This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to set up and utilize Gelato's live shipping rates feature for your Shopify store. It outlines the benefits and steps for enabling the feature, and answers frequently asked questions.
Benefits of Using Live Shipping Rates
Live shipping rates, calculated in real-time during checkout, offer several advantages for your Shopify store:
Automated Calculation: Eliminates manual rate calculations, simplifying the process for both you and your customers.
Accurate Pricing: Ensures customers are charged precise shipping costs, reducing the risk of overcharging or undercharging.
Increased Flexibility: Allows you to offer various shipping options, such as Economy and Express, catering to diverse customer needs.
Improved Customer Experience: Provides transparency and allows customers to choose their preferred shipping method based on price and delivery time.
Enabling Live Shipping Rates on Shopify
To activate live rates, you'll need to configure settings on both your Shopify and Gelato accounts. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Enable Real-Time Carrier Rates on Shopify
This feature is typically included in the Advanced Shopify and Shopify Plus plans. However, it can also be added to other plans for a fee. If you require assistance, you can contact Shopify directly.
Enable real-time carrier-calculated rates within your Shopify settings.
Step 2: Connect Shopify Live Rates to Gelato
Access your Gelato Dashboard.
Navigate to the "Stores" section.
Select your Shopify store.
Go to "Settings."
Under the "Shipping" tab, check the box next to "Enable live rates for my Gelato products."
You can also enable free shipping for your customers using the provided checkbox within the same section.
Live Rates at Checkout
Once enabled, your customers will see live shipping options at checkout, including:
Standard Shipping: A cost-effective option with standard delivery times.
Express Shipping: A faster delivery option, often at a higher price point.
The availability of these options may vary depending on the specific product and delivery destination. Only available methods for the selected address will be displayed during checkout.
FAQs
Q: Is free shipping an option with live rates enabled?
A: Yes, you can enable free shipping in your store settings even when using live rates.
Q: What impact do live rates have on my existing Shopify shipping profiles?
A: Only Gelato shipping profiles are affected. Existing profiles for non-Gelato products remain unchanged. When enabling live rates, all your Gelato shipping profiles will be removed, and products associated with those profiles will be automatically moved to the General Shipping Profile in Shopify.
Q: What if I decide to disable live rates?
A: Gelato will automatically recreate shipping profiles in Shopify. However, it will not automatically reassign products to these profiles. You'll need to manually reassign products if desired.
Q: What happens if the carrier service experiences an issue?
A: The system will automatically revert to your default Flat and Free shipping options in case of carrier service disruptions.
Q: How are shipping rates calculated for orders containing both Gelato and non-Gelato products?
A: Shopify will automatically determine the lowest available shipping rate from both Gelato and non-Gelato products and combine them into a single shipping cost presented to the customer at checkout.
Q: How should I manage shipping rates for non-Gelato products when using live rates?
A: You must add shipping costs for products fulfilled outside of Gelato separately within your Shopify settings.
Q: What delivery method is used for free shipping when both live rates and free shipping are enabled?
A: Standard shipping will be used for free shipping orders. While you, as the merchant, will cover the cost, Gelato will still charge you the standard shipping fee.
Q: Can I adjust the estimated delivery time provided to customers?
A: Yes, you can add additional days to the estimated delivery time within the live rates settings.