Set up rates at checkout

Overview

• With live rates at checkout, you can display a range of shipping options to customers at the point of purchase.
• This feature allows you to customise how, when and what rates display based on your business and carrier requirements. 
• Learn more about rules for checkout rates here.

Table of Contents

• How it works
• Watch the video
• Configuring rates at checkout
• Further configuration options
  • Add a margin to your contract rates
  • Rename display methods
  • Manage courier cut off times for your checkout rates
  • Set estimated transit times 
  • How do I enable domestic and international couriers?
  • Enabling fail over rates 
  • Set up table rates 
• Testing your Live Rate configuration 

How it works

• By default, rates at checkout will be based on the weight, dimensions* and destination of the cart. 
• You can use our checkout rules engine to further configure your checkout rates settings. For example, you could set up rules to automatically cover your shipping surcharges, apply free shipping, or assign specific couriers to orders that contain dangerous goods.
• Starshipit supports rates at checkout whether it's the exact rate provided by the courier (live rate), or a rate that you determine (table rate).

Watch the video

Configuring rates at checkout 

1. Go to Settings > Checkout Rates > Settings.
2. From the Weight and Dimensions section, select how you would like your rates to be calculated:
   • Single Package using sum of integration item weights: The rate will be based on the total weight of all the items in the cart being sent in a single package .
   • Single Package using sum of integration item weights and dimensions*: The rate will be based on a singular package with the added dimensions and weight of all items in the cart.
     * Only supported for WooCommerce, Magento 1 and Magento 2
   • Single Package using default package weight and default dimensions: The rate will use the weight and dimensions of the package you have selected as your default.
   • Unique Package for each item using integration item weight and item dimensions*: The rate will be calculated with one package per item in the cart using both the item’s weight and dimensions.  
     *Only supported for WooCommerce and Magento2
3. Go to Settings > Checkout Rates > Courier Configuration > Tick Enable advanced configuration.
4. For each courier enabled on your account, select whether they should be hidden at checkout (Disabled) or calculate a live quote (Contract Rates) or display a flat rate (Table Rates).
5. Enable the services from each courier that you would like to display on checkout by ticking the checkbox on the row.
6. Click Save.
   These rates will now be available on checkout.

Further configuration options  

Add a margin to your contract rates 

You can add or subtract a set margin to your contract rates. It can be a flat rate (e.g., contract rates + $5.00 fee), or a percentage of contract rate (e.g., contract rate + 5% of the contract rate). 

1. Go to Settings > Checkout Rates> Courier Configuration.
2. Under Margin Type, select Add Amount or Add Percentage. 
3. Add the margin value.
4. Click Save.

Rename display methods 

By default, Starshipit will display the name of the service provided by the courier company as the freight option at checkout, for example “DHL Express Shipping”. You may want to rename your services to simplify things for your customers, for example “Express Shipping”.

To rename by the service: 

1. Go to Settings > Checkout Rates > Courier Configuration.
2. Enter the text you would like to display on checkout in the Display Name fields. 
3. Click Save.

Manage courier cut-off times for your checkout rates

You can configure your rates at checkout to only display during specific periods of the day. As an example, when using a shipping on-demand service, your courier may set a cut off time of 1 pm for same-day delivery. In this case, it would be beneficial to hide the same day delivery option from your checkout after 1 pm so that your customers can't select it.

To define these periods:

1. Go to Settings > Checkout Rates > Courier Configuration.
2. Select a time of day the rate will start displaying with Display Start Time.
3. Select a time of day the rate should stop displaying with Display End Time.
4. Click Save. 

Set estimated transit times 

On checkout, it is possible to display the estimated transit time for each carrier option to help your customer make educated decisions when selecting a freight option. With DHL and Australia Post this can be pulled dynamically from the carrier. For other couriers you can define an estimated transit time: 

1. Go to Settings > Checkout Rates > Courier Configuration.
2. In the Estimated Transit Time field enter in the days you would like to be displayed. This can be a single value “5” or a range “5-7”.  
3. Click Save. 

How do I enable domestic and international couriers?

You can set specific couriers to show at checkout depending on where they place their order from.

1. Go to Settings > Checkout Rates > Courier Configuration > Tick Enable advanced configuration.
2. Courier products are split into two sections: Domestic Rates and International Rates. Click the checkbox next to each product you wish to show at checkout.
3. For each courier enabled on your account, select whether they should be hidden at checkout (Disabled) or calculate a live quote (Contract Rates) or display a flat rate (Table Rates).

Enabling fail over rates 

A Fail Over rate is a flat rate that you can enable which will be displayed on checkout in the case that the selected carrier does not return a rate for the address. This can be helpful when carriers experience a temporary outage or if the customer enters an invalid address that the courier does not recognise. 

1. Go to Settings > Checkout Rates > Courier Configuration.
2. Tick the checkbox for the service with the product code FAIL-OVER.
3. Complete the Display Name for what you would like to be shown on checkout.
4. Set the Margin Value to the value you would like to be used in the case of no rates being displayed.

Set up table rates 

Table rate shipping allows you to set shipping rates based on price, weight or the number of items in an order. This is a good way to offer your customers free shipping or charge different shipping rates for different products.

You can create table rates in Starshipit which works as a matrix of location and weight.  

• For more information on how to configure table rates, see here.

Testing your Live Rate configuration 

Once you have configured your live rates you may want to test how the rates would display on checkout. Starshipit supplies a Checkout Rates tool where you can check what rates are returned based on a test address and specified item weight. To use this tool: 

1. Go to Settings > Checkout Rates > Tools.
2. From the toggle, select which eCommerce platform you are using.
3. Enter the Country you would like to test.
4. The rest of the address can be auto-completed when using the Street field.
5. Enter in the Weight of the cart taking note of the unit needed.  
6. Click Get Rates.
7. You will what rates are returned based on the criteria provided. You can from here tweak your configuration as needed.