Supported Shipping
In simple words
Kitchen365 calculates shipping for every quote, order and website checkout. It can fetch live rates from UPS, FedEx and C.H. Robinson Navisphere (freight), or use your own rules — Flat Rate, Free Shipping, Custom Flat rate tables and Local Pickup. You can give certain customer groups their own rates, and hide a method when the cart contains products it cannot carry.
The problem it solves
Freight is where kitchen and cabinet businesses quietly lose money. Cabinets are heavy and bulky, rates change by weight, distance and service, and a quick guess is usually too low. Charge too little and you pay the difference; charge too much and you lose the sale. The rates already exist with your carriers and in your price agreements — the Console just applies them every time.
What happens without it
| If shipping is worked out by hand | What it means for your business |
|---|---|
| Staff check carrier websites for each quote | 5–10 minutes per quote, and slower replies to customers |
| Freight is estimated from experience | You charge less than the real cost and absorb the difference |
| Heavy orders are quoted at parcel rates | Each pallet order loses money |
| Trade customers get special rates "if someone remembers" | Rates differ from person to person |
| A delicate product style is sent with the wrong service | Damage claims and re-shipments |
| Website checkout has one fixed shipping price | Some orders overpay and leave; others underpay and cost you |
Time you save
| Task | The manual way | With Supported Shipping | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price a parcel shipment | Enter weight and address on the UPS or FedEx site — 5–10 min | Live rates appear on the quote | 5–10 min per quote |
| Price a pallet / freight shipment | Request a freight quote and wait — 15+ min | Navisphere returns LTL / truckload rates instantly | 15+ min per quote |
| Give a dealer group its own rate | Look up the agreement each time | A customer tab applies it automatically | 5 min per quote, no mistakes |
| Offer free shipping above an amount | Check the total and remove the charge by hand | Free Shipping applies above your minimum | Every qualifying order |
| Stop a method for certain products | Train staff and hope | A Product Style Rule hides it | Damage and re-shipping avoided |
| Change freight prices | Send a new rate sheet to everyone | Edit the method once | Hours of rework avoided |
Your process, before and after
Each person prices freight their own way — carrier websites, old rate sheets and memory. The same order can get three different shipping charges.
Shipping is calculated the same way everywhere: live carrier rates for parcel and freight, your own tables for flat and free shipping, and the right options for each customer group and product.
Shipping methods affect live prices on quotes and website checkout. Check a test quote after every change, and keep carrier test URLs and live keys from being mixed.
Who uses it
- Admin — configures carriers, rate tables and rules
- Sales team — sees accurate shipping on every quote and order
- Operations / dispatch — gets the service and packaging that was actually charged
- Business head — decides free-shipping thresholds and trade rates
When to use it
- Before you start quoting or selling online
- When you open a UPS, FedEx or Navisphere account, or change carrier
- When freight prices or fuel surcharges change
- When you start a free-shipping offer or a dealer shipping rate
- When a product range must not ship by a particular method
- When you offer collection from your store or warehouse
What each part does for you
| Supported option | How it helps you |
|---|---|
| UPS | Live UPS rates for the services you choose, using your negotiated account rates |
| FedEx | Live FedEx rates for the services you choose |
| Freight (Navisphere) | Live LTL / truckload quotes from C.H. Robinson for heavy and palletised orders |
| Flat Rate Shipping | One simple price per item or per order, plus an optional handling fee |
| Free Shipping | Free delivery once the order reaches your minimum amount |
| Custom Flat Shipping | Your own rate table by order value, country, state and ZIP, including door and percentage pricing |
| Local Pickup | Let customers collect from your location, with pickup instructions |
| Customer Group / Customer Configuration | Different rates, or exclusive methods, for chosen customer groups or customers |
| Product Style Rules | Hide a method, or charge a different rate, for particular product styles |
| Weight limits and destinations | Each method shows only for orders and addresses it can really serve |
Step-by-step guide
See Supported Shipping in the Console Guide for every method's setup steps and fields, and Configuration › Shipping Methods for the screen itself.
Related pages
- Configuration — all store-level rules
- Supported Payment
- Supported Tax
- Quote Management
- Order Management