I'm not sure if there is an answer for this available yet, because it will definitely apply to the 'Pro' version. I plan to ship USPS Priority Mail, where price varies based on weight and distance to the destination. The weight breaks are at the pound level, so 1 lb has one price, and then 1+ lb to 2 lb has the next price, and so on. Here's the situation that I will need to know if SCCP will be able to handle before I can consider purchasing it:

All of our items will be the same weight (about 12.5 oz). With packaging, the weight of a single item is just over 1 lb. With packaging, two items weighs just less than 2 lb (and each additional item adds less than 1 lb, bringing the total shipping weight up by a single price break). So my dilemma is that with a static item weight (where each item adds a weight that is added to create the total shipping weight, which is then used to calculate shipping), I cannot accurately represent the shipping cost for one item while also accurately representing the shipping cost for two or more items. Shipping costs for one item is the same as shipping costs for two items. However, that cost is still variable based on where it's destination.

I hope that's not too confusing. The effect of the issue is that if I set the weight of each item at under 1 lb, we will undercharge shipping for orders of a single item, perhaps drastically so if the item has to travel far. If I set the weight for each item at over 1 lb, we will overcharge shipping for orders of more than one item, again perhaps drastically so if the item has far to travel.

Is there any solution for this issue in SCCP?

Thanks!

You can set the shipping so you can add an amount or % per item added to the cart. Or a base rate plus per item or base rate and then on particular items add extra if they weigh more.

I think what you set as the base rate or per item charge is always going to be a trade off whatever cart you use. It will be swings and round-abouts. Some you might overcharge on and some undercharge.

The best option would be a pre-paid satchel that allows you to add up to a certain amount and ship anywhere within a defined area.

In Australia we can ship anywhere in Australia in a 500g pre-paid satchel for just under $6 and up to 3kg in a pre-paid satchel for around $10 and 5kg for around $16. That option gets around working out postage based on destinations. And if you can get a special parcel rate with your postal service even better.

I offer to add something extra if postage is less than charged at checkout. Doesn't need to be anything big or expense just something that has a perceived value to the customer.

I am pretty sure you can set up just what you need when the Pro version comes out. Right now even you already setup different shipping destinations, so this will mostly reflect the addition of the weight based shipping. You'll have quite a bit of control over the weight based shipping setup. Hopefully it will be enough for what you need

Not to get off track or anything, but why not use the Flat Rate Priority Mail? You know, "if it fits it ships"? That makes setting up SCC pretty easy.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone, and I'm glad to hear that it should be possible in Pro, Jo Ann. I'm really looking forward to a chance to try it.

Phil, using only flat-rate boxes would completely eliminate this problem for me. However, the reason I don't just always use the flat-rate box is that the flat-rate Priority box goes for over $11, while near-by Priority shipping (non-flat-rate) is in the $4-$5 range. My items cost about $9-$10, so charging an unnecessary $6 for shipping (2/3rds of an item's cost, and making the overall shipping more expensive than the item itself) just isn't something I feel I can do and still get people to actually buy the product.

Thanks again!