This article explains how "Rate Shopping" can be used in Logiwa, to get shipping rates more efficiently.
1- What is a Rate Shopping Feature of Logiwa?
Rate shopping is a feature where presets can be created to acquire shipment rates from multiple carrier shipping services simultaneously.
Preset refers to a selected group of carrier shipping services from which shipment rates are inquired as bulk.
Various rate shopping presets can be created with different shipping services and can be applied to shipment orders as desired.
2- How to Create Rate Shopping Presets
Rate shopping presets can be created by clicking on the "Create New" button on the Rate Shopping Presets grid.
Initially, the primary information of the new rate shopping preset should be filled.
Preset Name: The visible name of the rate shopping preset.
Preset Description: A text field to write a description or additional details of the preset.
Warehouse: The selection of a warehouse where the rate shopping preset can be applied.
Client: The client access selection defines for which client's orders the rate shopping preset can be applied.
Active?: Each rate shopping preset can be -de/activated by using this toggle. Deactivated presets do not appear on screens where shipment rates & labels are acquired.
2.1 - Defining Rate Shopping Preset Settings
In the second step, the rate shopping preset settings should be selected.
Rate Calculation Methods
Each created rate shopping preset should be based on one calculation method.
There are 3 different calculation methods available as explained below:
Cheapest: The cheapest rate will be selected among other rates available in the selected rate shopping preset.
Fastest: The rate with the shortest transit time will be selected among other rates available in the selected rate shopping preset.
Please note, only shipping services that provide transit time information can be added to presets with the fastest calculation method.
Cheapest in Time: This calculation method finds the cheapest shipping rate which fulfills the order's expected delivery date (if available) or the entered Transit Time requirement in days.
Please note, only shipping services that provide transit time information can be added to presets with the cheapest in time calculation method.
A transit time requirement should be set by users.
This method initially checks if the applied shipment order has the "Expected Delivery Date" filled.
If yes, the cheapest rate is suggested among other rates in the preset that meets the order's expected delivery date.
If the applied order does not have the "Expected Delivery Date" field filled,
Then the cheapest rate is suggested among other rates in the preset that fulfills the given "Transit Time Requirement".
If a shipping service does not return the transit time information when a rate is acquired for order(s), then this service will not be considered among other rates in the preset.
Error Messages Feature
When the "Get Rate" action is applied to shipment order(s) and any rate shopping preset is selected, occasionally some services may fail to provide rate information temporarily.
On such occasions, Logiwa can inform you if there are any shipping options failed to provide rates among the selected rate shopping preset.
In order to get error messages, please select the "Show Error Messages" option.
Otherwise, you may proceed with the "Do Not Show Error Messages" option, in case it is desired to see no errors in each rate inquiry with the created preset.
2.2- Selecting Shipment Methods
The last step of creating a rate shopping preset is to select which shipping options to include.
There are 2 options available regarding how to setup preset's shipping services.
Use All Available Services: This option automatically adds all available shipping services to the preset.
Please note that the "Use All Available Services" option can be only used for presets created with the "Cheapest" rate calculation method.
Select Manually: This option allows users to add shipping options manually, by selecting one-by-one.
Select toggle can be activated for each shipping option on the below table, included shipping option's toggle can be seen with the green color.
2.3 - Listed Shipping Options
Shipping options in this table are listed under below conditions:
Shipping options that are defined in the preset's warehouse are listed
Shipping options of carrier setups that are accessed by the preset's client are listed.
If the fastest or cheapest in time methods are selected, then only shipping services that provide transit time information is listed among shipping options that fulfill above mentioned 2 conditions.
Shipping options can be searched or filtered on this table.