Managing Shipping Methods

Create, edit and manage shipping methods, including the corresponding shipping charges, validity periods, shipping time in days, as well as the display order in the storefront.

Creating Shipping Methods

To create a new shipping method:
  1. Open the Shipping Method manager.
    Select the channel from the context selection box, then select Orders | Shipping Configuration. Then click Shipping Methods. This displays a list of all shipping methods defined for the current channel.
  2. Click New.
    The General tab of the Shipping Method detail view is displayed.
  3. Specify the mandatory information.
    Mandatory data include name, ID, start date. Optional information includes the Active flag, a description and a validity end date.
    Table 1. General shipping method data
    Property Description
    Shipping Method Name Specifies the display name of the shipping method (mandatory).
    Shipping Method Short Name Specifies the short display name of the shipping method.
    Shipping Method ID Specifies the internal ID of the shipping method (mandatory).
    Active (checkbox) Sets the availability status of the shipping method.
    Description Specifies a description text for the shipping method.
    Shipping Time Specifies the estimated delivery time range to be displayed during the checkout process.
    Start Date Specifies the validity start date of the shipping method (mandatory).
    End Date Specifies the validity end date of the shipping method.
    Enable Special Shipping Instruction Specifies whether this shipping method enables the specific shipping instructions field in the storefront checkout process.
  4. Click Apply.
    This creates the shipping method and enables the other tabs.
  5. Click Back to List.
    Select one or more shipping methods and use the arrow buttons on the right to resort the shipping method order in the Intershop Commerce Management application and in the storefront.
    Tip: The default sorting of the shipping methods depends on the <sequence-number>#</sequence-number> of the respective shipping method in the shippingmethods.xml. Therefore you may alter the file before import to influence the sorting. The methods are sorted in ascending order - lowest number comes first. For more detailed information on how to import shipping methods, see section Importing Shipping Data.
You can now proceed to defining shipping charges (see Defining Shipping Charges).

Editing Shipping Methods

To edit the details of an existing shipping method:
  1. Open the Shipping Method manager.
    Select the channel from the context selection box, then select Orders | Shipping Configuration. Then click Shipping Methods. This displays a list of all shipping methods defined for the current channel.
  2. Click the name or ID of the intended shipping method.
    This opens the detail view of the shipping method.
  3. Edit the data as necessary.
  4. Click Apply to save your settings.
    Otherwise, click Reset to discard your changes.
Tip: Shipping methods can be sorted in the Shipping Methods list view.

Deleting Shipping Methods

To delete a shipping method:
  1. Open the Shipping Method manager.
    Select the channel from the context selection box, then select Orders | Shipping Configuration. Then click Shipping Methods. This displays a list of all shipping methods defined for the current channel.
  2. Select the checkbox for the shipping method to be deleted.
  3. Click Delete, then OK to confirm the deletion.
    The selected shipping method is removed from the current channel.

Defining Shipping Charges

To define the shipping charges associated to a shipping method:
  1. Open the Shipping Method manager.
    Select the channel from the context selection box, then select Orders | Shipping Configuration. Then click Shipping Methods. This displays a list of all shipping methods defined for the current channel.
  2. Click the name or ID of the intended shipping method.
    This opens the detail view of the shipping method.
  3. Open the Shipping Charges tab.
  4. Set a shipping charge type, modify the details as required, and click Apply.
    There are three options:

    • Selecting a shipping charge type

      Allows for defining shipping charges from scratch.

    • Copying a shipping charge definition from another shipping method

      Allows for reusing and modifying existing shipping charge definitions.

    • Sharing a shipping charge definition from another shipping method

      Allows for reusing existing shipping charge definitions without modifying them.

    The following table describes the available shipping charge types and their corresponding configuration options.
    Table 2. Shipping charge definition
    Type Configuration Options
    Flat Rate The shipping charge is a fixed amount to be charged per order.

    • Shipping Charge: Amount to be charged per order as shipping cost for the selected shipping method.

    • Threshold: Maximum order value up to which the shipping charge applies. With order values equal or above the threshold, the defined charge will not be applied. If left empty, no maximum order value applies.
    Item Count Based The shipping charge depends on the number of items in the shopping cart. This charge type uses "brackets" to define value ranges to which specific charges apply.

    • Items in Cart: Number of items per order up to which the current charge applies.

    • Charge: Amount that applies to the current number of items.
    Order Value Based The shipping charge depends on the order value. This charge type uses "brackets" to define value ranges to which specific charges apply.

    • Order Value: Order value up to which the current charge applies.

    • Charge: Amount that applies to the current order value.
    Weight Based The shipping charge depends on the weight of the delivery. This charge type uses "brackets" to define value ranges to which specific charges apply.

    • Weight: Weight up to which the current charge applies.

    • Charge: Amount that applies to the current weight.

    As a special use case, weight-based shipping can use "dimensional weighting", where the package weight is calculated from the cubic size and a specific divisor. If enabled, the dimensional weight applies when the cubic size of a package exceeds a configurable threshold. For shipping within the USA, for example, the following thresholds apply: 5,184 cu in (84,950.2 cm³) for ground freight and 1,728 cu in (28,316.7 cm³) for air freight, with a divisor of 194.
    Advanced This shipping charge type allows for creating any number of shipping charge configurations, so-called flex shipping charge plans. With flex shipping charge plans, each product in a shipping bucket can be assigned an individual shipping charge plan. To define an individual shipping charge for a product, use the plan code selector ID specified for the flex shipping charge plan. To define a flex shipping charge plan, first specify a plan code selector ID, then select a charge type and configure it accordingly. Each flex shipping charge plan can use one of the shipping charge types listed above (Flat Rate, Item Count Based, Order Value Based, Weight Based).