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Configuring Shipping Methods in Norce Commerce

Overview​

This guide explains how to set up and configure shipping methods in Norce Commerce. It covers required prerequisites, preparation steps, the shipping method creation process, pricing rules, and further configuration options. The goal is to help you define how customers can select delivery options and how shipping fees are calculated.

Prerequisites​

Before configuring shipping methods, ensure the following steps are completed:

  • Applications are set up: Shipping rules are application-specific.
  • Freight products are created: Create at least one product of product type Freight (ID 3) — see Product Types. The shipping fee of a shipping method is always taken from a freight product that you connect to the shipping method. If you need to charge freight at more than one VAT rate on the same order, connect a FreightStructure product (ID 36) instead: a container with one freight product per VAT rate, which distributes the VAT of the shipping fee across the VAT rates of the purchased items (see Shipping and VAT). Creating the freight product is not enough on its own — you must also connect it to the shipping method by adding a pricing row under Shopping > Delivery Methods > Pricing > Add pricing, as described in Connecting a Freight Product to a Delivery Method.

Preparations​

Gather the following information and make key decisions before setting up shipping methods:

  • Shipping rules: Decide on rules for B2B and B2C customers.
  • Pricing tiers: Plan how shipping fees will vary based on order weight or value.
  • Freight products: Ensure you have created freight products for each pricing scenario.

Tip: Consider your business requirements and how shipping integrates with your ERP or fulfillment systems.

How-to: Set Up Shipping Methods​

Follow these steps to create and configure shipping methods. In the Norce Commerce admin UI, shipping methods are called Delivery Methods and are found under Shopping > Delivery Methods.

1. Create a New Shipping Method​

  • Navigate to Shopping > Delivery Methods in the admin UI.
  • Click New to create a shipping method.
  • Fill in the basic settings:
    • Activate the shipping method.
    • Set the name, description, and code.
    • Select the currency for freight charges.
    • Optionally set order value limitations (minimum/maximum).
    • Optionally set maximum order weight.
    • Select the target audience (All, B2B only, B2C only).
    • Allow for dropshipping orders if needed.
    • Allow dangerous goods products to use this shipping method if applicable.

2. Configure Shipping Fee Calculation in Norce Commerce​

A pricing row in the Pricing section of a shipping method (Delivery Method) in Norce Commerce is what connects a freight product to that shipping method. There is no global or default freight product and no separate mapping screen: a shipping method without a matching pricing row is marked as not valid for baskets that contain physical items and is not returned as an available delivery method for such baskets.

  • Select the saved shipping method under Shopping > Delivery Methods (the Pricing section only appears after the shipping method has been saved).
  • Scroll to the Pricing section on the Detail page.
  • Add pricing tiers by clicking Add pricing. For each pricing row:
    • In the Pricing product column, click Select pricing product... and select your freight product. The search lists products of product type Freight and FreightStructure; select a FreightStructure product to distribute shipping VAT across the VAT rates of the purchased items (see Shipping and VAT).
    • In Price sale, keep the price inherited from the freight product or set a price for this shipping method.
    • In VAT code, keep the VAT code inherited from the freight product or select a VAT code.
    • In Max weight, leave the field empty to let the pricing row apply to any weight, or set the highest package weight for which the pricing row applies.
  • Norce Commerce selects the pricing row with the lowest Max weight that is still greater than or equal to the package weight (rows without a Max weight are considered last). If several qualifying rows have the same Max weight, the row with the lowest price is selected. The package weight is normally the total weight of the physical items in the basket, or their volume weight if the shipping method uses volume weight. If Norce Commerce splits the basket into several packages for the shipping method, it selects a pricing row for each package and adds the shipping fees of the packages together.
  • When you save a shipping method in which every pricing row has a Max weight, the admin UI shows the warning "At least one pricing row has to have an unlimited max weight". The shipping method is still saved, but a package heavier than the highest Max weight gets no matching pricing row, and the shipping method is then not returned for that basket.

For the full procedure, pricing tier behaviour and troubleshooting, see Connecting a Freight Product to a Delivery Method.

3. Manage Shipping Methods​

  • Arrange shipping methods by priority (top = highest).
  • The default method is the highest-priority available method for each basket.
  • Enable or disable shipping methods for specific customers as needed.

Further Configuration​

After setting up basic shipping methods, you can:

  • Configure company-specific shipping methods.
  • Set up external provider integrations (e.g., carriers).
  • Enable PSP-specific shipping methods.
  • Disable delivery methods or set a default method for different categories.

Important Considerations​

  • The order of shipping methods affects which is selected by default at checkout (the first is default).
  • External providers require additional integration setup.
  • Shipping methods can be restricted by:
    • Order value
    • Order weight
    • Customer target (B2B/B2C)
    • Dangerous goods eligibility
    • Zip code, per country — the Location Filter restricts a delivery method to a range of zip codes in a given country. Pricing tiers themselves are weight/order-value based, not zone based — use the Location Filter to control which delivery methods are offered in a given area, not to vary the price by zone. See Shipping.

Next Steps​

After configuring shipping methods, you may want to:

  • Set up payment methods.
  • Configure order integrations.
  • Set up promotional rules.