How To Manage Multiple Shipping Methods on Cart Page?

Do you own an e-commerce business running on WordPress?

If yes, then you must know that applying shipping charges to an e-commerce cart is a complex task. It is due to multiple conditions which could be applied to customer purchases.

One such condition is the scenario when the cart page has multiple shipping methods applied to the product(s). At this time, you may want to apply one, some, or all shipping charges as per your business’s rules or products.

Thinking how to do it? We’ll tell in this post; don’t worry.

Let’s start!

Problems with Having Multiple Shipping Methods on a Cart Page

Before we talk about the solution, you might be willing to know the real problem and why multiple shipping methods do not work well together. So, here is a recent example, faced by one of our customers:

The store owner has a product that is charged for shipping as per its weight. But when purchased with other items, his customers could get free shipping or cheaper shipping quotes due to the store’s setting. No store owner would want it as it will bring losses for their business. You don’t want such issues too.

Similarly, you may have a product with a weight and distance-based shipping charge. In this case, you must be willing to apply both shipping charges.

So you see, different cases need ways to execute multiple shipping methods on a cart page. Now learn how to handle such things for your e-commerce store.

How to resolve the issue?

Without a good ready-made WooCommerce plugin, you may need to do much custom development work. So, it is better to use a perfect plugin to manage multiple shipping methods on the cart page efficiently. An Advanced Flat Rate Shipping Method for WooCommerce plugin would be the best choice for it.

See how it solves the problem:

1. Let the customer finalize the shipping method

What if there is a sale that gives a 20% shipping discount to your buyer, and there is another option to avail 25% shipping discount because of that customer’s location?

In such cases, you should let your customers decide the shipping method.

For that, just go to ‘Master Settings’ of this plugin.

Now, select the option ‘Allow Customers to Choose’.

You can also decide whether to showcase your shipping methods in the radio button or drop-down format.

Letting the customer decide the shipping method is the best alternative when the difference in the cost of your shipping methods in minimal and varies according to users’ details. This option is excellent for e-commerce stores, and shipping to multiple locations and countries.

2. Apply Highest Amount

Let’s say you have to deliver a mobile phone to another country.

The weight-wise shipping charges and product-wise shipping costs for these products are different, but it will cost you as much as the highest. So by charging your customers with the same amount, you can get the actual expenses.

In this case, you must select the ‘Apply Highest’ option in the master settings of your plugin.

Just by choosing this option, you will be able to charge highest of all shipping charges from your customers. Easy, isn’t it?

3. Apply Lowest Amount 

E-commerce stores want the highest convenience for their customers. They keep on giving discounts to attract more buyers and increase sales. If the same is the case with you, you must be willing to charge the lowest shipping costs from your customers.

Doing so is very easy with the advanced flat-rate shipping method for the WooCommerce plugin. 

Go to the plugin’s dashboard and scroll down to the master settings. You must select ‘Apply Smallest’ for multiple shipping methods situations.

 Save the Masters Settings now, and it’s done.

4. Apply all methods

What if all the shipping methods are essential, and you want to charge all the applied costs from your customers?

It could be the case when you are charging these shipping fees for different reasons, for example – One method for weight, another method for a foreign country, and so on.

Here too, this plugin won’t let you down.

You can choose ‘Force all shipping methods’ and save the Master Settings of this plugin to apply this condition.

Is it a very helpful plugin?

Yes, it is. Fortunately, the plugin comes with numerous additional features for e-commerce businesses. You can create shipping rules and methods for countries, zones, products, categories, carts, and more with it. It can also be used to give shipping discounts to your customers. The plugin efficiently takes care of all your shipping needs from one to multiple conditions, from location-based to weight-based conditions.

There are two versions (Free and Pro) of this advanced flat rate shipping rate, which lets the WordPress WooCommerce store owners apply every possible shipping-related condition on their cart.

So, download it for your e-commerce shop and ship without any further issues. Once you find it useful and start wishing to avail its more features, you can move to the pro version.

Let us know your general problems related to multiple shipping methods, and we will try to provide you with the most optimal solutions as soon as possible. Do comment.