"You can specify the package dimensions on the Configure tab of the shipping method. If the products are added to the cart do not fit in a single package, system calculates the shipping rates for the required number of packages (via shipping service API)."
This would not even be useful if my CS-Cart store only sold ONE item.
Imagine that you sell a DVD. The product's dimensions are 190mm x 135mm x 15mm (7.5in x 5.5 x 0.6in).
I define the product's box size as 230mm x 160mm x 25mm (9in x 6in x 1in) because I ship it in a Padded Envelope.
IF I define the package dimensions for the Shipping Method as 230mm x 160mm x 25mm (9in x 6in x 1in Padded Envelope), the price for shipping 5 copies, is 5x the Shipping Method.
IF I define the package dimensions for a box that fits 5 DVDs, then every order for 1 to 5 DVDs will be have shipping priced at the 5 DVD shipment container.
From what I understand from the Team's response here, I have to set up Shipping Methods for EACH of my box sizes FOR EACH of my carriers FOR EACH class of service. Shipping Calculation on Checkout will report each Shipping Method and the customer can choose the lowest priced method available. I have about 8 box sizes I ship via UPS Ground or UPS 2nd Day Air or UPS Next Day Air Saver or UPS 3 Day Select. That adds up to 32 Shipping Rates for ONE DVD (which fits into the smallest box.)
IF CS-Cart thinks that's how it's SUPPOSED to be implemented, I'd like to know. They've set it up so EACH shipping method can have it's own box defined, so am I doing this properly with the 32 Shipping Rates for one carrier with 4 classes of service and 8 box sizes?
Does anyone have an update on the setup calculation of dimensional weight? We've been putting the product box sizes in, but now in reading this and the user manual, I see that it's not working correctly.
This is ridiculous. We are charged for the size and weight of our shipments. If we try to fudge an average, our shipping costs are way too high.
Does anyone have a way to configure this, or a mod that will work to create a box size and weight from an assortment of individual products in a shipment? So it can then be used to properly calculate a shipping cost from FedEx?
We have issues with shipping cost, the current CS-CART cannot help us. We have products with size options. Many will have sizes from 2 inches to 24 inches. So ten 2" product will ship less than one 24". I wish that you could add dimensional values to one of options. Then use the algorithm sum all dimensional values LxWxH and weight. Then use a max box dimension to determine the number of boxes needed to ship for calculations. If the dimension calculation for shipping are 10.346 x 8.75 x 4.35 at 10 lbs will real close to 10x10x6 at 11 lbs box.
Shipping cost is a real issue for us. With FedEX bills over 200 per week. The better the cost, the better we can serve our customers.
Mark
BTW: I have not found a shopping cart that comes close to helping us, without spending thousand per month.
I'm sure I'm not seeing everything involved, but it seems like an add-in that did what Mark said above shouldn't be that hard. All it has to do is some math on the product box size fields and add the cubic inches in the order together and compare to box size. Then send that to FedEx. Or really, forget about box size and just substitute the total cubic inches into the API for FedEx.
Seriously, CS Cart staff, this needs to be addressed quickly, your shipping methods do not work with the way anyone charges for shipping these days, except USPS and they have become increasingly expensive.
IF I define the package dimensions for a box that fits 5 DVDs, then every order for 1 to 5 DVDs will be have shipping priced at the 5 DVD shipment container.
From what I understand from the Team's response here, I have to set up Shipping Methods for EACH of my box sizes FOR EACH of my carriers FOR EACH class of service. Shipping Calculation on Checkout will report each Shipping Method and the customer can choose the lowest priced method available. I have about 8 box sizes I ship via UPS Ground or UPS 2nd Day Air or UPS Next Day Air Saver or UPS 3 Day Select. That adds up to 32 Shipping Rates for ONE DVD (which fits into the smallest box.)
IF CS-Cart thinks that's how it's SUPPOSED to be implemented, I'd like to know. They've set it up so EACH shipping method can have it's own box defined, so am I doing this properly with the 32 Shipping Rates for one carrier with 4 classes of service and 8 box sizes?
AND it sends ALL of these sizes to FedEx whether they are selected or not for a rate. This makes the cart bog down and refresh VERY slowly.
Can SOMEBODY FROM CS Cart answer what/when they are going to fix this urgent issue? It's been reported in numerous places, to tech support, etc. The current method DOES NOT work!
Failing that is there a dev that can come up with an add-on to get us dimensional weight quotes and that can run fairly quickly for rating? This can't be rocket science.
I too had a difficult time setting up real time shipping rates. The thing that worked for me was to set all the dimensions on every product to zero which, in effect removes dimensions from the real-time calculation. After doing that, the calculations are pretty fast and very accurate. I think the reason this may work for me is that my products are fairly small and I ship only to the U.S. I use USPS First Class and Priority Mail, and Fedex Ground/Home and 2nd Day. On the rare occasion that the rates are inaccurate, the sale (and box) is large, so it covers the difference. Maybe this will work for others as well.
I'm sure I'm not seeing everything involved, but it seems like an add-in that did what Mark said above shouldn't be that hard. All it has to do is some math on the product box size fields and add the cubic inches in the order together and compare to box size. Then send that to FedEx. Or really, forget about box size and just substitute the total cubic inches into the API for FedEx.
Seriously, CS Cart staff, this needs to be addressed quickly, your shipping methods do not work with the way anyone charges for shipping these days, except USPS and they have become increasingly expensive.
This is a much more difficult problem that it seems. Google bin packing algorithm sometime and let your eyes glaze over at the math.
But you are right that total cubic inches is probably much better than whats being done now even though it can still be way off depending on available box sizes to pack the stuff in.
Yeah, but the available box sizes are sort of up to the shipper to figure out. And FedEx does give some leeway, especially on smaller sizes. As we get up to larger sizes then we get bigger discounts too.
Is there a developer willing to take on fixing this as an add-on or custom development? Please only reply if you have a very good understanding of the FedEx api and shipping methods, I'm not going to pay to educate you.
I have been using CS-Cart since v 2.2.x, and when I first found the cart i was going to have cs-cart implement a modification for multi-box shipping. they said that they were implementing this in the next release and pointed me to a forum page to discuss how it should work. for me, i needed to be able to define at least one box size for every product and define how many of that product would ship in that box. anything below the min or above the max would ship in the default box with other items that fell below the min or above the max. this is exactly how they implemented it and it worked great. in 2014 I had Simtech upgrade my cart to v 4.x.x and when i tested it I found out that the shipping no longer worked the way that it used to. I cannot for the life of me understand why they changed the way that multiple box shipping worked. I had them make my cart work the way that it did before they upgraded it as this was one of the main reasons that I chose cs-cart. what is the purpose of being able to define a box size for each product if the cart is going to ignore it and only use the box size defined for the real time services (i.e. the global box size). As I am sure everybody knows, UPS and Fed Ex now use dimensional weight for all services, not just ground, like they used to. It is crucial that I can define the box size for all of my products and the amount of product that will ship in that box. And again, if it falls below the min or above the max, it will ship in the global box.
I am considering having Simtech upgrade my cart to the current version (v 4.2.2 to 4.3.8) but am concerned that my shipping module will stop working the way that it works now, which is the way that it is supposed to work
Honestly, we are getting so many problems from customers due to incorrect shipping rates. Some orders are being shipped out at a loss or we need to contact customers to tell them that they cannot receive the order they made, because the shipping cost is a multitude of what they paid for. You can image the frustration and trouble with this.
This issue is really stalling our growth and damaging our company reputation online.
I really can't image that we will use CS-Cart for our next large project. We will NEED to use software that has good shipping functionality and integrates with all shipping options. Including COD, insurance, delivery options, box size calculation, exact dimensional weight, distinguish between box sizes, multi-box shipping, transit times, real time tracking status, shipping labels, restrict shipping methods per product, restrict shipping area's per product/category.
Our shipping partners have awesome services for us to take advantage of. But CS-Cart simple can't handle any of it currently. it simply doesn't work.
I do agree, cscart does need to address shipping options. There are so many different variables, I can understand this would take some work and definitely with the feedback and suggestions from us, Shipping has always been a gray area for me and I have to periodically tweak it so that the law of averages tilts my way a little.
This thread is 4 years old, but I'm bumping it up in the hope that there has been progress on this front. From what I see with the core product, not much has changed. Are there any addons that now address this fundamental issue?
In my case, I want to use it for FedEx's "One Rate" program. Where the cost is based on volume and NOT weight (if it fits, it ships). The same logic would apply to USPS Flat rate Priority Mail program.
I agree, but as far as I know, I haven't seen any attempt to fix this from CS Cart or add-ons that work. ie; add up the various volume x weight for several products to create a proper calculation.