Custom Vantage Web™
How to Change Settings in Your Website—Part 5
by Amanda Katon
Introduction
Now I know what you’re thinking, there are more settings! Yes indeed! Follow me in this month’s installment as we cover yet another group of settings that help make and shape your site into a one of a kind shopping experience for your customers. This month we will venture into the Shipping settings. Let us begin by getting your shipping methods set up properly.
Steps to Follow
To begin, first sign-in to the admin area of your Stamp Shop Web site, as you would to accomplish any change or editing task on your site. Once you are logged in, click the Settings Tab. Next you will click on the Shipping link from the settings menu (Picture 1).
Shipping
Within the Shipping link, you will find all the options available for your shipping methods and settings. Once on this section, the screen displays a list of all the shipping methods setup on your site (Picture 2).
Also, in the blue boxed area, you have more options available in regards to shipping, which we will go over shortly. Each method will appear to your customer as a shipping option for them to choose from. You have the ability to create new shipping methods, edit existing methods or delete shipping methods.
Creating a New Ship Method
Click the New button located at the top of the screen. Once inside the Edit Ship Method screen, fill out the information regarding the new method (Picture 3).
Name: type the name of the method here. The customer will see the option as what you enter here. For example, a name could be “Priority Mail”.
Type: select which type of shipping you would like to utilize from the drop down menu. The types of methods at the top of the drop down menu that begin with "SSW -" refer to methods that are not in real time. If you select an "SSW" type you will need to create a table with limits for your shipping.
*Please Note: if you select a UPS or FedEx shipping type you must establish your settings with either organization first. To do so, exit this new shipping method and click on the FedEx Settings or UPS Settings buttons located at the bottom right corner of the shipping methods page and jump to the end of this article for further how to instructions (see Picture 2).
Example: if you would like to ship all your orders with one set shipping price create a table using the SSW - SSW Item Count. Once you have selected the type, next create a new level of the table setting the limits of the shipping method. Once you have clicked the New Level button next you will need to Edit the first level of the table. The first column of the table, "When Items ordered is equal to or greater than," sets the first total amount of items ordered. For instance, you may want to type 1 into the first column. Next you may type the amount to be charged for shipping in the second column (dollar amount). When you are finished editing the first level, click the Update link (Picture 4).
Adjust Price By: within this field type a handling fee or extra charges to cover your shipping materials that will be rolled in to your customer's shipping total. This will not show a separate charge on their confirmation receipt. You can adjust the shipping amount by a dollar amount or a percentage of their order total.
Ship To Countries: select which countries you would like to be able to ship to with your new shipping method. To add countries simply click to highlight the country within the right column and then click the Add button to move the country over to the available column. To remove countries simply click to highlight the country within the left column and then click the Remove button to move it over to the unavailable column.
Ship To Regions: select which regions you would like to be able to ship to with your new shipping method. To add regions simply click to highlight the region within the right column and then click the Add button to move the region over to the available column. To remove regions simply click to highlight the region within the left column and then click the Remove button to move it over to the unavailable column.
Editing an Existing Method
Click the Edit button located to the right of the shipping method you would like to edit. Once inside the shipping method you may now edit any field within the method. When all the changes are complete click the Save Changes button located toward the top of the page (Picture 5).
Deleting a Shipping Method
To delete any existing shipping method click the Delete button located to the right of the shipping method you would like to remove. Once you have clicked Delete a window will pop-up confirming the deletion, click OK and the shipping method will be completely removed (Picture 6).
Back on the Shipping links main screen you will notice to the right of the shipping methods is a blue box with more settings involved with shipping and three buttons below it in which you have the opportunity to set up a USPS, UPS, and a FedEx account to conduct what we call Real Time Shipping (Picture 7).
Real Time Shipping uses the weights set up on your products along with the shipping destination to calculate actual “real time” shipping charges. Below is a breakdown on the best way to utilize these additional options for settings.
Charge tax on shipping?: select this option if you would like the system to automatically add tax to the shipping totals.
Handling fee amount: set the amount you would like added as a handling fee to the order total. This will appear as a line item on the receipt. Select how you would like the handling fee to be determined, either per order, per item, or per package.
If no valid shipping methods are found, display this message: type the message that will appear to your customers when shipping cannot be calculated due to having no shipping methods available for their ship to destination.
The three buttons below the area we previously went over allow you to configure your account with the site to set up further shipping methods with UPS and FedEx. Please note that in order to set up a UPS or FedEx shipping method you must first set up an account with them and then configure it by following the next steps. US Postal Accounts are automatically set up for you when you initially signed up for Stamp Shop Web.
FedEx Settings: click this button to setup with FedEx (Picture 8).
Tracking URL: type the tracking URL here.
Meter Number: type your meter number that FedEx has provided for you. If you do not already have a meter number click the link below to establish a meter number for your store.
FedEx Account Number: type your account number here.
Service URL: type the service URL here.
Drop Off Type: select the type of drop off you will be requiring of FedEx© here.
Always use Residential Delivery Prices: select this option if you would like to always use residential delivery rates.
UPS Settings: click this button to setup with UPS (Picture 9).
Get UPS License (button): click this button to get a UPS license, you will need to fill out a form and once you have clicked I Agree you will be all set with UPS.
Registration Status: the status of your registration is displayed here.
Tracking URL: automatically a tracking URL is generated for when you are ready to begin using UPS.
UPS Account Number: type in the account number for your UPS account here.
Pickup Type: select which type of pickup you would like to set with your UPS account.
Always use residential rates: select this option if you would always like to use residential rates when UPS is displaying the shipping costs.
Package Type: select the package type that will be used as a base to generate the shipping costs when the system goes out to UPS with a real-time shipping price.
Service: select which type of service your site will require from UPS.
Packaging: select which type of packaging you will be using.
Payment Method: select which type of payment method you will be using to work with UPS.
UPS Account Number: type your UPS account number here.
US Postal Settings: click this button to adjust your settings with USPS (Picture 10).
Register (button): click this button to register with USPS.
Username: once you start using Stamp Shop Web you are automatically given a username to be setup with USPS.
Password: once you start using Stamp Shop Web you are automatically given a password to be setup with USPS.
Server: a server will be automatically setup for you upon starting use of Stamp Shop Web.
Tracking URL: a tracking URL will be automatically setup for you upon starting use of Stamp Shop Web.
Now let’s get shipping! We have walked you through the extensive options available to you to conduct your shipping however you wish. Getting your customers their orders as fast and accurately as possible is another key to your online success. Stay tuned as next month we start to round out the Settings Tab with more exciting possibilities to come!