X-Cart shopping cart software allows you to define shipping methods that should be available to your customers. Using the 'Edit shipping methods' form in the 'Shipping Methods' section of X-Cart administrative zone you can create and edit shipping methods, activate and deactivate them. The 'Shipping Methods' section can be accessed by clicking on Shipping methods in the Management menu.
Note: If there is no Shipping methods item in the Management menu, shipping is disabled in your store. To activate shipping, unselect the Disable shipping check box (General settings->Shipping options).
There are 2 major groups of shipping methods that you can use:
| 1. | Shipping methods with manually defined rates: |
• user-defined methods (listed in the 'Defined shipping methods' subsection of the 'Edit shipping methods’ form)
• methods listed in the ‘Real-time calculated shipping methods’ subsection of the 'Edit shipping methods’ form that do not get rates from real-time calculation services
Rates for these shipping methods can be adjusted within your store.
| 2. | Shipping methods with real-time calculated rates: |
• methods listed in the ‘Real-time calculated shipping methods’ subsection of the 'Edit shipping methods’ form that get rates from real-time calculation services.
Rates for these methods are delivered by Intershipper or by special integrated modules from real-time shipping services like UPS, USPS, FedEx, Airborne, etc.
Managing methods with manually defined rates
Adding your own shipping methods
You can create your own shipping methods and define (or allow providers to define) rates for these methods using the 'Shipping charges' section of the provider zone. To add a new shipping method:
| 1. | Click on Shipping Methods in the Management menu. The 'Edit shipping methods' form will appear. |
| 2. | In the 'Add shipping method' subsection specify the name for the new method, the delivery time in days (the average number of days in which ordered products can be shipped to the customer), the weight limit (the minimum and maximum weight that can be shipped using this method; set the value of these fields to zero if there are no limitations), and the position number (the number affecting the order in which the shipping methods are displayed to your customers). |
| 3. | Select National or International from the DESTINATION drop-down box, depending on whether this shipping method can be used for shipping goods to national or international locations. If you select National, this shipping method will not be available to international customers and customers who are not logged in. International shipping methods are only displayed to customers from countries different from the country of shop location. |
| 4. | Select COD check box to enable Cash on delivery for this shipping method. A customer then can select COD as a payment method. |
| 5. | Click on Update. The new method will be added to the list in the 'Defined shipping methods' subsection. It will be marked as active. |
Note: If you need to temporarily disable the new shipping method, unselect the ACTIVE check box next to it and click on Update.
You can edit shipping methods of your own (listed in the 'Defined shipping methods' subsection) and shipping methods provided by the services listed in 'Real-time calculated shipping methods' subsection. To edit a shipping method:
| 1. | Click on Shipping Methods in the Management menu. The 'Edit shipping methods' form will appear. |
| 2. | Locate the shipping method you want to edit. Your own shipping methods are listed in the 'Defined shipping methods' subsection of the 'Edit shipping methods' form. Methods provided by the services listed in 'Real-time calculated shipping methods' subsection can be accessed by clicking on the names of the shipping services. |
| 3. | Make the necessary changes: |
| ▪ | For a real-time calculated shipping method, the delivery time, the weight limit, the position number and COD availability can be changed. |
| ▪ | For a method added by yourself, the name, the delivery time, the destination, the weight limit, the position number and COD availability can be changed. |
| 4. | Click on Update. |
Activating/deactivating shipping methods
You can activate/deactivate shipping methods of your own (listed in the 'Defined shipping methods' subsection) and shipping methods provided by the services listed in 'Real-time calculated shipping methods' subsection. To change the status of a shipping method:
| 1. | Click on Shipping Methods in the Management menu. The 'Edit shipping methods' form will appear. |
| 2. | Locate the shipping method you need to activate/deactivate. Your own shipping methods are listed in the 'Defined shipping methods' subsection of the 'Edit shipping methods' form. Methods provided by the services listed in 'Real-time calculated shipping methods' subsection can be accessed by clicking on the names of the shipping services. |
| 3. | Select/unselect the check box in the ACTIVE column next to the shipping method the status of which you want to change. You can use the Check all / Uncheck all links to select all the real-time shipping methods on the page. |
| 3. | Click on Update. |
You can delete shipping methods you created. To delete a shipping method:
| 1. | Click on Shipping Methods in the Management menu. The 'Edit shipping methods' form will appear. |
| 2. | In the 'Defined shipping methods' form find the shipping method you need to delete. Click the Delete button next to this shipping method. |
Managing methods with real-time calculated rates
Editing shipping methods
You can edit real-time calculated shipping methods provided by the services listed in 'Real-time calculated shipping methods' subsection. To edit a shipping method:
| 1. | Click on Shipping Methods in the Management menu. The 'Edit shipping methods' form will appear. |
| 2. | Locate the shipping method you want to edit (Methods can be accessed by clicking on the names of shipping services). |
| 3. | Make the necessary changes: the delivery time, the weight limit, the position number and COD availability can be changed. |
| 4. | Click on Update. |
Activating/deactivating shipping methods
You can activate/deactivate real-time calculated shipping methods provided by the services listed in 'Real-time calculated shipping methods' subsection. To change the status of a shipping method:
| 1. | Click on Shipping Methods in the Management menu. The 'Edit shipping methods' form will appear. |
| 2. | Locate the shipping method you need to activate/deactivate (Methods can be accessed by clicking on the names of shipping services). |
| 3. | Select/unselect the check box in the ACTIVE column next to the shipping method the status of which you want to change. You can use the Check all / Uncheck all links to select all the real-time shipping methods on the page. |
| 3. | Click on Update. |
Note: Options for real-time shipping rate calculation services can be adjusted through the links Options >> provided opposite the names of the respective shipping methods (like Canada Post, FedEx and USPS) in the ‘Real-time calculated shipping methods’ subsection of the 'Edit shipping methods’ form. UPS OnLine ® Tools can be configured via the UPS OnLine ® Tools configure link.