New Feature: Connect Live Rates and Table Rate in WooCommerce with Flexible Shipping

As the e-commerce industry continuous to grow, online sellers face increasingly complex shipping needs. To meet the diverse demands of different business models, stores need flexible shipping solutions that not only optimize costs, but also adapt to different logistical situations. In response to these needs, Octolize has introduced a powerful new feature, that combines Live Rates with the advanced rule-based calculation capabilities of Flexible Shipping.

Why is this feature groundbreaking?

Until now, WooCommerce users had to choose between two distinct approaches for calculating shipping costs:

• Live Rates – automatically displaying rates from courier service providers based on parameters such as weight, dimensions and delivery address.
• Table Rates – providing full control over shipping costs, with the ability to create complex calculation rules based on conditions like product weight, quantity, product categories, or order value.

The new feature combines the benefits of both approaches, empowering sellers to leverage automatic Live Rates, while at the same time adjusting shipping costs through Table Rates rules using either the free or PRO version of Flexible Shipping. This means greater control over the final delivery cost, with precise rules for additional fees or discounts for each shipping method.

Connecting Live Rates and Table Rate – how does this feature work?

Installing the free or PRO version of Flexible Shipping allows you to enhance your shipping methods with additional calculation logic. When a customer selects a Live Rates method, you can now add your own shipping rate rules, creating a more dynamic pricing model.

Depending on the plugin version, you can:

• Define additional costs based on order value (e.g. offer free shipping for orders above a certain amount).
• Apply different rates based on the quantity of items in the cart.
• Add a commission for specific products in the order.
• Add a commission based on the cart value.
• Add extra handling costs to the already calculated shipping cost.

Check out this video explainer to see this feature in action:

Application example

Imagine a store that uses Live Rates from a courier company, where the shipping cost is calculated automatically based on product weight and customer location. With this new feature, the store owner can add additional rules, like offering free shipping if the cart value exceeds a certain amount or charging an extra fee for products from a non-standard category. This flexibility helps align shipping costs more precisely with real-world scenarios.

Benefits for e-commerce sellers

Wondering how this new functionality can benefit your business? Here are some key advantages:

• Save time and money – Live Rates automatically retrieves current rates, saving you from manually setting rules for each shipping method.
• Greater flexibility – this new feature allows you to adapt shipping methods and costs to meet individual customer needs and order specifics.
• Optimized delivery costs – you can customize your own calculation scenarios, minimizing costs while providing the best possible customer experience.
• Simple setup – the integration works immediately after installing the Flexible Shipping plugin. The PRO version offers even more advanced calculation scenarios.

Flexibility also for Flat Rate and third-party integrations

This new Flexible Shipping feature is not limited to Live Rates. Sellers can also add advanced table-based pricing rules to any shipping method available in WooCommerce, including Flat Rate and methods provided by third-party integrations. This means that regardless of what courier solution the store chooses – whether it is integration with an external supplier or traditional flat rates – it is possible to use flexible cost calculation.

Sellers now have the freedom to integrate with any courier service, while still maintaining full control over shipping costs through Flexible Shipping’s powerful rules. This unique capability allows you to create complex shipping scenarios tailored perfectly to your business and logistics needs.

Try this new feature at your store

The new Octolize plugin feature, which combines Live Rates with advanced Table Rate calculation rules, provides WooCommerce sellers with enhanced flexibility and control over shipping costs. To activate it, simply navigate to your WooCommerce shipping settings. Edit an existing shipping method or add a new one. Within the shipping method settings, you’ll now see an option at the bottom to add calculation rules. This is where you can set up advanced rules to adjust your shipping costs.

If you don’t yet have Flexible Shipping, you can download it from the WordPress directory. For the full range of features, consider purchasing the new PRO version. Try it today and enjoy customized delivery scenarios that better match shipping fees to your unique orders and customer needs – leading to greater buyer satisfaction and optimized operational costs.

Try Flexible Shipping PRO

The best and the most powerful Table Rate shipping plugin for WooCommerce. Define the shipping rules based on numerous conditions and configure even the most complex shipping scenarios with ease.

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Last Updated: 2024-11-18

Works with WooCommerce 9.1 - 9.5.x