Shipping Rate Configuration Guide

Smartive.io

ShipEZ Setting Guide

📚 ShipEZ User Manual

🚀 Section 3: Shipping Rate Configuration

This section explains how to set up a shipping rate using either manual or carrier service methods. Each field is described with examples, whether it’s required, and the logic behind it.

🔍 3.1 General Information

Field	Description	Sample Value	Required?
Status	Sets whether the rate is Active or Draft. Only “Active” rates will be applied at checkout.	Active	✅ Yes
Shipping Rate Name	Name of the shipping method shown to customers.	Express Delivery	✅ Yes
Phone Required	If selected, customers must enter a phone number to use this shipping option.	No	❌ Optional
Delivery Time Range	Displays estimated delivery time during checkout. Helpful for setting expectations.	From: 1, To: 3 (days)	❌ Optional
Description	Internal note or customer-facing message. Supports variables {delivery_range_from} and {delivery_range_to} for dynamic delivery display.	Delivery between {delivery_range_from} and {delivery_range_to}	❌ Optional
Shipping Tags	Used to group rates in Combine Rate settings. Use tags like express, intl, dhl.	express, intl, dhl	❌ Optional

Choose Rate Input Method (2 Modes):

Select how shipping rates are calculated for your rule.

Manual Calculation: Set fixed rates using cart/product values (e.g., weight, quantity).
Carrier Services: Connect to live carrier APIs (e.g., DHL, FedEx) to return real-time shipping costs.

Choose the mode that best fits your business needs.

🔧 3.2 Manual Calculation Setup (Fixed or Ranged Rates)

These options are for merchants who want to manually define rates based on cart value, weight, or quantity.

Key Fields:

Field	Description	Sample Value	Required?
Calculation Criteria	Defines what the rate is based on (Cart Total, Weight, Quantity).	Cart Total	✅ Yes
Minimum Shipping Rate	The minimum shipping fee applied if the calculated value is too low.	5 USD	❌ Optional
Maximum Shipping Rate	Caps the maximum shipping fee regardless of calculation.	100 USD	❌ Optional

A. Use Range Values

Define tiered shipping fees based on value ranges.

Field	Description	Sample Value
Min Value	Lower bound of the range.	0
Max Value	Upper bound of the range. Use ~ for unlimited.	100, 200, ~
Price	Shipping cost for this range.	5 USD, 10 USD, 15 USD

B. Base Value + Increment

Define a base price and additional increments after a threshold.

Field	Description	Sample Value
Base Amount	The base shipping cost applied if the value is below the skip increment.	10 USD
Skip Increment	Threshold before increments start applying.	50 USD
Step Rate	Increment amount to add after skip value is exceeded.	2 USD
Increment Unit	Define per what unit the increment applies (e.g., 10 USD of cart value, 1kg of weight).	10 USD

Logic for Skip Increment:

Increments are only added after the cart total/weight exceeds the skip increment value.
Until that point, only the base fee applies.

📦 3.3 Carrier Services Setup (Live Rates)

If you choose a carrier (e.g., Australia Post, FedEx), you’ll need account details and box settings.

Key Carrier Fields:

Field	Description	Required?
Carrier Service	Choose the live rate provider.	✅ Yes
Minimum / Maximum Shipping Rate	Optional cap and floor for calculated rates.	❌ Optional
Credentials	User name, secret key, account number for your carrier.	✅ Yes
Use Sandbox	For testing without affecting live shipping.	❌ Optional

Packaging Rules:

Field	Description
Packaging Method	Choose how items are grouped (e.g., by cart attributes, fixed box size).
Splitting Rule	How to split into packages (e.g., by quantity or weight).
Product Filter	Define which products apply to this rule (e.g., All Products or tag-based selection).
Box Dimensions	Set up the box limits (Length, Width, Height, Max Items). Used only for carrier rates.

🛠 3.4 Fallback Rate (Carrier Only)

Enable this to apply a backup rate if the carrier fails to respond.

Field	Description
Enable Fallback	Use a default rate if the API returns no valid shipping rate.

💡 Example: Enable fallback and set a fixed rate of $10 to avoid losing checkout conversions if carrier fails.

🎯 3.5 Shipment Adjustments

Let you apply discounts or service fees to your calculated rate.

Field	Description	Sample Value	Required?
Discount Type	Percentage or Fixed value	Percentage	❌ Optional
Discount	Value of the discount to subtract from the rate	10%	❌ Optional
Discount Threshold	Apply the discount only if rate exceeds this threshold	50 USD	❌ Optional
Service Fee Type	Choose Fixed or Percentage	Fixed Fee	❌ Optional
Service Fee	Additional cost added to the shipping rate	3 USD	❌ Optional

💡 Pro Tip:

Use clear rate names like “Standard Delivery” or “Express Shipping” so customers understand their options at checkout.
Set fallback rates in case live carrier APIs fail, ensuring a rate always shows.
Add minimum and maximum shipping rates to control costs and avoid under/overcharging.
Group related rates with tags (e.g., express, intl) to make Combine Rules easier to manage.
Always test rate visibility with different cart values, tags, and customer accounts to ensure correct rules are triggered.
Base + Increment method is great for flexible pricing (e.g., base $10 + $2 per 1kg over 5kg).
Use consistent units (kg, cm, etc.) across all products to ensure accurate calculations.