in-commerce shipping

Shipping types consists of:

   - bracket type: by weight, by item, by amount, handling
   - zones
   - brackets (in type defined before)
   - costs

When "handling" type is used, then "brackets" & "costs" tab are not used.

Zones tab allow to define zones, that will match user's shipping address (by
country, by state, by zip code).
Brackets tab allow to define brackets (of selected before type), each of
them can have different pricing later.
Costs tab allows to define how how much each bracket will cost.

For example:

   - bracket type: by weight
   - zone1: by country + "USA" selected
   - bracket1: 1 pound to 10 pounds
   - bracket2: 10 pounds to unlimited
   - cost1: bracket1 will cost 10$
   - cost2: bracket2 will cost 20$

Based on example total shipping price is calculated on total weight of
products in shopping cart.

There is more - during product editing you can define which shipping types
can be used, when specific product is in shopping cart.

What is "price-per-item shipping" shipping? Is it when each product has
different shipping cost based on what criteria exactly?

My client has determined what it costs them to ship each item to the items
to the areas the deal with most.  They've broken it down by quantity, and
it's not exactly linear:
Circle
1-11.31
2-6.52
3-5.47
4-5.13
5-4.96
6-4.86
7-4.77
8-4.66
9-4.54
10-4.38
12-4.07
24-4.00
48 - 3.95

Board
1-11.86
2-7.94
3-8.33
4-6.87
5-6.68
6-6.22
7-6.14
8-5.87
9-5.55
10-5.20
12-6.33
24-6.04
48-6.04

This lists the 2 types of product they have, and the cost each for example,
to ship 48 'boards' to Miami, it costs 48*$6.04.  Weight isn't as much of a
factor as size and number of boxes, as the products weigh generally the
same, and they're large-sized items.

So I do I make this happen in in-portal?

Thanks,
Chris

These look like qty-based brackets. Yes, you can do that.

You must create 2 shipping types:

   - one for circles
   - one for boards

since their brackets are overlapping.

How brackets will look like:

   - "1-11.31" - will be "From: 1; To: 1"
   - "10-4.38" will be "From 10; To 11" since next one is 12 and one bracket
   "To" should match next bracket "From" value (To 11 not 12, since we will use
   integer numbers for qty here).

Next you need to define costs for each bracket. That's pretty simple, since
you will see all brackets and textbox near them. Just enter proper price in
each textbox.

Next you need to define zones any way you need. My favorite is for all
countries.

To make sure, that circle shipping isn't never used to ship boards you need
to set "selected products only" option in shipping type general screen. Next
on each product you "General" tab you need to click "Manage Shipping Types"
and select proper shipping type for each product.

That's pretty much it.

--------

How to test, that it works:

   1. Create 1 circle product and 1 board product (both will be of Tangible
   type of course)
   2. Place one/both in shopping cart
   3. Next step is shipping
   4. Type address and click "Update" button
   5. See what pricing and shipping type is suggested
   6. Go back to shopping cart and change qty
   7. Go to shipping to verify, that shipping cost is changed properly

When you put circle and board to cart and each of them can have only it's
own shipping type, then it will suggest 2 shipping types - and group used
product by shipping types they use into separate orders later (after order
was approved in administrative console).

Hope, that my mini manual will help.