Not all couriers deliver to PO boxes. You could set up a rule which says that if an address includes a PO box, then remove those couriers that won’t deliver to them.

New feature: Rules for checkout rates

Q: Cover your surcharges

Some couriers may apply a surcharge if a package is over a specific weight. However, this surcharge isn’t always provided on the quote you get back from the courier. Using the rules engine, you could set up a rule to specify that if a package weighs over a certain amount, add a 10% margin to cover the surcharge.

Q: Display free shipping based on order value

Prior to this update, we couldn’t show courier rates based on order value. You can now set up a rule where if an order is over $100 (for example), display a free shipping option to the customer.

Q: Correctly route dangerous goods

Some couriers won’t transport dangerous goods, whether that’s something flammable or even an item which includes a dangerous item like a battery. You could create a rule to remove these couriers from the checkout if the card contains a dangerous item.

Q: Set alternate shipping locations

If you ship from multiple locations, you may want to provide a live rate based on the warehouse the order will ship from. You could create a rule which says if the order is in state/country A, use warehouse A. Or, if the order is in state/country B, use warehouse B.

2022-05-02

Written by David Renwick

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Summary: Rules for checkout rates let retailers control which delivery prices and services appear based on order details, destination or fulfilment logic. Use rules to protect margins, show clearer options and avoid offering shipping promises the operation cannot support during peak periods.

ups shipping software media illustration

Quick recap: Starshipit rules engine

Our rules engine is one of the features people love most about Starshipit. If you haven’t used it before, the rules engine basically lets you automate different functions.

We’ve taken the rules engine that you already know and love and created a new rules engine specifically designed for checkout. This checkout rules engine also has the exact same look and feel, so you can build rules in the exact same way.

Recap: What is a rule?

A rule consists of a condition – or multiple conditions – and an action. When certain criteria meet these conditions, the rule carries out the action automatically.

For example, a customer might select express shipping at checkout, which triggers a rule that automatically allocates all express shipping orders to a certain courier. Easy!

Checkout rate rules: How it works

Prior to releasing this new feature, live rates at checkout within Starshipit were useful, but limited. At the point of checkout, we would send a rate request to the courier with the weight, dimensions and location of whatever is in the card and then get a live quote back of the cost.

Checkout rate rules lets you apply logic to these returned rates. It’s easy to see just how many options this opens for businesses.

Now, let’s look at some of the different ways you could start using this feature right now.

5 ways to use rules for checkout rates

Cover your surcharges

Account for PO boxes

Display free shipping based on order value

Correctly route dangerous goods

Set alternate shipping locations

Wrap up + Try it now

So that’s our new checkout rate rules feature. It opens a lot of possibilities for further automation, which in turn should make your shipping process even more efficient. If you’ve got an idea for a rule, are a bit unsure about the rules engine or need any other support, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly support team.

Helpful resources

Setup rates at checkout (Starshipit Support): Read our guide which covers everything you need to know to get started with this feature.

We’re excited to see what you come up with!

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David Renwick

David is Starshipit's Product Marketing Lead. When he's not whipping up a fresh new product update or chatting to customers for a new case study, you'll typically find him scoping out coffee spots and talking about what's on at the movies. Connect with him on LinkedIn.