In order for customers to order products from your online store, you need to set up shipping methods. This quick guide chapter covers the setup of a logistics integration, the creation of shipping methods, and the defining of shipping costs.

Installing a logistics integration and creating a shipping method

In this article, you will create the first shipping method for your online store, and define its shipping costs. The result is a shipping method that allows the customer to order the product added in chapter 2 of the quick guide from the online store.

1/4: Selecting an integration

The online store needs a logistics partner to deliver the shipments.

The most convenient way to manage e-commerce logistics is a logistics integration, which is an automatic interface between the e-commerce system and the logistics company's system. With the help of an integration, you can

  • display the logistics company's pickup point menu at the online store checkout
  • print the logistics company's own address and return labels from the admin panel
  • transmit shipment information to the logistics company with the press of a button.

Start defining shipping methods by selecting the most suitable logistics service for you and register as a customer on the service's website.

Recommendation:

With the Shipit extension, you can access the services of several different logistics companies (e.g., Posti, Matkahuolto, PostNord) with a single contract, allowing you to easily send orders both domestically and internationally.

The setup of the service is effortless, as you can register as a customer on the admin panel's Settings > Shipping methods page.

See also:

In addition to Shipit, the following logistics integrations are also available:

2/4: Installing a logistics extension

The integration is installed as an extension in the online store. The pricing of most logistics integrations is based on an order-specific commission.

Once you have registered as a customer with the logistics company of your choice, you can enable the designated logistics extension in the online store:

  1. Go to the admin panel's Account > Extensions page.
  2. Here, find the logistics service you subscribed to (e.g., Shipit).
  3. In the extension settings, enter the credentials you received from the logistics company during registration.
  4. Save the extension's settings.

The logistics integration is now ready to be used when you add a new shipping method.

3/4: Creating a shipping method

After installing the logistics integration, you can add a shipping method that uses it to the online store:

  1. Go to the admin panel's Settings > Shipping methods page.
  2. Press the Add shipping method button.
  3. Select the type of the shipping method.
    • Delivery: the logistics service delivers the order to the customer or to a logistics service's pickup point (e.g., a post pffice).
    • Pickup: the customer picks up the order directly from your store or warehouse, for example.
  4. Select Shipit as the service to be used for creating address labels and choose your desired parcel service from the menu.
  5. Click Save.

    The shipping method form opens.

  6. Specify at least the following information on the shipping method form;
    • Name: The name is visible to customers at the online store checkout, so clearly describe what kind of delivery it is (e.g., Delivery to the doorstep).
    • Show in version: The shipping method is visible only in the selected versions.
    • Package sizes: Select the package sizes that can be shipped with the delivery method. The products' shipping methods depend on the its weight and package size.

      Deselect Downloadable. It is intended only for the sale of digital products.

      MyCashflow's package sizes are different from the logistics company's package sizes.

      In the admin panel, the package sizes you choose for products and shipping methods do not determine the type of package option you select when sending an order to the customer.

      In chapter 2 of the quick guide, you created the first product for the online store, for which you set the package size. Make sure that the shipping method has the same package size selected.

      Later in this chapter, we will discuss how shipping methods are selected for products at your online store's checkout.

    • Payment methodsOnly the payment methods available with the shipping option chosen by the customer are visible at the online store checkout.
    • Shipping countriesBy default, all shipping countries are allowed, but you can remove countries from the list to which you do not deliver (you can edit the allowed countries at any time).
  7. Press the Save button at the end of the form.

The shipping method is not yet ready for use; next, its shipping costs must be determined.

4/4: Determining shipping costs

In MyCashflow, the shipping costs charged from the customer are determined in tiers, so that they increase with the weight of the order. This is how you can use the same shipping method for shipping orders of different sizes and charge the customer varying shipping costs based on the order's weight.

Shipping costs do not have to match the pricing of the logistics company. You can set costs that suit your own needs. Customer satisfaction is also good to consider in the costs.

You can determine the shipping costs as follows:

  1. Open the previously created shipping method from the list on the admin panel's Settings > Shipping methods page.
  2. Press the Add shipping cost button in the shipping method details.
  3. Define weight limits for the shipping method and assign a price for each limit, for example, as follows:
    • maximum 2.5 kg = 3 €
    • maximum 5 kg = 8 €
    • maximum 10 kg = 15 €

    Recall the weight you assigned to the product in chapter 2. Ensure that the maximum weight limit exceeds the weight of that product. If the weight of the customer's order exceeds the maximum limit of a shipping method, the customer will not see the shipping method at checkout.

    Note that customers can order more than one unit of the same product. If a customer wants to order 5 units of the product, the maximum weight limit must be at least 5 times greater than the product's weight for the shipping method to appear at the online store's checkout.

Once you have defined the shipping costs, the shipping method is ready for use in your online store.

Using the shipping method in the online store is examined in more detail in chapter 9 of the quick guide.

Package sizes and selection of shipping methods for the order

The shipping methods visible to customers at checkout are automatically selected based on the weights and package sizes of the order products. This ensures that only shipping methods capable of shipping all order products are visible at the online store checkout.

For example:

  • The store has three products:
    • Product 1, with a package size of Letter
    • Product 2, with a package size of Large letter
    • Product 3, with a parcel size of Parcel
    In this case, you should think about the shipping methods so that a smaller package size always fits inside a larger one. Create the following shipping methods for the online store, for example:
    • Letter: select only Letter in the package sizes
    • Large letter: select package sizes Large letter and Letter
    • Parcel: select Parcel, Large Letter, and Letter in the package sizes

    Also define the weight limits and shipping costs according to the weights of the products. For example, if a 500 g letter is delivered at a price of €2.90, set the maximum shipping costs for 500 g. If that shipping method were also available up to one kilogram, but the price would be higher, set the maximum weight limit to 1 kg.

If no shipping method supports the package sizes of all the products in the order, it is not possible to complete the order and a warning will be displayed at checkout when selecting the shipping method.

When creating shipping methods, the following should be taken into account:

  • Keep track of your products' package sizes.

    Customers can order several different products at the same time. The online store should have shipping methods serving package sizes for all products your customers can order.

  • Keep track of the weights of your store's products.

    Note that a single order can include several units of different products. The weight limits of shipping methods should be dedfined accordingly.

  • Do you plan to ship abroad?

    If necessary, select a logistics service suitable for international shipments and allow all countries to which you intend to send products for delivery methods.