Managing advanced shipping rules at scale

Shipping complexity through growth

In a 2020 study, 54% of retailers cited shipping and logistics as their biggest challenge as they grow their eCommerce operations.

This was driven by several factors, including the need to add international shipping options, offer faster delivery speeds like next or same-day delivery, and manage a larger and more diverse product catalogue.

What starts as a small-scale operation can quickly become a logistical puzzle.

When adding more pieces to that puzzle, the last thing you want to do is create more headaches by offering incorrect delivery options to the customer. This creates more work for you, and at worst, it can lead to cancelled orders.

Without an organised, scalable approach, shipping becomes a bottleneck to growth rather than an enabler.

Advanced shipping rules are the solution

If shipping is becoming a growing pain, rules can provide a structured way to regain control. 

You can use them to establish a robust system that automates the presentation of eligible delivery methods to your customers.

This functionality lets you define rules based on various criteria, so your system can accurately determine the most efficient shipping methods for each order.

In the following sections, we’ll explore how advanced shipping rules are applied in three key areas of our platform: Courier Management, Delivery Methods, and Shipping Rules.

Note: We handle all of the below for you as part of your onboarding to our platform.

Courier Management

The first step in setting up your advanced shipping rules is logging all couriers into the platform. This isn’t just about adding a list of couriers—it's about organising important details for each one to ensure smooth integration across your shipping processes.

We can store the following information for each courier tha you work with:

• Name: The name of the courier, e.g. DPD, Royal Mail.
• Preferred Shipping Location: If you prefer to use a specific warehouse or store for dispatching goods through this courier, we can set that preference. This is especially useful if certain couriers are more reliable or cost-effective from particular locations.
• Customer Code: This is your unique customer code with the courier, which the platform uses to track and manage your shipments with that courier.
• Contract Number: Store your contract number with the courier for easy reference, especially when dealing with terms and billing.
• Tracking Link: A template tracking link with placeholders for order IDs. This link will be automatically sent to customers who select a shipping method associated with that courier, making the tracking process seamless.

Delivery Methods

Once we’ve logged your couriers, the next step is to configure your delivery methods.

This is where we define the specific services your customers will see at checkout—such as Next Day Delivery, Standard Shipping, or Saturday Delivery—and link them to the appropriate Couriers.

Each delivery method in the platform can be customised with the following details:

• Name: The name of the delivery method displayed to customers, e.g., "Next Day Delivery."
• Extended Description: A detailed explanation of the service, providing additional context, which can also be used on your website to inform customers about the delivery option.
• Courier: The courier responsible for fulfilling this delivery method. We select from a pre-saved list of Couriers created in the previous step.
• Service Code: The unique service code associated with the courier for this specific delivery method.
• Estimated Delivery Days: Set the number of days it will take for this service to deliver, helping customers understand the expected timeframe.
• Price, Tax, and Markup Information: Define the base price of the service, along with any applicable taxes and markups, ensuring clear cost calculations.
• Weight and Dimension Requirements: Some couriers may require shipments to meet certain weight or size thresholds, especially for bulky or oversized items. These requirements can be stored for each delivery method.
• Allow Weekday Delivery: Choose whether the service offers deliveries on weekdays.
• Allow Saturday Delivery: Specify if the method supports Saturday deliveries, an attractive option for customers seeking weekend fulfilment.
• Allow Sunday Delivery: Similarly, we can enable Sunday delivery if the courier provides this option.
• Daily Cut-Off Time: Set a daily cut-off time for the method, after which any orders will be processed the next business day. 
• Service Group: Collect related delivery methods under a Service Group, such as grouping all "Next Day" options. This helps keep your shipping matrix organised and allows customers to easily compare related services.

Now that you’ve assigned couriers and set up your delivery methods, it’s time to apply advanced shipping rules—the criteria determining when and where each method is used, as well as who the methods are available to.

Shipping Rules

Once we’ve set up your couriers and delivery methods, the next step is creating tailored rules to determine how and when those methods should be available.

With advanced shipping rules, we do the hard work by automating and fine-tuning delivery options, making sure the right service is offered to the right customer, under the right conditions.

Our platform allows us to apply specific shipping rules based on multiple factors, ensuring a smooth and seamless shipping process.

Here’s what we can configure for you:

• Countries: We can select which countries a delivery method is available in. This means international shipping restrictions or courier availability are managed automatically, giving you peace of mind across different regions.
• Sales Channel: Whether you operate multiple websites or sell on various marketplaces, we can choose which sales channels should offer specific delivery methods. This ensures that the shipping options are always aligned with the channel, streamlining operations across the board.
• Customer Types: Some customers, like loyalty members or wholesale buyers, might need exclusive shipping options. We’ll set up the rules so these customer types get access to premium services, such as free next-day delivery or special offers.

Beyond these core filters, our platform includes a powerful criteria system to create highly specific rules for even more detailed shipping control.

These criteria can include, but is not limited to:

• Weight (Total or Biggest item in the basket)
• Height (Total or Biggest item)
• Postcode: We can restrict or allow shipping based on postcodes, perfect for managing regional delivery limitations.
• Dispatch Location: Manage where the product ships from and ensure the correct courier and method are used based on the fulfilment centre or store.
• Day of the Week: Need certain services for weekend deliveries? We’ll configure the rules based on specific days, so your customers always get the right option.
• Product Tags: We can limit shipping methods to particular products, such as those tagged ‘fragile’ or ‘bulky’.
• Item on Sale: Apply rules specifically for discounted products, ensuring these items have unique shipping options.
• Order Value: We’ll make sure certain shipping methods (like free delivery) are only available when baskets meet specific total values.
• Product Category / Department: We’ll ensure that only relevant shipping methods are offered based on the product type or department.

Using the above functionality we can produce any shipping rule that you need to implement, for example:

'Free Standard Delivery for Domestic Orders Over £50'

• Criteria:
  • Countries: United Kingdom
  • Total Basket Cost: Greater than £50
  • Weight: Under 10kg
  • Allow Weekday Delivery: Yes
• Rule: Free standard delivery will be automatically applied for orders shipping within the UK, as long as the total basket value exceeds £50 and the weight is under 10kg.

'Express Shipping Only for Fragile Items Over £100'

• Criteria:
  • Product Tags: Fragile
  • Total Basket Cost: Greater than £100
  • Delivery Method: Express Shipping
  • Service Group: Next Day Delivery
• Rule: Express shipping will only be available for baskets that include fragile items with a value above £100. This ensures that higher-value delicate items are prioritised for next-day delivery.

'Weekend Delivery for Bulky Items in Selected Postcodes'

• Criteria:
  • Product Tags: Bulky
  • Postcode: Only available for postcodes in major cities (e.g., London, Manchester)
  • Allow Saturday Delivery: Yes
  • Allow Sunday Delivery: Yes
  • Weight: Greater than 20kg‍
• Rule: Customers ordering bulky items in certain urban areas can access weekend delivery (Saturday or Sunday), ensuring they receive large items when it's most convenient.