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Shipping Settings

Configure shipping availability, destination zones, and installed provider plugins. The tab is split into three sub-sections: Options, Zones, and Methods.

Location: Settings > Shipping

Options​

FieldDescriptionDefault
enable_shippingMaster toggle for shipping. Storefront and checkout skip shipping logic when off.On
enable_shipping_calculatorShow a destination-based cost calculator on the cart pageOff
hide_shipping_costs_until_addressSuppress rate display until the shopper provides an addressOff
shipping_debug_modeVerbose logging in carrier requests, useful when troubleshooting live ratesOff

Shipping Destination​

Radio buttons under shipping_destination control which address the rate engine uses:

ValueBehavior
shippingUse the shopper's shipping address (default)
billingUse the billing address for the rate query
billing_onlyDisable the shipping address fields entirely

Zones​

The Zones sub-tab launches the Shipping Zones Manager. A zone is a geographic region with its own assigned rate rules. Each zone has:

  • A name.
  • An enabled toggle.
  • An ordering value (lower numbers win when multiple zones match an address).
  • Locations: any combination of countries, states, postcodes, or continents.
  • Method assignments: each zone can list one or more configured methods (flat rate, free shipping, carrier, etc.) with per-zone settings and ordering.

Postcode locations support wildcards (for example 902* matches any postcode starting with 902).

The Zones Manager is automatically gated on enable_shipping; toggling shipping off disables the zone editor.

Methods​

The Methods sub-tab lists every installed shipping plugin. Each row shows the plugin icon, title, description, enabled badge, a Configure button, and a toggle switch.

Behavior:

  • The Configure button is disabled until the method is enabled. Hovering shows the tooltip "Enable this method before configuring it."
  • Toggling a method is asynchronous; the row shows an "Updating..." badge while the toggle round-trips.
  • If no shipping plugins are installed, the panel shows an empty state.

A help card lists the method categories the system understands:

  • Flat Rate for fixed prices
  • Free Shipping for conditional free delivery
  • Local Pickup for in-store pickup
  • Real-time rates for UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL Express, etc.

Built-in Shipping Plugins​

PluginNotes
Manual ShippingFlat-rate, free shipping, local pickup, and table-rate style configuration
UPSLive carrier rates via the UPS API
FedExLive carrier rates via the FedEx API
DHL Express (MyDHL API)Live international rates covering US and Europe. Replaces the previous DHL Parcel Benelux integration.

See Shipping Plugins for per-plugin setup.

Limit a carrier to selected countries​

Each shipping plugin's Configure form includes Country availability. Choose All countries, Only selected countries, or All except selected countries, then select the relevant countries and save. This also applies to the Manual Shipping plugin.

Shipping rules use the delivery destination country; payment plugins use the billing country. A restricted carrier is unavailable until a valid destination country has been supplied. Its rates are filtered out when the destination is outside its allowed countries. Checkout refreshes rates when the address changes and checks the selected rate again when creating the order.

Country availability works alongside shipping zones and carrier service coverage. It does not create a rate for a destination the carrier does not serve. If every carrier is excluded, the customer must choose a supported destination or another available method; EasyCommerce does not substitute a free rate.

Rate Caching​

Shipping plugins are responsible for their own caching strategy. Cart edits and address changes invalidate any cached rate the plugin returned for the previous state.

Troubleshooting​

  • No shipping methods available: confirm a zone covers the destination, that at least one method is enabled inside that zone, and that products have weight set when carriers require it.
  • Carrier rates missing: verify API credentials, switch on shipping_debug_mode, and review the EasyCommerce log for the carrier response.