$$$ Value Based Shipping

Mark · #1 () 09-24-2008, 09:30 PM

I am currently using UPS ground real-time shipment calculation.
Many of you out there using shipping based on $$$ of order?
I am thinking maybe this is the way to go.
However, many of my customers, are in "extended" delivery areas and I may find losing out in the long run.
Any tips or trials and tribulations to using value based shipping?
My products range from1 pound to 70 pounds.

thedancingdaisy · #2 () 09-25-2008, 12:05 AM

I use value based shipping. I had started off with real-time shipping, but on my previous cart, customers couldn't find out the cost of shipping until they were in step 3 of checkout. Obviously this isn't a issue with 3dcart, but when I moved over to 3dcart, at that point I was using value based and decided just to stick with it.

I used realtime shipping for Canada, and International for a while on 3dcart, but I found that a lot of times my customers couldn't find out there shipping and they would call and I would find out there were issues with UPS's website and such.

So, with that being said I have found value based shipping to be easier. I don't really have any tricks or tips. For the most part I have found that I don't lose out on shipping.

cekman · #3 () 09-25-2008, 01:02 AM

I base shipping on weight. I've been trying to play with the real-times shipping - but haven't perfected it yet - so all my rates are custom right now.

If I could put an initial box weight on each shipping method I would be set. Overall going by weight works great.

Don't like the value thing - I think I'm punishing customers to spend more.

I try to keep it as close to actual shipping (with overhead of envelopes etc. figured in) as I can.

My shipping starts at $2.00 - but my products are SMALL and LIGHT. Every once in a while I have a box that weighs 4 pounds but not often- so I'm lucky.

Mark · #4 () 09-25-2008, 01:40 AM

I have NO markup on UPS shipping and it just seems that my customers are in rural or other high shipping cost locations. In fact, for some strange reason, a significant percentage of my orders go to UTAH.

The google that serves up UTAH must be favorable to my website.

Now, if I can just get that to be true for CA, TX, NY and NJ I'm all set!