by 1) Click "New" button on a detail line, 2) Select the "Cost" radio button, click Go, 3) look at the bottom of the cost page and select "Total to Input".

Ah, okay. I was choosing the wrong type of line.

I think I'm gonna make a few conditionals for the shipping.

For instance, if the total weight falls between X and Y, then only A and B shipping options are displayed, but if the weight is from zero up to X, then a C shipping option, etc.

The idea is to have ranges of weights that trigger different shipping options, also based on geography or shipping zone and also shipping type.

Can EE display shipping options based on weight ranges? (I think so but I'm not sure, but this would be huge cuz our live shopping system can do this)

Many thanks

Yes.

Here's an example of how do it:
1) Add a Range Select Line (New button, Cost, Table look-up) with the ranges of weights. You need to setup the ranges so they don't overlap, so you'll need to make the ranges fit within all your options (This probably isn't 100% clear but hopefully it will be in a minute.

2) Add a limit selection line after both the Range Select Line and the line with the shipping options. The controlling line will be the Range Select Line and the Controlled Line the shipping options. Click Update Selections button. Now just check the boxes for which shipping options apply to which weight ranges. Use "Next" and "Prev" to scroll through the selections. Next and Prev also do a save automatically.

Can weights be decimals, like 0.01 ?

I don't think so. Seems that they must be whole numbers.

Reason is that many of the items we ship are very small and packages can be 1.8 ounces

The ranges would be in fractions of a pound

Is it possible to make the Range Select Line use input from the "Total to Input" line?

The Total to Input line is supposed to grab the value from the 'total-weight' line. Then, the Range Select Line should use the value in the Total to Input Line to then display the allowed shipping options for whatever the total weight is. These options would display dynamically as the user added/changed their quote details.

However, the Range Select Line is not grabbing the value in the Total to Input Line. I made the Range Select Line "Use Input From Line" total-to-input-line, but no go. It doesn't seem to be snagging the value from that box

Currently ranges can only be whole numbers. The actual weights can contain decimal places. Changing ranges to allow decimal places would require a database change. I would suggest calculating weight in ounces or tenths of ounces instead of pounds. If you need the ranges to include decimals, I would suggest either requesting an enhancement for the next version of EasyEstimates or requesting a quote for a custom enhancement.

Regarding the Range Select problem: There was a bug that existed prior to EasyEstimates 5.0. I've just made a correction to EasyEstimates 5.0. The module in question had some other changes in EasyEstimates 5.0. I have a fix if you've already downloaded EasyEstimates 5.0. If you're using a an earlier version of EasyEstimates, I would recommend upgrading to EasyEstimates 5.0.

What if the weight is 1.5 pounds and the ranges are:

Shipping A: 0-1 pounds
Shipping B: 2-3 pounds
Shipping C: 4-5 pounds

What does 5.0 do with this? (I'll plug in the upgrade shortly)

Is it treated as 1 pound or 2 ?

What would you charge for the custom mod to 5.0 ?

We have lots of packages that are under 1 ounce such as 0.8 ounces total weight (lots of small items). Thus, it's critical for the estimate tool to work with very small amounts accurately

Well, you probably don't want to have a range from zero to 1 because zero is no order but if you have 3.5 pounds in your example it would be Shipping C. The ranges are actually the end of the previous range to the end of the current range.

Does shipping actually needed to be calculated for tenths of ounces?

I'll get an estimate to you next week, if you're still interested.

Mitch

The low end would likely not be 0 but something like 0.01

Shipping A: 0.01-1 pounds
Shipping B: 1.01-2 pounds
Shipping C: 2.01-3 pounds

It's really having to deal with the true US Postal rates, which are in ounces and fractions of ounces, depending on which mailing method is qualified or even required.

For instance, if a first class letter cracks 3.5 ounces, then it magically must go as a 'parcel' not as a 'first class letter'. This means that a different rate scale kicks in, which is substantially higher.

It would be super nice if the estimate system could reflect true postal rates and methods (along with other services such as UPS Ground, etc)

Thanks for the estimate, Mitch