• What your customer sees.
• What you see.
• Updating products with the Import CSV utility.
• Shipping with FreightDesk Online
• Using Validate Addresses

You must have the Third-party calculated shipping rates feature on your Shopify plan to have live carrier quotes displayed in the checkout process. It is standard on the Shopify Advanced plan and can be added to other Shopify plans by contacting Shopify Customer Service. (Learn more) Navigate to the Settings>Shipping page. Click on the Manage rates link in the General shipping rates box in the Rates at checkout section.

In the General shipping profile, locate the shipping origin from which you want the app to provide quotes.

If the only shipping zone you have is Rest of world, click on the Create shipping zone link and then enter a zone name (i.e. “Domestic”).

Locate the shipping zone for which you want to app to provide quotes. Click the Add rate button.

Select the option Use carrier or app to calculate rates.

It may take a moment for Shopify to retrieve the list of apps capable of providing shipping quotes for your store. After it has, the appearance of the Add rate page will be similar to the image below. Perform the following actions:

1. Select the app from the drop down list.
2. Enable the Services are selected in the app preferences setting
3. Click the Done button at the bottom of the page.

Repeat the steps above to enable the app for any other shipping zone. You should only enable the app in shipping zones that the app is capable of returning quotes for. Check the Features tab for origins and destinations that the app supports.

Begin by selecting Apps from the Shopify menu. Locate the entry for the Real Time Shipping Quotes app and click on the app name to access the app preferences.

The Plans page is used to confirm the plan you are currently subscribed to, see the features offered on each plan, and to perform upgrades or downgrades according to your needs. The plan you’re currently subscribed to will have This is your current plan above the monthly subscription rate. To change plans, click on the desired plan’s monthly subscription rate. You must be signed into Shopify with the Store Owner credentials to change plans.

The Providers page lists the shipping providers that have been enabled in the app. To add a provider, click the Add provider button and select it from the list.

Click the Add provider button to view a list of supported providers and select the one you want to enable in the app.

When you select a provider from the list you’ll be prompted to enter the credentials that are required to establish a connection to that provider’s Application Programming Interface (API). The connection credentials and how to obtain them are different for each provider. Click on the name of the provider in the list below to access instructions specific to that provider. The instructions will open in a new tab in your browser. Afterward, return to this User’s Guide and complete the remaining steps.

List of supported providers

Below the ENABLED PROVIDERS heading in the app’s navigation is the list of enabled providers. Click on the app’s nickname to access its quote settings.

The Quote Settings for a given provider apply only to that provider although other providers can have similar settings. For example, all of the providers have a setting for Handling fee / markup. A handling fee entered for Provider A will have no effect on Provider B.

Click on the name of the provider in the list below to access instructions for the Quote Settings specific to that provider. The instructions will open in a new tab in your browser. Afterward, return to this User’s Guide to continue with the remaining steps.

List of supported providers

There are two types of stocking locations in the app: 1) Warehouse locations; 2) Drop ship locations. Products can be assigned to a drop ship location. When a product assigned to a drop ship location is in the shopping cart, it is always quoted as shipping from that location. A product can only be assigned to a single drop ship location. All products not assigned to a drop ship location are considered to be available at the warehouses. If you have more than one warehouse defined, the warehouse closest to the ship-to address is used as the ship-from address.

A best practice is to define at least one warehouse, even if all your products are drop shipped. If all your products are drop shipped (you have no warehouses), make the highest volume drop ship location a warehouse. This ensures that shipping rate estimates will still be returned in the event a product was added to your catalog and its drop ship location wasn’t identified.

Click the Add button to identify a new warehouse or drop ship location and populate the location parameters according to the following instructions:

The Shipping Rules page gives you an opportunity to customize the behavior of the app. Use this page to filter for Carts by weight, price, and/or quantity and then apply one of the following operations:

1. Choose not to display certain shipping methods.
2. Add a surcharge to the shipping quotes presented at checkout.
3. Apply a discount to the shipping quotes presented at checkout.
4. Present a flat rate for shipping during the checkout.
5. Present only the cheapest rate(s) during the checkout.

If you create a rule but don’t introduce a filter, then the rule will apply to every checkout.

To introduce a rule, click the Add Rule button. Complete the form using the instructions below. Click the Save button afterward to implement the rule.

The Box Sizes feature is optional and will allow you to retrieve hyper-accurate shipping rate estimates. With the Box Sizes feature enabled, you can identify:

When items in the cart can be packaged together, the app will identify the best box(es) to use for the order and send the packaging solution to the carrier when requesting rates. The packaging solution is saved as a step-by-step graphical illustration which you can access from the Order Details page. Use the step-by-step instructions to pack the order exactly as it was quoted.

If you elect not to use the Box Sizes feature, only the weight of the Cart will be used for rating purposes which may result in shipping quotes that are less than what you will be billed.

Dimensional weight is an extremely important factor when calculating rates for parcel services. Have a clear understanding of the topic when deciding whether or not to use the Box Sizes feature. (Learn more about dimensional weight)

8a. Identify your standard box sizes

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Enable checkbox	Check this box to enable the standard box sizes feature. While enabled a charge of 3¢ for each calculated packaging solution will be incurred unless the capped amount for the billing cycle has been reached. If the capped amount has been reached you can re-enable the feature by increasing the capped amount. (Learn more about usage charges and capped amount in the Shopify Help Center.)
Current usage	Shows the usage of the feature at the time the page loads.
Capped amount	The amount entered into this field is the maximum you can be charged for the standard box size feature in a billing cycle. If this amount is reached the feature will stop working and the optimal packaging solution algorithm will be used instead. This may effect the accuracy of your shipping rates. You can increase the capped amount to re-enable the feature.
Notification email address	An email will be sent to the email address entered when the usage of the standard box sizes feature is 80% of the capped amount. Taking action to increase the capped amount immediately after receiving the email will mitigate the risk of the feature being disabled which can otherwise lead to less accurate shipping quotes.
Optimization mode	Maximize space utilization Choose this setting if you want the packaging algorithm to prioritize the amount of space used in each box. For example, two boxes may be selected for the packaging solution if they have a higher utilization percentage than using a single, larger box. Minimize the number of packages Choose this setting if you want the packaging algorithm to prioritize the fewest number of boxes used for the packaging solution.
Packaging method when standard box sizes is disabled	Select the method you want the app to use to rate shipments if you choose not to enable the Standard Box Sizes feature. Quote each item as shipping as its own package Each item in the Cart will be quoted as shipping as its own package. Unless orders are shipped this way, the shipping rate estimates using this method will tend to be high. Quote shipping as all items are in one package All the items in the Cart will be quoted as shipping in one box and the shipping rate estimates will be based on weight only. If the total weight of the Cart exceeds 150 pounds, the total weight will be divided in to multiple packages of equal weight. Shipping rate estimates using this method will tend to be low. Combine the weight of all items without dimensions and quote them as one package while quoting each item with dimensions as shipping as its own package A hybrid of the other two options. Shipping rate estimates may be higher or lower than the actual shipping charges depending on the contents of the Cart.
Save button	Clicking the save button will save changes made to the fields located above the button provided the changes pass the field level validation.
Add Box button	Clicking this button will display a form for use to capture the box parameters.

Nickname	Enter a nickname for the box. This will be used to identify the box in the graphical representation of the packaging solution.
Box type	Select the box type. Special services like One Rate from FedEx and Flat Rate from the USPS require the use of their provided packaging. If you will be using one of these services, be sure to select the type of provider supplied box you will be using.
Length	Enter the length in inches.
Width	Enter the width in inches.
Height	Enter the height in inches
Max Weight	Enter the maximum weight, in pounds, that the box can weigh. This includes the weight of the box.
Box Weight	Enter the weight of the box in pounds.
Box fee	Enter an amount to charge a fee for the box. The fee will be added to the shipping quotes after the service level markup and the general markup/handling fee (found on the Quote Settings page) are applied. Leave the field blank if no fee is to be collected.
Available	Select this checkbox to make the box available to the algorithm that calculates the packaging solution.

8b. Items that ship as multiple packages

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When you enable the Standard Box Sizes feature, a setting is available on the Product Shipping Parameters page to allow you to specify that the item ships as multiple packages. When you enable the setting, the item will appear on the Box Sizes page in the Items that ship as multiple packages section.

To add a box, click the Add Box button. A popup will display prompting you for the following information about the box:

Quantity	Enter the number of boxes there are of this size and weight.
Nickname	Enter a nickname for the box. The nickname will be used to identify the box in the graphical illustration of the packaging solution.
Length	The length of the box in inches.
Width	The width of the box in inches.
Height	The height of the box in inches.
Weight	The weight of the box in pounds.
Box fee	Enter an amount to charge a fee for the box. The fee will be added to the shipping quotes after the service level markup and the general markup/handling fee (found on the Quote Settings page) are applied. Leave the field blank if no fee is to be collected.

If you have an LTL freight provider enabled, it will use the Freight Class and Weight entered on the Product Shipping Parameters page when an LTL freight quote will be returned. However, if the Freight Class is set to Density Based (and the Item ships as multiple packages setting is enabled), then a freight class for the item will be calculated using the weight and dimensions of the boxes entered here.

The Pallets feature is optional and will allow you identify the size of the pallets you keep in stock. It is a required feature if the pricing tariff with your LTL freight provider rates your freight dimensionally. With the Pallets feature enabled, you can identify:

When items in the cart can be placed on a handling unit together, the app will identify the handling unit(s) to use for the order and send the packaging solution to the carrier when requesting rates. The packaging solution is saved as a step-by-step graphical illustration which you can access from the Order Details page. Use the step-by-step instructions to pack the order exactly as it was quoted.

If you elect not to use the Pallets feature, the total weight associated with each freight class will be used for rating purposes.

Click the Save button to save the handling unit settings.

The app detects that you have one or more other quoting apps from Eniture Technology. The convention used to name these apps usually begins with the shipping provider’s name followed by “Small Package Quotes” or “LTL Freight Quotes”. If you’d like to copy the product shipping parameters from the other apps, click on the Sync button below. Enter your email address to receive a notification when the syncing process is complete.

Now that the application settings have been established, it’s time to populate the product settings. You can do this through the app’s user interface, which is described in this step. Using the app’s user interface is convenient if you have a limited number of products to populate. If you have a lot of products to populate, you’ll find using the Import CSV Utility described later in the User’s Guide much more efficient.

Repeat these instructions for every product that you want the app to provide a quote for. Select Products from the Shopify menu. Locate the product on the list and choose it by clicking on it. You’ll be delivered to the product’s details page. Click the More actions button at the top of the page to reveal the installed apps and select the app from the list.

You’ll be delivered to a page on which you will enter the product’s freight class, weight, and dimensions. Enter the information prompted for, and then click the Save & Return button at the bottom of the page to return to the product’s Shopify product details page.

Once you’ve completed the preceding steps, your Shopify store is ready to offer real time shipping quotes. The rates your visitors see will depend on the providers you’ve enabled and the settings you’ve chosen. Below is an example of the shipping methods page when an LTL freight provider is enabled, the cart is quoted as an LTL freight shipment, and the setting to offer lift gate delivery as an option is enabled.

The app populates details related to the shipping quote in the Additional details widget on the Order Details page. The content of the widget falls into two categories: 1) Shipment Origin & Services; and 2) Shipment Content.

Shipment Origin & Services

This information block will identify the shipment origin, the selected carrier service and a list of any additional services (such as residential delivery) associated with the shipment. A separate Shipment Origin & Services information block will appear for each shipping location that will participate in fulfilling the order. This is particularly useful for stores with multiple warehouses and drop ship locations.

Shipment Content

A Shipment Content information block is presented beneath each Shipment Origin & Services information block. It identifies the products that were quoted as shipping from the location.

Note: The Quote Settings page allows you to choose to write the quote details to an alternate location that is accessible via the More actions link on the Order Details page. If you don’t see the quote details in the Additional Details widget, then one of the following is true:

1. The shipping quote chosen during checkout was not one that was returned by the app.
2. The quote details are being written to the alternate location per your settings.
3. Another app overwrote the order details in which case you should change the setting in the app to have the quote settings written to the alternate location.

You can use the app’s Import CSV utility to enter or update the product shipping parameters. This method can be more time efficient than navigating in and out of the app’s user interface, particularly if you have a lot of products.

Navigate to the Import CSV tab in the app preferences.

Use the link below to access instructions on how to…

• Download the CSV template.
• Use the filters to isolate the product/variant records you want to update.
• Populate the CSV file with your shipping parameters.
• Save the CSV file in the proper format.
• Import the CSV file to the app.

1. How capture the cost of shipping on orders placed online.
2. How to ship the order, including how to create the shipping label (or Bill Of Lading in the case of LTL freight), schedule the carrier to pick up the shipment, and update the customer with the tracking number.

Quoting apps, like this one, provide a solution for the first challenge. What are your options for the second challenge?

Option 1 – The carrier’s website: You can log into the carrier’s website and manually enter all of the relevant information. Carrier websites are free to use since the carrier makes money when you use them to deliver an order. However, if you have more than a handful of orders each day this approach is time consuming and ripe for data entry errors which can be costly to correct.

Option 2 – Shopify Shipping: Shopify Shipping offers pretty competitive rates for postal companies like the US postal service, and parcel companies like UPS, and DHL. But if you ship with another provider or have more than a low-to-moderate number of daily orders, you’ll find Shopify Shipping clunky and woefully inefficient.

Option 3 – Cloud-based Shipping Platforms: The next step up in capability are cloud-based shipping systems that will connect to your online store and retrieve the details of your orders, thereby eliminating the need for much of the manual data entry. Many of these shipping systems have arrangements with postal and parcel carriers that are on par if not better than the options available through Shopify Shipping. Where these systems excel is in the efficiency of the fulfillment process. That translates to a much higher volume of shipments per unit of time. These systems are relatively inexpensive and the reduction in the amount of labor and time it takes to ship your orders will pay dividends.

Option 4 – FreightDesk Online: FreightDesk Online (freightdesk.online) is also a cloud-based shipping system. It enjoys all of the benefits of other cloud-based offerings but expands the solution in two ways:

1. It makes use of the detailed information collected by Eniture Technology’s quoting apps (like this one) such as the packaging solution and the additional services included in the shipping option chosen when the order was placed.
2. It provides merchants access to more than two dozen LTL freight providers in addition to the typical postal and parcel integrations offered by other cloud-based solutions.

These expanded capabilities deliver you closer to true “click-and-ship” shipping than any other alternative, whether you’re shipping with a postal carrier, a parcel carrier, or an LTL freight provider.

First, if you don’t already have one, register for a FreightDesk Online account (https://freightdesk.online/register). You can connect multiple online stores to FreightDesk Online, so you don’t have to create separate accounts for each one.

The pricing for FreightDesk Online is á la carte. You’ll be able to pick a separate plan for parcel (and postal) shipments, and for LTL freight shipments based on the anticipated volume for each type of shipping. Your monthly subscription rate will be comprised of these two selections. You can begin a 30-day trial of both types of shipping by selecting Trial in the corresponding dropdown fields on the registration form.

After you complete the registration process, log into FreightDesk Online. Click on your avatar located in the top right-hand corner of the browser window. Copy your FreightDesk Online ID which will be located below your company name.

Return to the app’s navigation menu and click on FreightDesk Online. Enter your FreightDesk Online ID and click the Connect button.

Complete the connection by granting the permissions that Shopify prompts you for.

Now that you’ve connected FreightDesk Online, unfulfilled orders will automatically appear in FreightDesk Online. To view them, log into FreightDesk Online and click on Orders in the navigation menu. You’ll need to connect your shipping providers before you can start shipping. You can find a quick start guide in FreightDesk Online by navigating to Help > Getting Started.