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Not sure I understand the shipping matrix

 
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InnovatedVisions



Posts: 19

PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2019 9:49 am    Post subject: Not sure I understand the shipping matrix Reply with quote

Not sure I understand the shipping matrix. I sell car decals and most of my packages are around 1.0 oz and it cost 2.78 or 3.09 depending on where it goes. Please if anyone can help me.

Thank you
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DoYouReadMe



Posts: 167

PostPosted: Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It can be confusing, until it's not...Took me a few weeks to have that AHA! moment.

Here's a recent discussion about it:

https://community.ecrater.com/viewtopic.php?t=38420
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Fri Oct 18, 2019 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are apparently shipping them via FCM with tracking and the prices will vary depending on where they are going to. This is exactly correct. To understand FCM better, you might want to go to the USPS website and study up on what you need to do to get tracking and what the different zones are compared to where you live.
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SheilaDeesPostcards
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Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

@ DoYouReadMe, thanks for posting the link, I think that info can be helpful to many sellers trying to set up their shipping.

@InnovatedVisions, I took a look at your store and it appears you are trying to set up your "back-up" shipping in case USPS times out and for shipping in Google Shopping. Since you want to use USPS calculated shipping and most of your items are under 1 pound, I don't think you can use the shipping matrix. You are going to have much better luck using the flat rate shipping as your backup.

Now if you want to turn off the USPS Calculated shipping and all (or most) of your items are going to be decals, then the shipping matrix would work well for you. First, go to this link https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm and study the actual cost for shipping your product to the international locations. Now look at how you need to break down the weight ranges, for example 1 to 4 oz., 5 to 8 oz 9 to 12oz.. 12 to 15.99oz. 1 lb, 2 lb, 3 lb. 4 lb. and make sure your ranges work for both domestic and international shipping. Now look at your shipping matrix and assign your ranges to each vertical column, like 1 = 1oz to 4 oz, 2 = 5 to 8 oz., 3 = 9 to 12 oz. etc. This is something you'll create on a paper you'll keep near your computer. Enter the amount you want to charge the customer for shipping for each of those ranges. For example, if you want to charge a flat $3.25 shipping for any item that will ship for 1 to 4 ozs in the US mainland, Alaska, Hawaii, $10.00 for Canada, $13.50 for the EU, $13.80 for everywhere else, then you would place these numbers in column 1 for each of these locations. Next you would figure your shipping for the next weight range. Once you've created your shipping matrix, you'll need to enter the weight on each item to match the column on the matrix. If the item can ship for the price in column 1, then you enter the weight as 1. If the item needs to ship for the price in column 4, then you enter the weight as 4.

The plus side to this system is you only have to change to shipping matrix when the the postage increases, there is no need for a "back-up", the prices shown in Google Shopping exactly match the amount shown on the item page, and the shipping amount is shown on the item page without the customer having to click on a link for the US. The negative is there is no way to account for US zone prices AND once you use this system you would have to change your weights to actual weights if you wanted to change back to USPS Calculated. If you want to sell something that is heavier than your shipping matrix, you can enter it as a flat rate shipping cost. You will need to be sure to mark that item some way so you can know you need to change the price when shipping increases.
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DoYouReadMe



Posts: 167

PostPosted: Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sheila, I had to do a review of the matrix several times over the years, and appreciate your excellent explanations of how to use the matrix. THANK YOU!

I do not use calculated by USPS shipping at all, and have mixed free shipping and fixed price shipping for specific items within one store, because of these excellent tutorials, showing me it is possible to use the matrix to one's advantage.
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