Postage Tables & Shipping Policy
INTRODUCTION
In e-Rocks we use a simple presentation of Shipping Charges with a seller customised table containing Charge Band and Cost.
Our system requires seller setting up their shipping table with Charge Bands in their profile.
The table is then shown on the item form and the seller can add detailed shipping Costs when an item is uploaded.
There is also a template area in profile to set up "Shipping Policy" - this is also displayed on all items for sale in the Seller Details area.
Sellers can access both sections via your seller profile in your site browser.
(Click your user name to open - then Edit - then select "Seller Details" from the expanded Edit menu.)
SHIPPING POLICY
In your seller profile you will find a box called Seller Shipping Policy.
Please cut/paste or write your information here.
This box should contain shipping policy relevant to you – things like "multiple items attract a discount" are already included on the site.
But useful information, like "all paid orders are shipped within x days of payment clearance."
You can edit and change this, or leave it blank to return a default message when the buyer views your items.
POSTAGE BANDS
In your seller profile there is a section Seller Shipping Bands
Here you have a set of double fields; you can use these to set up 1-6 postage bands with currency symbols (USD, EUR AUS or UKP)
For example I use Royal Mail and there are 3 basic rates – Inland UK, Europe and Rest of World.
So I need three bands, I will call these “Inland UK”, “Europe” and “USA, Rest of World”.
As I key in data to the product field I am most comfortable keying data in the currencies I will be charging, ie UKP, EUR or USD – so I will select these.
Once saved the resulting input box on the upload form will look like this,
| Postage Area | Currency | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Inland UK | UKP | |
| Europe | EUR | |
| Rest of World | USD |
(If you are in the USA and need 4 rates and only work in USD, then you can set this up here, with custom names for your charge bands.)
With the Amount values included from the upload form the table will be displayed on the Item page.
If you want to add a variety of field options such as UK (Insured) or Free Shipping you can set these up - only the ones filled in, in the upload form will appear with the item.
Furthermore if a single item is purchased the Buyer can select the correct shipping costs and check out immediately.
Once this has been set up you do not need to open ever again.
INVOICING AND PAYMENTS
When the item is sold an order will be set up for that item and the Buyer.
Depending on how any sale is being completed the correct shipping cost for the item can be selected by the Buyer or Seller: note these will be displayed in the set billing currency for that order.
Inside the Order Screen there is a Delivery Charges box with a menu of the rates set for the item – Buyer or Seller selects the one appropriate for the delivery address and confirms.
This will update the order ready for sending and/or payment.
Sellers can overwrite values in Delivery Charges if/when they edit an order - for combined shipping etc.
When Sellers merge invoices, products in invoices, the shipping charges will be shown as the TOTAL of the MINIMUM charges - these can be overwritten to give the correct amount.
Once editing is completed and the invoice saved, and amended Shipping Charges will be shown on the invoice.
EXISTING ITEMS
Any item that was set up before the new system will continue to display under the old page format.
Please feel free to edit existing items to include the new bands as you wish, by default the "own country" shipping band (lowest) is the one stored in existing items.
Buyers will not be able to self service check out until Shipping Bands have been created.