View Full Version : Shopping cart shipping charges?
Jim McGillivray
02-04-2004, 05:32 PM
I'm going to use a shopping cart system in my new website for items like books and videos and practice chanters that can be ordered without a lot of discussion or options. How do these systems manage shipping charges that can change according to destination and size of package? If anyone can shed light on this I'd much appreciate it.
Cheers,
Jim
Rojellio
02-04-2004, 07:21 PM
I was curious myself and ran a google search. for .... webmaster "shipping calulations" "shopping cart"
Many of the carts refer to "real time" calculations for UPS etc. What I would guess is that a script on the page, links to an outside database, then reports back with the calculation. (its the only logical way to do it and not have an absolutly huge webpage file size)
Andrew Lenz
02-05-2004, 10:30 AM
Jim, I'd contact the company you wish to use for shipping, ExpressPost or whoever. I've never used it but UPS has a commercial package for integration into clients' websites for handling shipping charges. I imagine other companies would do the same. (ExpressPost is the federal system up there though, right? Might not be as on the ball, but maybe so.)
Andrew
Jim, Most of them work on an averaging system based on single items. Win a bit on most packages and lose a bit on a few. Many use flat fees based on destination and number of items. You can get the rate tables from Canada Post for any of their services. Then get a ouiga board to make sense out of them. Many online retailers, shipping is based on average costs for specific weights and dimensions. You code it yourself for each type of item and the program adds them up. I have noticed quite a few state specific rates for so many items and for others to call you the retailer. Try talking to one of your supplier partners on how they do it. ( I know,.. you probably did that already). Armed with Canada post rate tables and a good commercial weigh-scale at home, you could quickly build up your own rate tables for typical items and code your e-shopping cart accordingly.
Now that I think about it, my answer is pretty close to Rodger's. :shrug: