Update Product Settings

Product settings let you control how your products interact with Intuitive Shipping. Adding physical details like dimensions and weight helps ensure accurate packing during carrier rate calculations. You can also use product shipping settings to control where and how each product ships - and even set specific shipping costs at the product level.

 

 

How It Works

All of your products are synced with Intuitive Shipping when you install the app. As you make changes to products in your eCommerce platform, whether it’s adding new products or removing older ones, assigning tags or building collections or categories, those changes are synced automatically.

 

When Physical Attributes Are Neccesary

Product physical attributes - dimensions and weight - may be required, depending on your eCommerce platform and how your setup is configured.

If you’re using custom service shipping methods with predetermined shipping costs, product weights and dimensions are only necessary in certain situations:

• Your Scenarios use weight-based or dimensional volume-based conditions
• Your shipping methods use weight-based or dimensional volume-based rate types

If you’re using parcel service, freight service, or integration service shipping methods that calculate real-time carrier rates, product weight is required for accurate rate calculations. Product dimensions are also required if you’re using the volume-based or SmartBoxing packing algorithms, or if you want to limit how products are packed based on size when using other algorithms like weight-based or quantity-based packing.

 

Product Dimensions

Intuitive Shipping requires specific values for length, width, and height to calculate dimensional volume. These must reflect the shipping dimensions - either the packed size of the product or the size of its individual package if it ships on its own or without additional packaging.

You can enter dimensions directly into your Intuitive Shipping product settings, even if your eCommerce platform has dedicated dimension fields. If the dimensions in Intuitive Shipping differ from those in your platform’s product settings, Intuitive Shipping will override the platform values.

Shopify does not currently offer fields for product length, width, or height. If you’re using Shopify and plan to use conditions, rate types, or packing algorithms that require dimensions or volume, you’ll need to enter product dimensions to Intuitive Shipping.

BigCommerce does include product fields for length, width, and height. If you’re using BigCommerce with dimension or volume-based settings, shipping dimension values in Intuitive Shipping will override the dimensions in BigCommerce.

We check product dimensional values at checkout before calculating rates. If dimensons are required for the calculation, we first look at the products in the cart. If dimensions are stored in Intuitive Shipping, those will be used. If not, we’ll use the dimensions from your BigCommerce product settings.

 

Product Weights

Both Shopify and BigCommerce let you store product weights in their systems. However, if you enter product weights in Intuitive Shipping, those values will override the weights from your eCommerce platform. This means if there’s a difference between the two, Intuitive Shipping will use the weight value from our system instead of the one saved in your eCommerce platform.

We check product weight values at checkout before calculating rates. If weight is required for the calculation, we first look at the products in the cart. If weights are stored in Intuitive Shipping, those will be used. If not, we’ll use the weights from your eCommerce platform’s product settings.

 

Product Variants

If your products have variants, you can apply the same settings to all variants or set unique product settings for specific ones.

For example, if you sell glassware with three different tint options, and all other attributes are the same, you might choose to use the ‘primary’ variant settings for all variants.

On the other hand, if your products have size variants - like clothing or storage bins - you can assign different settings to each size variant as needed.

 

Additional Pieces

If you sell products in separate pieces and each piece has its own package or shipping dimensions, you can add each additional piece to the main product and assign dimensions and weight to each one.

For example, if you sell a table set under a single SKU but the tabletop and legs are packaged separately, you can treat the tabletop as the 'parent' product and add one or more additional 'pieces' to represent the package (or packages) for the table legs.

 

Default Product Settings

If you’re regularly adding new products, it can be challenging to keep physical attributes up to date. This can cause issues if your Scenarios or shipping methods depend on that information - missing details may lead to rate calculation failures and prevent customers from checking out.

To help manage this, Intuitive Shipping provides default product settings. If a product is missing key attributes, default values will be applied automatically - ensuring the customer can still complete their checkout. We’ll walk you through how to set up default values later in this guide.

 

Update Product Settings

This section will show you how to update settings for indivudual products. If you have a lot of products, you can update product settings in bulk using a CSV file.

 

To update multiple products at once, skip ahead to Update Product Settings in Bulk.

1. Click Products on the sidebar menu.

 

2. Search for a product by scrolling through the list or by filtering the list, then clicking the filter button.

You have three (3) filtering options to choose from:

• Filter by product title - type the full or partial name of the product, then hit Enter.
• Filter by type - select a product type from the drop-down list.
• Filter by vendor - select the product vendor name from the drop-down list.

 

3. Click Edit beside a product you wish to update.

 

 

Physical Attributes

Product dimensions are required if you’re using:

• Volume-based or dimensional-based conditions in Scenarios

• Volume-based packing algorithms, including SmartBoxing

• Simple packing algorithms, such as weight-based, but where dimensions are used to restrict certain products from being packed into specific boxes due to their size

If you’re on Shopify and any of these apply to your setup, you’ll need to add product dimensions to Intuitive Shipping. Without them, shipping methods that rely on these features won’t be able to calculate rates - and customers won’t be able to complete their checkout.

If you’re on BigCommerce and already have product dimensions entered in your platform’s product settings, you don’t need to add them to Intuitive Shipping - it’s optional. However, if you decide to manage dimensions through Intuitive Shipping, be aware that our values will override the ones in BigCommerce if they differ.

 

Product weight is required if you’re using:

• Weight-based conditions in Scenarios

• Weight-based rate types or packing algorithms, including SmartBoxing

• Any shipping method that calculates real-time carrier rates

If you don’t enter a weight in Intuitive Shipping, the system will use the weight stored in Shopify or BigCommerce for rate calculations - if it’s available. That means you must have a weight entered in either your eCommerce platform or Intuitive Shipping.

If no weight is available, and no default settings are applied, shipping methods that depend on weight-based settings won’t be able to calculate rates - and customers won’t be able to complete their checkout.

 

1. Enter the shipping dimensions (length, width and height) of the product. For example, if a t-shirt is folded to 12 x 8 x 1 inches, those are its shipping dimensions. Likewise, if a coffee mug ships in a retail gift box measuring 5 x 5 x 5 inches, the box dimensions are considered the shipping dimensions. If you're using BigCommerce, the product dimensions in Intuitive Shipping will override the dimensions in your platform product settings.

 

2. Enter the shipping weight of the product. The product weight in Intuitive Shipping will override the weight in your eCommerce platform product settings. 

 

3. Select a packing method.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Pack with other products - the product will be packed with other products included in the order depending on the packing algorithm and package options assigned to the shipping method. This is the default setting.
• Pack separately - the product will be packed in a custom package using the shipping dimensions entered above as the custom package dimensions.

If you select ‘Pack separately’, we strongly recommend double-checking the shipping dimensions to make sure they match the actual size of the custom package the product ships in.

For example, if you sell coffee mugs with actual 'out-of-the-box' physical dimensions of 3.5 x 4.5 x 6 inches, but you pack or ship them individually in custom boxes that are 5 x 5 x 7 inches, the shipping dimensions entered here should be 5 x 5 x 7.

If you are using custom service or local delivery shipping methods that do not require packages, the packing method settings will be ignored, regardless of how they're set.

 

Custom Packages Are Per Product

When a product is set to ‘Pack separately’, Intuitive Shipping will create a custom package for each item ordered.

For example, if a product has shipping dimensions of 5 x 5 x 7 inches and is set to 'Pack separately', and a customer orders 3 of them, Intuitive Shipping will generate 3 separate packages - each measuring 5 x 5 x 7 inches.

 

Additional settings are available for packing points.

• Packing points are a custom, arbitrary value you assign when other values like weight, quantity, or volume aren’t suitable for determining how a product should be packed with others. When setting up a shipping method that requires packages - such as parcel service, freight service, or integration service - you’ll need to choose the points-based packing algorithm.

If you’re not using the points-based packing algorithm, skip ahead to Shipping Settings. 

 

To add packing points:

1. Click Show additional physical settings.

 

2. Assign packing points to the product.

Packing points are custom, arbitrary values used with Intuitive Shipping’s points-based packing algorithm (parcel service, freight service or integration service shipping methods). This method is useful when packing can’t be accurately defined using standard algorithms like weight-based, quantity-based, or volume-based.

For example, if you ship items that can be nested inside larger products within the same box, packing points let you control how many and which products can be grouped into a single package.

Packing points are only needed for shipping methods that use the points-based algorithm. If you’re using other packing algorithms or shipping methods that don’t require packages, packing point settings will be ignored. 

 

 

Shipping Settings

You can limit how and where certain products ship by adjusting the shipping settings. These settings can be used with any type of shipping method.

1. Select a free shipping eligibility setting.

You have three settings to choose from:

• Qualifies for free shipping - when a free shipping threshold is enabled in a shipping method and activated at checkout, this product will be included in the free shipping calculation. This is the default setting.

• Exclude from free shipping - when a free shipping threshold is enabled in a shipping method and activated at checkout, this product will still have a shipping cost calculated by the shipping method, while the rest of the order ships for free.

• Always ship for free - no shipping cost will ever be calculated for this product, regardless of the shipping method threshold settings.

Let's say you have a custom service shipping method with a basic shipping rate table:

• $10.00 for up to 5 items
• $20.00 for 6 up to 10 items
• $50.00 for anything greater than 10 items

In addition, you've enabled a free shipping threshold for orders that exceed $100.00 in value.

Qualifies for free shipping: Products with this setting will be included in the rate table calculation and, if the total order exceeds $100.00 (before tax), the entire order will ship for free.

Exclude from free shipping: If the total order exceeds $100.00, products with this setting won't count towards free shipping. Instead, the rate table will be used. If a customer orders 7 items of a product set to 'Exclude from free shipping', they'll pay $20.00 for shipping.

Always ship for free: If the entire order is over $100.00, the customer will receive free shipping. If the order is under the $100 threshold, the rate table will be used to calculate shipping - but any product with this setting will be excluded from that calculation. That means if a customer orders 15 items and 10 of them are products that always ship for free, the rate table will apply only to the remaining 5 items. In this case, the customer would be charged just $10.00 for shipping.

 

Free Shipping vs. Zero-Cost Shipping

Every shipping method that calculates a paid shipping rate includes an optional free shipping threshold setting, which is located in the optional settings section of any shipping method's 'Edit' page.

A product's free shipping eligibility setting - which determines if a product does or doesn't qualify for free shipping - is intended to work the optional free shipping threshold setting in a shipping method.

It also works when you create a dedicated free shipping method.

 

However, if you’re offering free shipping by using a zero-cost row in your rate table, the product’s free shipping eligibility setting will be ignored. That’s because our system treats a zero-cost rate row as an actual cost - not a threshold. As a result, products set to ‘Exclude from free shipping’ will not be excluded from the zero-cost calculation.

 

Additional Shipping Settings

Additional shipping settings are available for HS codes, zone exclusion and custom shipping costs. These settings are not required.

• Harmonization System (HS) codes are standardized numerical codes used globally to classify traded products and are required for exporting products internationally. HS codes are intented to work exclusively with the Zonos integration (beta).

• Do not ship to regions (zone exclusion) ensures that a product can never be shipped to a specific zone. This is useful if you want to block checkout for products that can’t be delivered to certain locations - without needing to manage it through Scenario conditions.

• Custom shipping allows you to set fixed shipping costs for products that always cost the same to ship - regardless of what else is in the cart, where it’s going, or how it’s being shipped. Using the 'custom shipping blending' settings in your shipping methods, you can control how these custom costs interact with the rates calculated by the shipping method.

If you're not using Zonos, don't need to restrict products from certain zones or require custom shipping costs for products, skip ahead to Additional Pieces.

 

To apply additional shipping settings to products:

1. Click Show additional shipping settings.

 

Hamonization System Codes

This setting is only applicable when using Intuitive Shipping with Zonos.

1. If you're using - or planning to use - Zonos, enter the HS code for the product.

 

Do Not Ship To Regions

You can exclude specific products from shipping to certain zones if they are restricted or controlled items, or if shipping costs to those zones are prohibitively high. While it’s possible to manage these restrictions using a combination of Scenario conditions and shipping method settings, handling them at the product level is often more efficient - especially if you sell a mix of products, some of which have no regional restrictions.

For example, if you’re a Canadian-based business that ships both domestically and to the United States, but a few of your products can’t legally or cost-effectively cross the border, you can simply exclude the US zone for those items. This ensures customers in the US won’t be able to purchase restricted products.

If there’s a zone not currently assigned to any shipping methods - like the default ‘Rest of World’ zone - there’s no need to exclude products from it unless you plan to use that zone later. Since it’s not linked to any shipping methods, no rates will be calculated and customers in that unused zone won’t be able to check out.

 

1. Select one or more zones you want to exclude for the product. When a zone is selected, customers with a shipping address in that zone won’t be able to complete checkout unless they remove the product from their cart.

If you’re using rates from other sources - such as Shopify, BigCommerce, or another third-party rate calculator - alongside Intuitive Shipping, products with ‘restricted’ zones selected won’t be blocked from receiving rates from those other sources. Intuitive Shipping cannot block or override rates provided by your eCommerce platform or any third-party service.

 

Custom Shipping

Each product can have its own custom shipping cost. You can apply the same cost to all zones or set different costs for each zone, depending on your needs. These custom prices only apply when the product is purchased by customers in the selected zones. If a zone is left blank, no custom shipping cost will be applied for that product - instead, shipping will be calculated using the rates from the shipping methods assigned to that zone.

Custom shipping costs can be blended with or override the rates calculated by shipping methods when those products are part of an order. You can control how custom shipping costs interact with shipping method rates using the Custom Shipping Blending settings found in the Optional Settings section of any shipping method.

 

1. Enter the product’s custom shipping cost for one or more zones. 

There are two (2) fields for custom shipping costs:

• Cost of first quantity - the amount you enter here will be added to the final shipping cost when a customer has at least one of these products in their cart. 
• Cost of each additional quantity - the amount you enter here will be added to the final shipping cost for any additional items the customer has in their cart. Leave this field blank if you are only charging one price for all quantities.

Let's say a customer orders 5 of this product. Here's how the two fields work together:

You enter '75' ($75.00) in the 'first quantity' field and leave the 'additional quantity' field blank:

• Result: The customer will have $75.00 added onto their shipping cost at checkout because the custom shipping cost only applies to the first item - the remaining 4 items do not get a shipping cost.

You enter '75' in the 'first quantity' field and '75' in the 'additional quantity' field:

• Result: The customer will have $375.00 added onto their shipping cost at checkout because they are being charged $75.00 for the first item, plus an additional $75.00 per item for the other 4 items.
• $75.00 + ($75.00 + $75.00 + $75.00 + $75.00) = $375.00 

You enter '75' in the 'first quantity' field and '15' in the 'additional quantity' field

• Result: The customer will have $135.00 added onto their shipping cost at checkout because they are being charged $75.00 for the first item, plus an additional $15.00 per item for the other 4 items.
• $75.00 + ($15.00 + $15.00 + $15.00 + $15.00) = $135.00 

 

 

 

Additional Pieces

If your product ships in multiple pieces, you can add each individual piece to Intuitive Shipping.

For example, if you sell a bed frame under a single SKU but it ships in three different boxes, you can add each additional piece by enter the shipping dimensions for each piece and apply any other necessary shipping settings.

You only need to enter the additional pieces. If a product includes more than one piece, Intuitive Shipping treats the main product settings you’ve already entered as the first piece.

 

To add more pieces to the product:

1. Click Add additional piece.

1. Enter a title for the additional product piece, such as ‘Head Board’ or ‘Piece 2’.

 

2. Enter the shipping dimensions (length, width and height) for the additional product piece. For example, if 'Piece 2' ships in a box with dimensions 8 x 40 x 2, those are its shipping dimensions. 

 

4. Select a packing method for the additional piece.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Pack with other products - the product piece will be packed with other products in the order depending on the packing algorithm and package options assigned to the shipping method. This is the default setting.
• Pack separately - the product will be packed in a custom package using the shipping dimensions entered above.

For example, if you sell a table with removable legs, you can decide if the table legs - as a separate product piece - can be packed with other products in the order, or if it is packed separately in a custom package. If packed separately, the shipping dimensions will be used to create a custom package.

If you are using custom service or local delivery shipping methods that don’t require packages, the packing method settings will be ignored, no matter how they are configured.

 

Additional Physical Settings 

Additional settings are available for packing points.

• Packing points are a custom, arbitrary value you assign when other values like weight, quantity, or volume aren’t suitable for determining how a product should be packed with others. When setting up a shipping method that requires packages - such as parcel service, freight service, or integration service - you’ll need to choose the points-based packing algorithm.

If you’re not using the points-based packing algorithm, skip ahead to Variants

 

To add packing points:

1. Click Show additional physical settings

 

2. Assign packing points to the additional piece.

Packing points are only needed for shipping methods that use the points-based algorithm. If you’re using other packing algorithms or shipping methods that don’t require packages, packing point settings will be ignored. 

 

3. Click the Save button to save your product piece settings.

The additional piece will now be listed under Product pieces. You can edit its settings or delete it at any time. If you delete an additional piece, you may need to adjust the physical attributes - specifically, the weight - of the main 'parent' product. 

 

4. Repeat the steps above for each additional piece you want added to the main product.

 

Variants

If your product has variants - such as t-shirts in sizes XS, S, M, L, and XL, or drinking glasses available in different tints - you can choose to apply unique physical attributes and shipping settings to each variant, or use the settings from the Primary variant for all of them.

By default, Intuitive Shipping applies the Primary variant settings to every variant.

If you choose to apply unique settings to a variant, be sure to complete all of the applicable settings. For settings that require a specific value - meaning they don’t offer a default or selectable option - you’ll need to enter a value for each variant where applicable. If these fields are left blank, they’ll be ignored. For example, if you enter a custom shipping cost for the Primary variant, you’ll also need to enter a cost for each variant set to use unique settings. If a variant’s cost field is left blank, the Primary value won’t carry over.

If you don't have variants or they don't have unique product attributes or settings, skip ahead to Save Your Settings

 

To apply unique product settings to one or more variants:

1. Click any variant tab at the top of the product page.

 

2. Select Define settings for this variant. When this option is enabled, the settings you apply to the variant will override the Primary settings. For example, if the Primary product has a weight of 4 lbs, but you set the variant’s shipping weight to 3 lbs, Intuitive Shipping will use 3 lbs in the rate calculation when the variant is ordered instead of the Primary.

 

3. Enter values for physical attributes and edit shipping settings and additional pieces for the variant as needed.

 

4. Repeat Steps 1-3 for each variant that requires its own unique settings.

 

Save Your Settings

1. Click the Save button to save your product settings.

 

 

Update Product Settings In Bulk

It may not be practical to add physical attributes and shipping settings to all of your products individually, especially if you have dozens, even hundreds of products. Intuitive Shipping lets you import settings for multiple products at once using a CSV file. Importing can be completed whether or not products were previously updated to Intuitive Shipping manually. The importing process requires a specially formatted file. To begin the process, you'll need to export the CSV file from Intuitive Shipping.

If you have never updated product settings for an individual product, consider manually updating at least one product using the steps above, ensuring all settings fields are completed - even if it's just a test value that can be removed later. This will help you visualize the cell value formatting in the CSV file and minimize the risk of errors before proceeding with the steps below.

 

1. Click Products on the sidebar menu.

2. Filter the product list, then click the filter button.

You have three (3) filtering options to choose from:

• Filter by product title - type the full or partial name of the product, then hit Enter.
• Filter by type - select a product type from the drop-down list.
• Filter by vendor - select the product vendor name from the drop-down list.

 

3. Click Export.

 

4. Choose an Export setting.

You have three (3) settings to choose from:

• All products - the CSV file will include every product currently synced with Intuitive Shipping.
• Currently filtered products - the CSV file will only include products that were filtered.
• Products without dimensions - the CSV file will only include products that don't currently have dimensions stored in Intuitive Shipping. This is useful if you're using SmartBoxing or volume-based packing, which requires dimensions, and you only need to update products missing length, width and height.

 

5. Click the Export button.

After exporting the CSV file, a notification will appear in the top right of any page, though it may not show until you refresh the Products page or navigate to a different page. An email notification will also be sent to the primary and, if applicable, secondary email contact.

 

6. Click on the Notifications icon on any page to move to the Notifications page.

7. Click the downward arrow in line with the most recent 'Product export complete' notification. When expanded, the notification confirms the success of the export and provides access to download the CSV file.

 

8. Click download. The file will be sent to your default 'Downloads' folder. Depending on the browser and operating system, confirmation may be required to complete the download.

 

9. Navigate to your computer's downloads folder, then open the CSV file. Settings for any previously updated products will be listed in the CSV file. If no products were previously updated, all rows will be blank except for the product ID, variant ID (if applicable), title (product name) and any default settings.

 

 

Physical Attributes

You’re only required to add physical attributes like dimensions and weight to products that need them for rate calculations:

Add product dimensions if you're using:

• Shipping methods that use the volume-based or SmartBoxing packing algorithms for carrier rates or the dimensional volume rate type for custom rates
• Shipping methods that use simple packing algorithms, but restrict packing based on product dimensions
• Scenarios with dimension-based conditions or restrictions

Add weight if you're using:

• Parcel service, freight service or integration service shipping methods that calculate carrier rates in real time, regardless of the packing algorithm
• Custom service shipping methods that use the weight rate type
• Scenarios with weight-based conditions or restrictions

When entering dimensions, always use the product’s shipping dimensions. For example, if a mug ships in a retail gift box that is 5 x 5 x 5 inches, enter the mug's length, width, and height as ‘5’, ‘5’, and ‘5’ respectively.

 

1. In the first product row, enter a value in each applicable column.

 

Shipping Settings

You can update shipping settings in bulk if needed. To help avoid formatting errors, we strongly recommend filling out all settings for at least one product - even if some settings aren’t required for that item. This gives you a reliable reference and helps ensure you’re using the correct format when entering values.

^{1) Package separately - Products are set to 'pack with other products' by default when the cell is blank. Learn more about how the packing method feature works here.}

^{2) Packing Points - Products do not have packing points assigned by default. Learn more about how the packing points feature works here.}

^{3) HS Code - Products do not have an HS code assigned by default. HS codes are only required if you are using Zonos with Intuitive Shipping. Zonos is currently in beta. Please contact us to request access.}

^{4) Free shipping - Products are set to 'include' by default. This means the product will be included in free shipping if your paid shipping methods have a free shipping threshold enabled and free shipping is activated at checkout. Learn more about how the free shipping feature works here.}

^{5) Restrict Shipping - Products are set to 'unrestricted' by default when the cell is blank. We strongly recommend updating these settings manually in each individual product. If you choose to update these settings in bulk using the CSV, we suggest applying the setting to a sample product and re-exporting the CSV file, then copy the same values to each applicable product. Learn more about how the restrict shipping feature works here.}

^{6) Custom Shipping - Products do not have custom shipping costs by default when the cell is blank. We strongly recommend updating these settings manually in each individual product. However, if you choose to update these settings in bulk using the CSV, we suggest applying the setting to a sample product and re-exporting the CSV file, then copy the same values to each applicable product. Learn more about how the custom shipping feature works here.}

 

2. Repeat the 'Physical Attributes' and 'Shipping Settings' steps for each additional product listed. 

 

3. Save the CSV file to any folder on your computer. If you choose a location other than 'Downloads,' note it so it can be easily found. Leave the file name as-is or change it to something else, if needed. 

 

4. Return to the Products list page in Intuitive Shipping.

 

5. Click Import.

 

6. Click Choose file, then navigate to the folder containing the saved CSV file.

 

7. Select the file to be uploaded.

 

8. Click Import to upload the file.

A notification will appear in the top right of any page, though it may not show until you refresh the Products page or navigate to a different page. An email notification will also be sent to the primary and, if applicable, secondary email contact.

The notification will indicate if the import was successful or unsuccessful.

 

9. If the import was unsuccessful, repeat the steps above or contact us for assistance.

 

10. If the import was successful, return to the Products list page to verify that your product settings have been imported correctly.

 

11. Click Edit beside a product that was included in the CSV import.

 

12. Review all of the product settings for accuracy.

 

13. If desired, repeat the verification steps for other products.

 

 

Default Settings

If your shipping methods require product dimensions, Intuitive Shipping lets you set default dimensions for any products missing this information. Default dimensions help ensure that dimension-based or volume-based rates are calculated correctly, reducing the risk of checkout errors, customer frustration, and lost sales.

Default settings are especially helpful if you frequently add new products but don’t always have dimensions ready, or if existing dimension data is accidentally removed.

You can also set a default weight. This is useful if you don’t typically add product weights in your eCommerce platform and prefer to manage them within Intuitive Shipping. Just like with dimensions, a default weight ensures accurate shipping rate calculations even when weights are missing or unintentionally deleted.

As long as you have an active billing plan, including during your free trial, products will sync automatically with Intuitive Shipping whenever changes are made in your eCommerce platform. However, if a large number of updates happen quickly, syncing may be delayed. When this occurs, Intuitive Shipping will use your default settings to calculate rates at checkout for any products that haven’t yet synced.

To enable product defaults:

1. Click Products on the sidebar menu.

 

2. Click Default settings.

 

3. Select Active.

 

4. Enter default shipping dimensions (length, width, and height). When enabled, these default values will automatically be used for any product that does not have its own dimensions or has not yet synced with Intuitive Shipping. For best results, choose a default that reflects the average length, width, and height of your typical or frequently added products.

 

5. Enter a default shipping weight. When enabled, this default value will automatically be used for any product that does not have its own weight set in either your eCommerce platform or Intuitive Shipping. For best results, choose a default that reflects the average weight of your typical or frequently added products.

Let’s say you enter a default weight of 4 lbs. If a product has no weight in Intuitive Shipping but has an actual weight of 8 lbs in either Shopify or BigCommerce, Intuitive Shipping will use 8 lbs from your eCommerce platform product settings when calculating shipping - not the default weight entered here.

If a product is missing both dimensions and weight in Intuitive Shipping but has a weight in either Shopify or BigCommerce, Intuitive Shipping will use the default dimensions but will ignore the default weight entered here and use the actual product weight from your eCommerce platform product settings.

Let’s say you enter default dimensions of 2.5 x 4 x 10 and a default weight of 4 lbs. If a product has no dimensions and no weight in Intuitive Shipping but has an actual weight of 8 lbs in your eCommerce platform, Intuitive Shipping will use the default dimensions of 2.5 x 4 x 10, ignore the default weight entered here, and use the weight from Shopify or BigCommerce.

 

Additional Settings

Additional default product settings are available for packing method and packing points.

• Packing method allows you to decide whether products that rely on default physical attributes should be packed with other items or on their own. If a product is set to be 'pack separately', Intuitive Shipping will generate a custom package for each item ordered, using the default shipping dimensions as the package size.

• Packing points are a custom, arbitrary value you assign when other values like weight, quantity, or volume aren’t suitable for determining how a product should be packed with others. When setting up a shipping method that requires packages - such as parcel service, freight service, or integration service - you’ll need to choose the points-based packing algorithm.

 

To apply additional default settings:

1. Click Show additional settings.

 

2. Select a default packing method. This setting only applies to products that have not yet been synced with Intuitive Shipping. By default, all synced products are individually set to ‘Pack with other products’.

You have two (2) settings to choose from:

• Pack with other products - the product will be packed with other products included in the order depending on the packing algorithm and package options assigned to the shipping method. This is the normal setting for individual product settings. If you typically use this setting for individual products, we recommend using it here.
• Pack separately - the product will be packed in a custom package using the shipping dimensions entered above as the custom package dimensions. If you typically use this setting for individual products, we recommend using it here.

If you select ‘Pack separately’, we strongly recommend double-checking the default shipping dimensions to make sure they best represent a default custom package.

For example, if you used 5 x 5 x 7 inches as the default shipping dimensions, Intuitive Shipping will create a custom package - per item - using these dimensions whenever a product is missing its own shipping dimensions.

If you are using custom service or local delivery shipping methods that don’t require packages, the packing method settings will be ignored, no matter how they are configured.

 

3. Assign a default packing points value. If you're using the packing points algorithm in any shipping methods, the default value you enter here will be used for any products that are missing dimensions or weight. This setting is ignored if you don't use the packing points algorithm in any shipping method.

 

4. Click the Save button to save your default settings.

 

 

What's Next:

• Test your setup

Optional:

• Create a blended rate
• Create a condition group
• Add a location 
• 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!