Shipping costs, and just how to get a website to work them out, is not something most shoppers think about. It should appear easy, but it’s far from it. In fact it’s possibly one of the hardest thing to work out. There are just so many variables and anomalies. In the past we’ve had the site do the basics then asked the customer to do some of the working out. 80% of the time it worked fine, but was it really acceptable to expect our customers to do some of the leg work? We thought it was time we got the website to do it all. And we think we’ve managed it.

Don’t think it can be that hard? Let me give you an example.

Lets say you buy a bike, a pump and a helmet. Our shipping charge for a bike is £13.99, a pump £1.99 and about £3.99 for the helmet. Noe obviously we can put the pump into the bike box so it’s unfair to charge for that. But the helmet won’t always fit, so sometimes that needs to be charged separately.

Lets you just bought the pump and the helmet, no bike. The pump can fit into the helmet box so again shouldn’t be charged for. But there again, so can a lock, but the lock will increase massively the weight, so that should be charged for. But lets say you now buy the pump, lock and helmet, which should be charged? The lock as it’s the heaviest? Or the helmet as it’s the bulkiest? You’d say the pump, as it’s the cheapest to send, but that’s not fair. And that’s been the issue, we don’t want to make money on our shipping, but then we don’t want to lose money on it either.

Complicated, ain’t it?

Well, yes, it is, but we think we’ve sussed it out. There might be the odd teething problem, but generally it’s looking good. If you do get any weird shipping costs applied though, just get in touch.

Now, it’s Friday evening, time to hit the pub (I wish!).