I want to love calculated shipping but...

[SimpleTraditions]

I am trying to set up calculated shipping in my shop. After reading lots of articles and posts and spending the evening setting it up, I signed out of my shop and did a fake checkout and nothing is right. According to the shopping cart I can fit about 30-50 items in a flat rate padded envelope. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Does anyone have any ideas of what I might be doing wrong? Thanks!

[Former_Member]

Hi. Let's start with what are you putting in the listing for dimensions and weight?

Have you listed mailers and boxes in package preferences - if so, what sizes?

I looked at your shop quickly and did see some small items. Like the solid perfume.

How many of those can you pack in a mailer? What weight are you putting for 1? Weight should be the item packed and ready to ship - that mean in the mailer.

I realize that is a very light item, so sometimes you do have to adjust for that or the weight will go up too fast. What is your average sale? 2 or 4 or 5? Try putting those in a mailer and weighing that to get a better idea what you need for weight. Dividing by 2 or 4 (depending how many in the mailer) can sometimes work.

But first, find out how many can fit in the mailer - and maybe adjust the dimensions so it isn't getting overfilled.

[Former_Member]

I found I could put 17 of your 4 oz. jars in my cart for a priority price of $6.70 - it wasn't until I added 18 that the price changed.

What kind of box are you using? For that many to get added with no price change it would have to be something like a regional box A - but can you really fit that many?

Again, the weight should be the item packed up and ready to ship - the weight needs to include the item + packing + box or mailer.

The dimension should be the item + packing material around it. (no box or mailer).

For that many 4 oz. jars to not change the priority rate, it seems like you may not be putting enough weight for 1.

1 jar has FC $3.60. 2 jars FC $4.45. Then after that it's only priority, which makes sense. But why 17 jars can ship for $6.70 (which is the same as for 1 jar priority) I'm not sure what is off.

I'd be interested again in what dimensions you have for the jar.

[SimpleTraditions]

Hi Kathy,
Sorry I haven't responded till now, been sick.
Yes the 4 oz jars is what I was stressing out about. I really only like to put about 6 of our jars in a flat rate bubble mailer because I usually have them in another bubble mailer for extra protection. But for whatever reason it says I can fit 17 in them, along with bars of soap and other small items. For the dimensions of the jars I have 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5.
I have my weights as you said, with the packaging included in it.
I did do mailers and packages in my preferences to include all the flat rate boxes and envelopes as well as some bubble mailers and different size boxes. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Former_Member]

Sorry to hear you were sick. No problem, I check here everyday.

Okay, what height did you put on the padded FR envelope?

Now here is the thing, I see the padded FR is 12.5 x9.5 - height to be determined by you.

With your measurements, if you have at least a 2.5 height, that envelope is going to fit 15 jars.

What you need to do is adjust the measurements of your jars.
If you only want to fit 6 jars in that size envelope you need to figure from there.

If your measurements were 4x4x2.5 with an envelope height of 2.5 - only 6 would fit.

To get these figures I am. for your original size, adding how many 2.5 inches can go along the length of 12.5 inches which is 5.

Then I'm doing the same for along the width of 9.5 inches which would be 3.

So 3 rows of 5 = 15 jars.

If your length was 4 then only 3 would go lengthwise (3x4=12) and if your width was 4 then only 2 would go widthwise (2x4=8). As long as the height was no more than from 3 inches, then only 6 jars would fit.

I did not figure how that would effect your jars going into regional or flat rate boxes, but of course it would be less than with your original measurements.

I'm just trying to show you how you need to figure your dimensions against the mailer or box dimensions you have listed.

The calculator works on numbers. It does not know what you are selling or how things actually fit, it can only go by the dimensions you give it and the dimensions of the boxes you provide.

I hope that helps.

[SimpleTraditions]

Thank you so much Kathy for taking the time to help me! I fooled around with the dimensions a bit and I think I have something I am comfortable with now. I still have some work to do with some of my other items, but at least the jars are all set. Thanks again for the help!