Create An Integrated Service Shipping Method

An integrated service shipping method lets you offer paid shipping with real-time rates from one of our integrated partners.

 

How It Works

Shipping methods control how rates are calculated and displayed to your customers at checkout. For rates to be presented on the checkout page, a shipping method must be assigned to at least one Scenario and associated with at least one zone.

If you have a subscription with one of our integrated partners, you can connect your account to Intuitive Shipping, allowing you to access your subscription-based rates. 

If you don't have an account with any of our partners, you can create one of these shipping methods instead:

• Custom service shipping methods let you set up flat shipping rates, rate tables and free shipping options.
• Parcel service shipping methods provide real-time carrier rates from one of our integrated carrier partners, in some cases without requiring an account.
• Freight service shipping methods allow you to access real-time rates from your FedEx LTL account.
• Local delivery shipping methods display distance-based rates using a Google API account.

 

Packages

You can control how the customer’s order is packaged by choosing a packing algorithm and assigning the packages you want this shipping method to use.

1. Select a packing algorithm.

Your have six (6) options to choose from:

• SmartBoxing - Intuitive Shipping will select the best package combination based on both the weight and the dimensional volume of the order. This is the default setting.
• PortionPack - Intuitive Shipping will select the best package combination based on the portion weight of the order. See below for details.
• Weight-based – Intuitive Shipping will select the best package combination based on the whole weight of the order. See below for details.
• Quantity-based - Intuitive Shipping will select the best package combination based on the number of items in the order.
• Volume-based - Intuitive Shipping will select the best package combination based on the dimensional volume of the order.
• Points-based - Intuitive Shipping will select the best package combination based on a point system. Packing points are arbitrary values assigned to products by you.

 

PortionPack vs. Weight-based

Both PortionPack and weight-based packing algorithms consider the combined weight of the products being ordered. PortionPack allows you to sell items in bulk or 'portions', such as raw meat, whereas weight-based considers the weight as a whole.

Let's say you only use one package for every order and that package has a maximum weight of 25 lbs. If a customer orders 40 lbs worth of product:

• PortionPack - the order will be packed in 2 packages - one with 25 lbs, one with 15 lbs.
• Weight-based - the order will fail at checkout because the only available package cannot hold the entire weight of the order. A package capable of holding up to 40 lbs would be need to be assigned to the shipping method.

 

Additional Packing Settings

Additional packing settings are available for packing method, multiple package blending and product dimensions.

• Packing method lets you choose if different products in the order are packed together or separately.
• Multiple package blending gives you the option blend shipping costs for different packages when carrier services don't match.
• Product dimensions can be used to limit packing when the packing algorithm doesn't otherwise consider dimensions, such as weight-based.

If you don't need to adjust the packing method, multiple package blending or product dimensions settings, skip ahead to Add Packages.

 

1. Click Show additional packing settings.

 

2. Select a packing method.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Pack products together - all of the products in the order will be packed together. Packages will be split based on the selected packing algorithm and the packages assigned to the shipping method. This is the default setting.
• Pack products separately - each unique product in the order will be packed separately based on the selected packing algorithm and the packages assigned to the shipping method.

For example, if you select ‘Pack products separately’ and a customer orders 3 black hats, 2 yellow t-shirts, and 1 red hoodie, each product type will be packed in its own set of packages: the hats together, the shirts together, and the hoodie by itself.

 

3. Choose how multiple packages will be blended when carrier services don’t match.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Flexible blending - an attempt will be made to blend costs based on services. The lowest cost for each package will be blended together if packages do not have matching services. This is the default setting.
• Strict blending - costs will be blended only if all packages have matching services. No costs will be returned if packages do not have matching services.

Sometimes, packages in an order may not qualify for the same carrier service. When that happens, the shipping costs will be blended based on the setting you choose.

For example, if Package 1 only qualifies for Service A and Package 2 only qualifies for Service B, the 'Flexible blending' setting will blend the costs. The Strict setting won’t return a rate at all.

This means if a customer orders 3 products - one that qualifies for USPS Priority Flat Rate Medium and two that don’t - the Flexible setting will blend the Flat Rate cost with other available services. The 'Strict blending' setting won’t return any rates at all.

4. Choose how product dimensions interact with the packing algorithm. This is useful if you have products with one or more dimensions that exceed the dimensional limits of certain packages, regardless of the packing algorithm.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Use product dimensions - product dimensions are checked to ensure every product in the order fits in the selected packages, regardless of the selected packing algorithm.
• Ignore product dimensions - individual product dimensions are not considered, and packages are selected strictly based on the selected packing algorithm.

For example, if you’re using a weight-based algorithm and have selected ‘Use product dimensions’, you might have:

• A package measuring 12 x 10 x 8 inches that holds up to 20 lbs.

• A package measuring 15 x 10 x 10 inches that holds up to 25 lbs.

If a customer orders an 18-lb product that measures 6 x 14 x 3 inches, the second package will be selected. That’s because the product’s width (14 inches) exceeds any of the first package’s dimensions, even though the weight is within the limit. This setting is ideal when your products have rigid dimensions that can’t be altered.

If you use the same example but choose ‘Ignore product dimensions’, the first package will be selected instead. That’s because only the product’s weight is considered, and 18 lbs is under the package limit. This option works well for flexible or malleable products that can be bent, folded, or adjusted to fit the box.

 

Add Packages

All packages saved in the Package Management system are listed in this section of the shipping method. You can select any or all packages from the list. If needed, you can also add new packages directly from here. Any package you add will automatically be saved to your central package settings, making it available for other shipping methods that use packages.

The following steps will show you how to add a package directly from the shipping method.

If all the packages you need are listed and you don't need to add more, skip ahead to Select Packages.

1. Click Add package.

 

2. Enter a package title, like ‘Box 1’ or ‘Large Envelope’.

 

3. Select a package type.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Box - fixed length, width and height dimensions.
• Soft package - fixed length and width dimensions; adjustable height dimension.

 

4. Enter the outer length, width, and height dimensions. Carriers use these dimensions when calculating the shipping cost.

 

Additional Settings 

Additional settings are available for inner dimensions, maximum weight, empty weight, and package cost:

• Inner dimensions are used with the SmartBoxing algorithm to improve packing accuracy. Use these if there’s a noticeable difference between the inner and outer dimensions or if extra packing material takes up space.

• Maximum weight lets you set a weight limit for each package. This helps prevent overloading the package or exceeding a carrier’s weight limit.

• Empty weight accounts for the package’s own weight, which can impact the total weight used to calculate carrier rates.

• Package cost is added to the total shipping cost, helping you recover the cost of your packaging materials.

If you don't need to add additional package information, skip ahead to Select Packages.

 

1. Click Show additional settings.

 

2. Enter the inner length, width, and height dimensions. When using the SmartBoxing packing algorithm, these values improve packing accuracy if there’s a noticeable difference between the inner and outer dimensions or if extra packing material takes up space.

Inner dimensions can also be used with simple packing algorithms like weight-based or quantity-based packing if products in the order have been assigned dimensions.

 

3. Enter the maximum weight the package can hold. Intuitive Shipping will make sure the total product weight in a single package doesn’t exceed this limit. This setting is helpful if your package has a physical weight restriction or if you’re concerned about going over a carrier’s weight limit. Be sure to check with the carrier for any package weight restrictions.

 

4. Enter the empty weight of the package. Intuitive Shipping adds this to the total weight of the products. Use this setting if the package’s weight is significant enough to affect a carrier’s rate calculation. If a maximum weight is set in the previous step, Intuitive Shipping automatically subtracts the empty weight from the package’s maximum weight during the packaging process.

 

5. Enter the package cost. Intuitive Shipping adds it to the total shipping cost - it does not appear as a separate line item. This setting is useful for recovering packaging costs through your shipping charges.

 

6. Click Save. The new package will appear as a selectable option within this shipping method and will also be saved to the Package Management system for use in other shipping methods that use packages.

 

Select Packages

All packages you’ve added to Intuitive Shipping, including those added in the previous section, are listed in the shipping method. Only those with a checkmark next to them will be used by the packing algorithm during carrier rate calculations.

1. To make all of your packages available, select ‘Custom Packages’. This acts as a select all option.

 

2. If you don’t want to use all packages, select only the ones you need. For longer lists, use the search bar or scroll to find specific packages.

Packages that aren't selected will be ignored by the packing algorithm during carrier rate calculations.

Packages that have been turned off in the Package Management system will appear muted and show a ‘Package not available’ message. These packages are ignored by the packing algorithm during carrier rate calculations, even if their checkbox is selected.

 

 

Shipping Origin

Carrier rates from integrated services can be calculated using the primary location set up in your eCommerce platform or a custom location saved in Intuitive Shipping. This is useful if you ship products from different retail or warehouse locations.

1. Select the ship from location for the shipping method.

You have two options to choose from:

• Dynamic origin location - Carrier rates from the integrated service will be calculated based on the distance between your customer’s address and your primary eCommerce platform address. This is the default setting.

• Specify origin location - Carrier rates from the integrated will be calculated using the address you enter in the next step.

If you selected 'Dynamic origin location', skip ahead to Account.

 

Add And Select A Custom Origin Location

All locations saved in the Location Management system are listed in this section of the shipping method. If needed, you can also add new shipping origin locations directly from here. Any location you add will automatically be saved to your central location settings, making it available for other shipping methods that use locations.

The following steps will show you how to add a ship from location directly from the shipping method.

If the location you need is listed and you don't need to add a new one, skip ahead to Account.

1. Click Add location.

 

2. Enter a location title, such as ‘Warehouse 2’.

 

3. Enter the location address. A complete address is not required, meaning you don’t have to fill in every field to save the location.

 

4. Click the Save button. The new location will appear as a selectable option within this shipping method and will also be saved to the Location Management system for use in other shipping methods.

 

5. Select a location. This location will be used as the starting point for integrated service rate calculations in this shipping method.

 

 

Services

Please note: If you're setting up Easyship, the 'Services' section appears below the 'Account' section.

Integrated subscription-based services typically offer a variety of delivery services for both domestic and international shipping, depending on the service and your subscription plan. Intuitive Shipping supports many of the services from our integrated partners. If a specific service isn’t available or working as expected, please contact us and we’ll be happy to investigate.

1. To offer all services within a domestic or international region, select the region. Each service within that region will be selected automatically. Not all integrated services provide this option within Intuitive Shipping. For example, Starshipit only provides filtered service options. 

 

2. If you don’t want to offer all services, select only the ones you need. Rate calculations will only be provided for the selected services. 

 

Additional Service Settings

Additional settings are available to filter services. By default, each service you selected in the previous section is displayed at checkout if it's available in the customer's postal code or ZIP code. You can use this setting to limit which services are offered based on their cost or estimated delivery time.

If you don't want to filter the services offered to customers at checkout, skip ahead to Optional Settings.

If you're setting up Starshipit, these 'additional' service settings are already displayed - skip ahead to Step 2.  

1. Click Show additional service settings.

 

2. Choose how services should be filtered.

You have six (6) options to choose from:

• Return all selected - all available services selected in the previous section or within your account will be displayed to the customer at checkout.
• Best value - only the available service with the best overall value from those selected in the previous section or within your account will be displayed to the customer at checkout.
• Cheapest cost - only the available service with the lowest cost from those selected in the previous section or within your account will be displayed to the customer at checkout.
• Most expensive - only the available service with the highest cost from those selected in the previous section or within your account will be displayed to the customer at checkout.
• Fastest delivery time - only the available service with the fasted estimated delivery time from those selected in the previous section or within your account will be displayed to the customer at checkout.
• Slowest delivery time - only the available service with the slowest estimated delivery time from those selected in the previous section or within your account will be displayed to the customer at checkout.

 

 

Account

If you have an account with the integrated service you selected at the start of this guide, you can use it to access your discounted or negotiated rates. If your account is already connected to Intuitive Shipping, it will appear under ‘Carrier accounts’ as a selectable option.

 

Add An Account

Subscription-based accounts saved in the Carrier Accounts Management system, including Starshipit or Easyship, are listed in this section of the shipping method. Only accounts that match the partner selected at the start of this guide are listed. If needed, you can also add a new account for the same service provider directly from here. Any account you add will automatically be saved to your central carrier settings, making it available for other shipping methods that use the same carrier.

 

The following steps will show you how to add an account directly from the shipping method.

If the account you need is listed and you don't need to add a new one, skip ahead to Optional Settings.

1. Click Add carrier account.

 

2. Enter an account title.

 

3. Enter your account credentials. Fields for credentials vary by service.

 

4. Click the Save button. The new account will appear as a selectable option within this shipping method and will also be saved to the Carrier Account Management system for use in other shipping methods.

 

5. Select the integrated service account.

 

 

Optional Settings

Optional settings for carrier settings, fallback rating, cost adjustments, free shipping, custom shipping blending, and rate blending give you more control over how integrated service rates appear at checkout. These settings are not required to complete your shipping method setup.

• Carrier settings offer additional options for your subscription services. Settings vary by service and are not available for all services.

• Carrier service fallback rating ensures a rate is shown at checkout if the integrated service request times out.

• Cost adjustments let you modify the final shipping cost shown to the customer, regardless of the original carrier rate.

• Free shipping allows you to set a threshold where shipping becomes free for orders that would otherwise be charged.

• Custom shipping blending gives you the ability to blend this method’s rates with product-specific shipping costs.

• Rate blending lets you combine this shipping method’s rates with others using either simple or advanced blending options.

1. Click Show optional settings.

 

Carrier Settings

Some integrated services have additional settings that can be customized. For example, Easyship lets you choose whether or not to apply shipping rules created through your Easyship dashboard. Whereas, Starshipit doesn't have any.

1. Adjust the integration service settings as needed and if available. Easyship settings are shown for reference.

 

Carrier Service Fallback Rate

Intuitive Shipping gives you the option to display a fallback rate at checkout if the integrated service times out. This can be helpful during carrier outages or high-traffic periods like Black Friday.

Fallback rates are only used when the system doesn’t receive a response from the service within the timeout window.

 

1. Choose whether or not to enable a fallback rate.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Do not use a fallback rate - if the integrated service does not return a rate within the timeout limit, rates from the shipping method will not be displayed at checkout. This is the default setting.
• Define a fallback rate - if the integrated service does not return a rate within the timeout limit, the fallback rate entered in Step 2 will be displayed at checkout, along with any fallback rate display settings entered in the steps immediately following.

 

2. Enter a fallback shipping cost.

 

Fallback Rate Optional Display Settings 

Optional settings are available for fallback rate titles, descriptions, delivery times and service codes can override the shipping method's general display settings when the fallback rate is activated and displayed at checkout.

1. Click Show optional display settings.

 

2. Enter a fallback rate title. When a fallback rate is enabled, the title entered here will override the title entered in General if the fallback rate is activated.

 

4. Enter a fallback rate delivery time. When a fallback rate is enabled, the delivery time entered here will override the delivery time entered in General if the fallback rate is activated.

 

5. Enter a fallback rate service code, such as 'FALLBACK'. The service code is pushed to your fulfillment service (if applicable) when a customer successfully completes their checkout. When a fallback rate is enabled, the service code entered here will override the service code entered in General if the fallback rate is activated.

 

Cost Adjustments

Customize how shipping costs appear at checkout by adjusting the final rate calculation. Adjustments are applied in the order listed in the app.

1. Click Add adjustment.

 

2. Enter a title for the first cost adjustment, such as 'Markup', 'Discount' or 'Handling Fee'.

 

3. Select a method for the first cost adjustment.

You have ten (10) settings to choose from:

• add flat amount - shipping costs returned by the service will increase by the amount entered in Step 4. For example, if the service returns a cost of $28.50 and the flat amount in Step 4 is $3.00, the adjusted cost will be $31.50.
  • 28.50 + 3.00 = 31.50
• add % of shipping cost - shipping costs returned by the service will increase by the percentage entered in Step 4, which is determined by the shipping cost. For example, if the service returns a cost of $28.50 and the percentage in Step 4 is 5%, the adjusted cost will be $29.93.
  • 28.50 x 5% = 1.43
  • 28.50 + 1.43 = 29.93
• add % of cart value - shipping costs returned by the service will increase by the percentage entered in Step 4, which is determined by the cart value. For example, if the cart value is $150.00, the service returns a cost of $28.50 and the percentage in Step 4 is 10%, the adjusted cost will be $43.50.
  • 150.00 x 10% = 15.00
  • 28.50 + 15.00 = 43.50
• subtract flat amount - shipping costs returned by the service will decrease by the amount entered in Step 4. For example, if the service returns a cost of $28.50 and the flat amount in Step 4 is $3.00, the adjusted cost will be $25.50.
  • 28.50 - 3.00 = 25.50
• subtract % of shipping cost - shipping costs returned by the service will decrease by the percentage entered in Step 4, which is determined by the shipping cost. For example, if the service returns a cost of $28.50 and the percentage in Step 4 is 5%, the adjusted cost will be $27.07
  • 28.50 x 5% = 1.43
  • 28.50 - 1.43 = 27.07
• subtract % of cart value - shipping costs returned by the service will decrease by the percentage entered in Step 4, which is determined by the cart value. For example, if the cart value is $150.00, the service returns a cost of $28.50 and the percentage in Step 4 is 10%, the adjusted cost will be $13.50.
  
  • 150.00 x 10% = 15.00
  • 28.50 - 15.00 = 13.50
• multiply by - shipping costs returned by the service will be multiplied by the value entered in Step 4. For example, if the service returns a cost of $28.50 and value in Step 4 is '1.5', the adjusted cost will be $42.75.
  • 28.50 x 1.5 = 42.75
• divide by - shipping costs returned by the service will be divided by the value entered in Step 4. For example, if the service returns a cost of $28.50 and value in Step 4 is '2', the adjusted cost will be $14.25.
  
  • 28.50 ÷ 2 = 14.25
• set minimum cost - shipping costs returned by the service will be adjusted up to the value entered in Step 4 if the returned cost is lower. For example, if the service returns a cost of $8.95 and the minimum cost is $10.00, the adjusted cost will be $10.00.
• set maximum cost - shipping costs returned by the service will be adjusted down to the value entered in Step 4 if the returned cost is higher. For example, if the service returns a cost of $118.95 and the maximum cost is $100.00, the adjusted cost will be $100.00.

 

4. Enter a value for the first cost adjustment as a whole number or decimal. The value type (currency or percentage) will be based on the adjustment method selected in Step 3. 

 

Additional Cost Adjustments

You can add multiple cost adjustments by clicking 'Add adjustment' again. Adjustments are applied in the order they appear in the list.

For example, let’s say you have the following adjustments:

• Markup - ‘add % of shipping cost’ - 5%

• Handling - ‘add % of cart value’ - 2%

• Promo Discount - ‘divide by’ - 2

• Minimum Cost - ‘set minimum cost’ - 18.00

If the cart value is $150.00 and the service returns a rate of $28.50, here’s how the adjustments would be applied:

1. Markup:

   28.50 × 5% = 1.43

   28.50 + 1.43 = 29.93

2. Handling:

   150.00 × 2% = 3.00

   29.93 + 3.00 = 32.93

3. Promo Discount:

   32.93 ÷ 2 = 16.47

4. Minimum Cost:

   16.47 is below the $18.00 minimum, so the final cost is set to $18.00

If the adjusted cost after the discount had been higher - say, $21.75 - the 'Minimum Cost' adjustment would be skipped.

 

For example, let's say you have a cost adjustment like this:

• 'Discount' - 'subtract flat amount' - 10.00

If the shipping cost returned by the service is $8.95, the final cost would be adjusted to $0.00 because the true adjusted value (-$1.05) cannot be displayed at checkout.

 

Costs adjustments can be rearranged by dragging and dropping them in your preferred order of operations. To move a cost adjustment, hover over the up/down arrow to the left of the adjustment row, then click and drag to move it up or down the list.

Click the trash can symbol to the right of the adjustment row to remove a cost adjustment.

 

Rounding

Rounding can be applied to the final shipping cost, whether or not other cost adjustments are used. For example, if the service returns a rate of $28.50 and no other adjustments are applied, the amount can still be rounded up or down.

1. Select a rounding setting.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Do not apply rounding - the final shipping cost, after any other cost adjustments, will be displayed exactly as calculated. This is the default setting.
• Round final shipping cost – the final shipping cost, after any other cost adjustments, will be rounded up or down, depending on the settings selected in the following two steps.

If you are not applying rounding, skip ahead to Free Shipping threshold.

 

2. Choose the rounding direction.

You have three (3) settings to choose from:

• Up/down - the final shipping cost will be rounded up or down to the nearest increment selected in the next step, whichever is closer.
• Up - the final shipping cost will always be rounded up to nearest the increment selected in the next step.
• Down - the final shipping cost will always be rounded down to the nearest increment selected in the next step.

 

3. Choose the increment amount to round the shipping cost.

You have four (4) settings to choose from:

• 0.50 - the final shipping cost will be rounded up or down to the nearest 0.50 of your base currency. If the final shipping cost is $18.80, the cost will be rounded down to $18.50 or up to $19.00, depending on the setting selected in the previous step.
• 1.00 - the final shipping cost will be rounded up or down to the nearest 1.00 of your base currency. If the final shipping cost is $23.20, the cost will be rounded down to $23.00 or up to $24.00, depending on the setting selected in the previous step.
• 5.00 - the final shipping cost will be rounded up or down to the nearest 5.00 of your base currency. If the final shipping cost is $33.00, the cost will be rounded down to $30.00 or up to $35.00, depending on the setting selected in the previous step.
• 10.00 - the final shipping cost will be rounded up or down to the nearest 10.00 of your base currency. If the final shipping cost is $22.38, the cost will be rounded down to $20.00 or up to $30.00, depending on the setting selected in the previous step.

 

 

Free Shipping

You can offer free shipping to customers whose orders exceed certain minimum or maximum thresholds. 

If you don't want a free shipping threshold, skip ahead to Custom Shipping Blending.

1. Select Set a free shipping threshold.

 

2. Select a free shipping threshold type.

You have three (3) settings to choose from:

• Total - free shipping will activate based on the combined value of items in the cart.
• Quantity - free shipping will activate based on the combined number of items in the cart.
• Weight - free shipping will activate based on the combined weight of items in the cart.

 

3. Select the free shipping threshold logic.

You have six (6) settings to choose from:

• Greater than - free shipping will activate when the combined cart value is more than the value entered in the next step.

• Greater than or equals - free shipping will activate when the combined cart value is more than or the same as the value entered in the next step.

• Less than - free shipping will activate when the combined cart value is lower than the value entered in the next step.

• Less than or equals - free shipping will activate when the combined cart value is lower than or the same as the value entered in the next step.

• Equals - free shipping will activate when the combined cart value is exactly the same as the value entered in the next step.

• Does not equal - free shipping will activate when the combined cart value is anything except the value entered in the next step.

 

4. Enter the free shipping threshold value. Free shipping will activate when the cart value exceeds the value entered here, based on the settings in the previous two steps.

• If the selected threshold type is 'total', the unit of measure for the value will be based on the default currency in your eCommerce platform.
• If the selected threshold type is 'quantity', the unit of measure for the value is based on the number of items in the cart.
• If the selected threshold type is 'weight', the unit of measure for the value is based on the weight unit selected in your Intuitive Shipping general settings.

 

Optional Free Shipping Display Settings

Optional free shipping display settings are available for a title, description, delivery time and service code. When the free shipping threshold is met, these values will override the shipping method's general display settings.

If unique display settings aren't required when free shipping is activated, skip ahead to Custom Shipping Blending.

 

1. Click Show optional display settings.

 

2. Enter a free shipping title. When a free shipping threshold is enabled, the title entered here will override the title entered in General if free shipping is activated.

 

3. Enter a free shipping description. When a free shipping threshold is enabled, the description entered here will override the description entered in General if free shipping is activated.

 

4. Enter a free shipping delivery time. When a free shipping threshold is enabled, the delivery time entered here will override the delivery time entered in General if free shipping is activated.

 

5. Enter a free shipping service code, like 'FREE'. The service code is pushed to your fulfillment service (if applicable) when a customer successfully completes their checkout. When a free shipping threshold is enabled, the service code entered here will override the service code entered in General if free shipping is activated.

 

 

Custom Shipping Blending

If you have products with custom shipping costs, Intuitive Shipping can blend those product-specific rates with the rates calculated by the shipping method.

For example, if a customer’s cart includes a product with a $100.00 custom shipping cost - meaning it always costs $100.00 to ship that product - and the shipping method calculates $25.00 to ship the other items in the cart, the customer will be charged a total of $125.00 at checkout.

If blending doesn’t suit your setup, you can choose to display either the custom shipping costs or the rates from this shipping method instead - whichever works best for your needs.

If you don’t have products with custom shipping costs, these settings are ignored regardless of how they’re set. Skip ahead to Rate Blending.

 

1. Select a custom shipping blending option.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Do not blend - custom shipping costs are ignored by the shipping method. This is useful if you want custom shipping costs to apply only when customers order those specific products, while using the shipping method’s rates when other items are included in the order.

• Blend custom shipping costs - custom shipping costs are combined with the rates calculated by the shipping method based on the blending mode settings (next step). This is the default setting.

For example, if a product has a $100.00 custom shipping cost and 'Do not blend' is selected, the customer will be charged only the $100.00 if they order that product alone. If they add other products without custom shipping costs, they’ll be charged only the rate from the shipping method, and the $100.00 cost will be ignored.

If you selected 'Do not blend', skip ahead to Rate Blending.

If 'Blend custom shipping costs' is selected, the customer will be charged only the $100.00 if they order that product alone. If they add other products without custom shipping costs, they'll be charged $100.00 for the custom shipping cost plus the shipping rate calculated by the method. This applies if Blending mode (next step) is set to 'Add'.

 

2. If you're blending custom shipping costs, select a blending mode. 

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Add to final shipping cost - custom shipping costs are added to the rate calculated by the shipping method. This is the default setting.
• Replace shipping cost - custom shipping costs replace the rate calculated by the shipping method.

Let’s say a customer orders a product with a $100.00 custom shipping cost along with other products that don’t have custom charges.

If 'Add to final shipping cost' is selected, the customer will be charged $100.00 plus the shipping rate calculated by the shipping method.

If 'Replace shipping cost' is selected, the customer will only be charged $100.00 to ship the entire order; the shipping method’s rate will be ignored.

 

Additional Custom Shipping Blending Settings 

Additional custom shipping blending settings are available for a filtering, mark ups and discounts.

• Filtering lets you decide if you want products with custom shipping costs included in or excluded from the rate calculation.
• Mark ups give you the option to increase the amount of the custom shipping costs before they're blended with the shipping method.
• Discounts give you the option to reduce the amount of custom shipping costs before they're blended with the the shipping method.

If you don’t need to filter or apply cost adjustments to products with custom shipping costs, skip ahead to Rate Blending.

 

1. Click Show additional custom shipping blend settings.

 

2. Select a filter products option.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Include in shipping calculation - products with custom shipping costs will be included in the rate calculation. For SmartBoxing™, PortionPack™, weight-based or volume-based packing algorithms, the product weight or dimensions will be included in the rate calculation.
• Exclude from shipping calculation - products with custom shipping costs will be excluded from the rate calculation. For SmartBoxing™, PortionPack™, weight-based or volume-based packing algorithms, the product weight or dimensions will be ignored by the rate calculation. This is the default setting.

For example, if you’re using a weight-based packing algorithm, you can choose whether or not the weight of products with custom shipping costs counts toward the dimensional weight calculated by the carrier.

 

3. Add a mark up to the custom shipping costs.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Flat - the amount entered enter here will be added to the combined custom shipping costs when those products are included in the order. The adjusted total will be blended with the shipping method, based on the Blending mode you selected above. 
• Percentage - the percentage entered enter here will be applied to, then added to the combined custom shipping costs when those products are included in the order. The adjusted total will be blended with the shipping method, based on the Blending mode you selected above. 

For example, let's say a customer orders various products, including two products that have custom shipping costs of $50.00 and $30.00 respectively.

If the amount entered in 'Flat' is $10.00, the combined custom shipping cost becomes $90.00.

• $50.00 + $30.00 = $80.00 (the combined custom shipping costs) 
• $80.00 + $10.00 = $90.00 (the combined custom costs plus the flat mark-up)

The total custom shipping cost of $90.00 will be blended with the rate calculated by the shipping method. If that rate is $42.50, the customer will be charged $132.50 for shipping at checkout.

 

If the amount entered in 'Percentage' is 10%, the combined custom shipping cost becomes $88.00.

• $50.00 + $30.00 = $80.00 (the combined custom shipping costs) 
• $8.00 (10% of the combined custom costs)
• $80.00 + $8.00 = $88.00 (the combined custom costs plus the % mark-up)

The total custom shipping cost of $88.00 is blended with the rate calculated by the shipping method. If that rate is $42.50, the customer will charged $130.50 for shipping at checkout.

 

Let's say the flat amount is $10.00 and the percentage is 5%, here's how the adjustment works: 

• $50.00 + $30.00 = $80.00 (the combined custom shipping costs)
• $80.00 + $10.00 = $90.00 (the combined custom costs plus the flat mark-up)
• $4.50 (5% of $90.00)
• $90.00 + $4.50 = $94.50 (the adjusted combined custom cost plus the % mark-up)

The total custom shipping cost of $94.50 will be blended with the rate calculated by the shipping method. If the calculated rate is $42.50, the customer will be charged $137.00 for shipping at checkout

 

4. Add a discount to the custom shipping costs.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Flat - the amount entered enter here will be subtracted from the combined custom shipping costs when those products are included in the order. The adjusted total will be blended with the shipping method, based on the Blending mode you selected above. 
• Percentage - the percentage entered enter here will be applied to, then subtracted from the combined custom shipping costs when those products are included in the order. The adjusted total will be blended with the shipping method, based on the Blending mode you selected above. 

Using a similar example to the one used for 'mark up', let's say a customer orders various products, including two products that have custom shipping costs of $50.00 and $30.00 respectively.

If the amount entered in 'Flat' is $10.00, the combined custom shipping cost becomes $70.00.

• $50.00 + $30.00 = $80.00 (the combined custom shipping costs) 
• $80.00 - $10.00 = $70.00 (the combined custom costs less the flat discount)

The total custom shipping cost of $70.00 will be blended with the rate calculated by the shipping method. If that rate is $42.50, the customer will be charged $112.50 for shipping at checkout.

 

If the amount entered in 'Percentage' is 10%, the combined custom shipping cost becomes $88.00.

• $50.00 + $30.00 = $80.00 (the combined custom shipping costs) 
• $8.00 (10% of the combined custom costs)
• $80.00 - $8.00 = $72.00 (the combined custom costs less the % discount)

The total custom shipping cost of $72.00 is blended with the rate calculated by the shipping method. If that rate is $42.50, the customer will charged $114.50 for shipping at checkout.

 

Let's say the flat amount is $10.00 and the percentage is 5%, here's how the adjustment works: 

• $50.00 + $30.00 = $80.00 (the combined custom shipping costs)
• $80.00 - $10.00 = $70.00 (the combined custom costs less the flat discount)
• $3.50 (5% of $70.00)
• $70.00 - $3.50 = $66.50 (the adjusted combined custom cost less the % mark-up)

The total custom shipping cost of $66.50 will be blended with the rate calculated by the shipping method. If the calculated rate is $42.50, the customer will be charged $109.00 for shipping at checkout

 

 

Rate Blending

Rates from different shipping methods can be blended together - whether they’re part of the same Scenario or come from separate ones. This can be achieved by:

• Selecting simple blending or advanced blending in General Settings.
• Enabling the rate blending setting (described in this section) in at least two shipping methods.
• Setting up blending rules.

Let's say you have multiple product-based shipping rates. One product type uses a custom $10.00 flat rate and another gets live rates from an integrated service. When the live rate calculates $27.50, rate blending can combine it with the flat rate so the customer is charged $37.50 when both product types are in the same order.

You can also use rate blending to:

• add optional shipping upsells or fees, like 'white glove delivery'.
• offer expedited service options, like '2-Day' and 'Overnight', even when rates are coming from multiple carriers or services.

If you don't need blending rules, leave rate blending set to the default ‘Do not blend’, and skip ahead to Save Your Settings.

 

1. Select Blend with other rates.

 

Simple Blending vs. Advanced Blending

By default, Intuitive Shipping is set to simple rate blending. If you apply the 'Blend with other rates' setting in the previous step to more than one shipping method, those rates - when activated at checkout - will be blended together according to your simple blending settings.

Advanced rate blending gives you greater control, allows for customization, and lets you create multiple blending rules using blending group tags.

If you're not sure which blending method your account is currently using, check the statement below the rate blending settings:

• 'Your account is currently setup to use simple rate blending.'

• 'Your account is currently setup to use advanced rate blending.'

To switch between simple and advanced rate blending, click on 'Account settings'. Changes will be applied after you save your shipping method. 

 

1. Select a blending mode. If the service returns rates for multiple carrier services - such as 'Priority', '2-day' and 'Ground', this setting lets your choose which of those services will be blended with other shipping methods.

You have three (3) settings to choose from:

• Best value - the rate with the best overall value will be blended with rates from other shipping methods.This is the default setting.
• Cheapest cost - the rate with the lowest cost will be blended with rates from other shipping methods.
• Fastest delivery time - the rate with the fastest estimated delivery time will be blended with rates from other shipping methods.

 

If you're using advanced blending, an additional setting is required for blending groups. If you're using simple blending, skip ahead to Save Your Settings.

2. If you're using advanced blending, enter a Blending group tag. All shipping methods with the same blending group tag, regardless of the type of shipping method, will be blended together based on the rate blending rules.

 

 

Save Your Settings

1. Click the Save button to save your integrated service shipping method.

 

 

 

What's Next:

• Test your setup

Optional:

• Create a custom service shipping method (custom rates, free shipping)
• Create a parcel service shipping method (carrier-based rates)
• Create a freight service shipping method (FedEx Freight LTL)
• Create a blended rate
• Create a condition group 
• Add a location 
• Update product settings
• Update general settings

 

Can we lend a hand? Let us help you get up and running faster and with greater confidence. Book a complimentary Onboarding session!