Flat shipping rates are specific shipping amounts that you charge a customer based on their order. The benefit to flat shipping rates is that you have control over precisely what a customer is charged at checkout.
To configure a flat shipping rate decide on the rule and follow the steps below:
In your store's Admin area, go to the Shipping page and click either the "Add shipping method" or "Add Custom Rate" button, depending on the software version you use.
X-Cart 5.4.x - Store Setup > Shipping
X-Cart 5.5.x - Store > Shipping
In the popup that appears do as follows:
X-Cart 5.4.x - open the Custom Table Rates tab to configure a new shipping method:
X-Cart 5.5.x - in the Custom Shipping Rates tab:
select a preconfigured method from the list and click Add:
click Add new to access the custom rates' table to create a new rule, if none of the existing methods suit your needs:
When creating a new rule provide general information about the shipping method:
Method name: Enter a name for this shipping method. This name will display to buyers in the storefront.
Delivery time: Provide information about the estimated delivery time.
Handling fee (X-Cart 5.5.x): Add a handling fee (optional).
Tax class (X-Cart 5.5.x): Select applicable tax class (optional).
Table based on: Use this field to specify the parameter (or parameters) for the rates' calculation. (You will configure a custom table of rates for this shipping method a bit later.)
Subtotal - Choose this parameter if you want to set shipping rates based on a specific order subtotal (for example, $7 flat rate shipping for orders with a subtotal of up to $50 and free shipping for orders over that amount.)
Weight - Choose this parameter if you want to set shipping rates based on the weight of items in the order (for example, £28.13 flat rate shipping for orders with an overall weight of up to 5 kg and £9.99 shipping per kg for orders with the overall weight of over 5 kg.) If you use this type of rate, make sure that all your products that require shipping have the correct weight specified in the product details.
Items - Choose this parameter if you want to set shipping rates based on the number of items in the order (for example, $2.60 flat rate shipping if the number of items in the order is five or less, and $0.40 per item if the number of items in the order is six or more.)
Subtotal, weight, items - Choose this option to set shipping rates based on a combination of the parameters described above.
For example:$7 flat rate shipping for orders with a subtotal of up to $50 if the order weight is up to 10 lb;
free shipping for orders with a subtotal of $50 or more if the order weight is up to 10 lb;
$10 flat rate shipping for orders weighing over 10 lb.
Note: If you define rates based on weight, be sure to specify the correct values for all your products.
Address zone: Set an applicable address zone for the shipping method. If you haven't configured the required zone yet, use the Manage zones link to access the Zones page for this purpose.
Note: To remove a shipping method for a specific address zone, you need to delete all rates of this shipping method enabled for this very address zone.
Configure your custom shipping rates table for the defined shipping method.
Use the form to create a table of custom rates for the method you have just created. What you see here is, in fact, the first row of your table - with the default zero values.
The set of fields you see in this table may differ depending on the value of the "Table based on" setting specified above. (For example, if you choose to base your table on "Subtotal, weight, items," there will be more fields; for the lack of space, they will be displayed in two rows, one below the other, as shown on the screen below):
In any case, however, you should remember that all these fields pertain to the first row of your custom rates table, and all of them stand for your first shipping rate. Therefore, to create a shipping rate, you will need to adjust the values in the fields of this table so that they form a rule according to which your online store will calculate the shipping rate.
If necessary, you can add more table rows for more rates. In the end, be sure to save your changes. Check configuration samples here.Once you're satisfied with your rates configuration, save your changes. You will get a new shipping method added to the list.
Make sure the shipping method is active.
Ensure that all products shipped using this shipping method have the option Requires shipping (in older X-Cart versions - Shippable) enabled.
That is all. The shipping rates for orders shipped using this method will be calculated based on the table of the custom rates you created.
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