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SETTING UP SHIPPING FOR NEW SELLER

 
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capecodestatetreasures



Posts: 10

PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2019 4:34 am    Post subject: SETTING UP SHIPPING FOR NEW SELLER Reply with quote

I find it almost impossible to understand how to set up shipping in my new eCrater store.
Am I the only one? It's as though it's described in another language.
Customer Service has not been able to explain it to me in human
terms. I just keep getting highlighted sections of the eCrater manual.
Does anyone know where I can get clear, step by step instructions?
Perhaps a youtube demo?
I'm not familiar with all the terms and computer language and
this is one reason why it's so difficult for me. I've spent hours trying
to understand this, but no progress. I've selected a fixed price for now.
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SheilaDeesPostcards
moderator


Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's something I wrote a while back to try to help. Maybe it will make your shipping options a little more clear.

Information to Help Explain the eCRATER Shipping System

There are two different shipping systems in use on eCRATER, the eCRATER Shipping System (Free Shipping, Weight Matrix, and/or Flat Rate Shipping) and the USPS Calculated Shipping. If you are not based in the USA, the USPS Calculated Shipping is not available. If you are in the USA and you use USPS Calculated Shipping, you will still need the eCRATER Shipping System as a backup which will be explained below.

How the shipping is calculated at checkout depends on selections a seller makes on the individual item page and their selection in their admin for Accounts > Options > Enable USPS Calculated Shipping Instead. Please note the word “Instead”. If this box is checked, every item in the store will be charged shipping based on the USPS Calculated shipping.

1) First, a discussion of the shipping options when the USPS Calculated Shipping is NOT enabled.

On each item page a seller must
1. complete the weight field and
2. select the type of shipping to be used with that item.

* The weight field should be the packaged weight of the item based on the decimal system. (See decimal system for more information.)

* The field will accept a value of 0.00 but this value should be used only when the item will not be shipped, such as an item that will be sent digitally.

* It is also possible to use a synthetic weight with a weight matrix that is designed by the seller. (See Using synthetic weights with the weight matrix.)

Here’s what happens with each selection.

Free Shipping to United States:
If the buyer is located in one of the 50 states, their shipping will be 0.00. The item page will state free for the US-mainland. If the customer checks for other destinations and enters a US zip code for Alaska or Hawaii, the shipping will be 0.00. The item will be shown as free shipping on the feed to Google Shopping.

If the customer checks the shipping weight for an international location, they will be shown the shipping for their country as shown in the Weight Matrix based on their country and the weight of the item.

Weight Matrix
The shipping charge will be based on the Weight Matrix. The shipping charge shown to the buyer on the item page will be the shipping from the Weight Matrix for the US-mainland based on the weight entered by the seller on the item page. This shipping charge will also be submitted on the feed to Google Shopping.

Alaska and Hawaii are listed separately to accommodate US sellers who may use one shipping service for the mainland and a different shipping service to the other 2 states.

Flat Rate Shipping to:
The shipping charge will be based on the buyer’s location and the shipping amount shown by the seller on the item’s admin page. Currently sellers are allowed to select up to 10 locations using the Flat Rate Shipping. The US-mainland, Alaska and Hawaii are automatically added to a seller’s Flat Shipping zones because sellers are required to ship to all 50 US states. A seller can add 7 additional zones to their Flat Shipping Zones. When Flat Rate Shipping to: is selected on an item page, a seller will see boxes for each location in their Flat Shipping Zones. The seller should complete the shipping for that item for each zone. If the item can be shipped at a lower rate if combined with other items, then the lower rate would be shown in the second box. If the item must be shipped alone, add the same rate in the second box rather than a reduced rate.
* If the seller enters the rate as 0.00, the buyer will be charged $0.00 shipping for the item.

* If the seller leaves the box blank, the system will look to the Weight Matrix for the shipping charge based on the buyer’s country and the weight of the item.

* The amount shown for the US-mainland will be the amount on the feed sent to Google Shopping.

The checkout system will look for the shipping on the item page checking first for Free shipping, then checking for Flat Rate Shipping. If both are blank, the system will check the Weight Matrix.


2) Second, a discussion of how the USPS Calculated Shipping works when it IS enabled.

When this option is selected on the Account > Options page, you will need to select the methods of shipping you will allow the buyer to select. All of the options selected will be offered to the customer for every item in your store. The one (1) exception is when you select any form of First Class. If you select First Class Parcel, this service is only available for orders that have a total weight of 13 ounces or less. If the order weighs over 13 ounces, the customer will not be offered First Class Parcel. In other words, if any item in your store can not be shipped in a Priority Flat Rate Padded Envelope, you shouldn’t offer Priority Flat Rate Padded Envelope. If the customer pays for Priority Mail, you select the type of Priority Mail you wish to use.

When the customer is ready to check out, the eCRATER checkout will send a computer call to the USPS website to get the cost of shipping. If there is a glitch in the communication or if the USPS site is running slow and times out, no shipping will be reported by USPS. At this point, the eCRATER checkout system will fall back on the eCRATER shipping systems and follow the rules already outlined above.

The USPS Calculated system uses the USPS Retail rate. This can not be changed and nothing can be added to the shipping! A seller is allowed to ship using the USPS Commercial rate. The difference in the 2 amounts can be used by the seller to help off set the cost of shipping materials. It is helpful that the USPS Priority Mail now includes some insurance and it includes tracking.

If a customer purchases multiple items, the item weights will be totaled and the shipping charged will be based on the total weight. Currently this may result in an overcharge because packing weight is normally included in the item weight of each item. Since most customers are accustomed to other sites charging a handling charge also, this usually doesn’t cause a problem.

When items are sent to Google Shopping by eCRATER, the system will look to the backup eCRATER shipping system to determine the amount of shipping to show in Google shopping. If the seller is using USPS Calculated Shipping and does not have a backup system, the shipping will be submitted to Google Shopping as Zero (or free). The USPS Calculated Shipping can not be determined until the checkout system knows the buyer’s zipcode, therefore, the feed eCRATER sends to Google Shopping uses the backup eCRATER shipping system.



Using synthetic weights with the weight matrix

Some sellers prefer using the weight matrix with a synthetic weight. This is very easy to use if all or the majority of products sold are a similar weight. The weight matrix would be based on the cost to ship based on the number of items sold. For example, if it cost $3.50 to ship one item, $6.00 to ship 2 items, $8.00 to ship 4 items then you would enter $3.50 in the 1 column, $6.00 in the 2 column and $8.00 in the 4 column. On each item page, the weight would be entered as 1. If a customer ordered 4 items, the weight would be totaled to 4 (weight of 4 items at 1 each) and the customer would be charged the shipping cost in the 4 column. If the seller wanted to sell a different item that had a shipped weight that would cost the amount in column 4, the weight of 4 would be entered for that item. One downside to using this type of synthetic weight system would be the inability to switch to an actual weight based system without editing every item to correct the weight.


General Comments on the eCRATER Shipping system:

1) The more items that have the shipping listed on the individual item pages, the greater the work load when the shipping rates change.

2) Items with weights of 3 lbs, 5 lbs., 7 lbs, etc could have their shipping weights listed on the item page. The eCRATER system will always check the item page for a Flat Rate shipping before checking the weight matrix. This would be true even if you are using this as a backup for USPS Calculated shipping. IMPORTANT: If you use a combined system, it is strongly recommended that you keep your own record of these items as you list them or you will have to review every item in your store to find these items to update after a shipping increase.
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PrimroseCafe



Posts: 735

PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2019 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sheila, You are amazing.
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 12:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PrimroseCafe wrote:
Sheila, You are amazing.

Seriously! Very Happy
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SheilaDeesPostcards
moderator


Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just trying to help. Thank you both.
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 4:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No Youtubes that I have heard of. I am one that uses the Matrix exclusively. It took me days to figure it out and then it just popped into my brain and haven't had a problem since. My items are usually around 3-4 ounces so that is my 'artificial' weight of 1, and then each weight column is increased in the postage cost. If you have a store with a lot of eclectic items with all sorts of weights, you may find that the Matrix is not the best one for you.
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zajanatural



Posts: 4

PostPosted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 5:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you Shiela! How do we input ounces instead of pounds? It won't let me add any decimals to my weight, and most of my products can be shipped first class.
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SheilaDeesPostcards
moderator


Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 5:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Since you are using USPS Calculated in your store, I'm going to assume you are asking how to enter your weight in ounces on the item page. Item weights must be entered as decimals.

If you go to this forum topic, FAQs and Solutions > Solutions to Common Questions - SHIPPING MATRIX & MORE, https://community.ecrater.com/viewtopic.php?t=2461 and scroll down on the first page you'll see a conversion chart titled "Converting ounces to pounds as decimals" which will show how the weights on the item page must be entered.
I keep a copy of the chart next to my computer when listing. Very Happy
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zajanatural



Posts: 4

PostPosted: Wed Oct 23, 2019 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, I know how to convert weights in to decimals;) I have to do it that way on my site. It just wasn't letting me do so on eCrater. I must be doing something wrong because it kept telling me decimals were not allowed. I'll check out that link and give it another try.
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zajanatural



Posts: 4

PostPosted: Wed Oct 23, 2019 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Figured it out! I've been able to get away with doing things like .25. I see that on eCrater it needs to be 0.25.
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