Guides

Introduction

System Overview

Primary Parcel is a shipping app for Shopify merchants. It has been designed to simplify and solve all your shipment related business complications. It gives you complete control over the shipping rate calculation and allows you to implement any business logic with ease.

Primary Parcel allows you to calculate shipping rates and create your own shipping methods using either the weight, number or price of products (in cart) or on the basis of third party rates like Fedex and UPS. The Shipping Rates and Fulfillment Services will require initial setup for you to automate the calculations and show your customers the best shipping rates at checkout.

Document Scope

This document will assist you with the overall setup and usage of Primary Parcel app. The document covers the below points:

• Integration of Primary Parcel with Shopify Store
• Adding and Assigning Fulfillment Services to Products
• Grouping of Products
• Types of Shipping Rates, their Setup and Calculation
• Transit Time and Single Warehouse Setup
• Combined Shipping Rates

Key Features of Primary Parcel

Some of the key features of Primary Parcel are:

• Helps you calculate One Blended Rate for Products from Different Fulfillment Services.
• Let’s you display exact delivery date to your customer at checkout.
• Allows you to offer real-time shipping discounts to your customer without compromising on your minimum profit margin.
• Let’s you calculate shipping rates and create your own shipping methods using either the weight, number or price of products (in cart) or on the basis of third party rates like Fedex and UPS.
• Use additional product attributes (Metafields) to define product-wise, state-wise and shipping method-wise restrictions and to offer real-time shipping discounts.
• The app prevents specific products from being shipped to specific zones or prevents specific methods from being shown as shipment options for select products.
• You can use the app’s 14 Days Free Trial plan on Live Mode before buying any plans to help you get acquainted with the app’s functionality and its benefits.
• You can use the app’s free trial version for unlimited period on Test Mode until you are completely familiar with the interface and ready to go live with paid plans.
• If another app apart from Primary Parcel is also being used, the rates for Primary Parcel will not be affected and both (or all) the options will be displayed to customer at checkout.

Note:Primary Parcel will not interfere with the rates of other apps and does not hold any responsibility whatsoever for the performance of other app’s.

Using The App – Primary Parcel

Setup

When you first install

When you install the app for the first time, you will see the app’s dashboard, where the count of your Products, Fulfillment Services and Zones will be given, along with the some other information.

The count of products is the total number of products that have been added in the app. If you are creating a Shopify store for the first time, these settings will be blank and you will have to visit the Shopify settings page to set up Zones and Fulfillment Services and then assign products to them.

Create Fulfillment Services

Fulfillment Services are basically categorization of Products and Zones, based on which Shipment Rates will be calculated.

To add a Fulfillment Service:

1. 1. Go to Settings
2. 2. Click on Shipping
3. 3. Click on ‘Manage Services’ placed at the end of the page
4. 4. Under ‘Custom Order Fulfillment’, click on ‘Add Custom Fulfillment Service’
5. 5. Enter the name/title of the Fulfillment Service and an email id
6. 6. To save, click on ‘Add Fulfillment Service’

The above steps will add the Fulfillment Service to the list. You can add as many Fulfillment Services as you need at the time of setup or at a later stage.

Assign Products to Fulfillment Services

All products which are to be shipped using the added Fulfillment Services need to be allocated/assigned under these added Fulfillment Services.

To add any product under the created Fulfillment Service:

1. 1. Click on Products (From the Shopify Menu)
2. 2. Click on a Product Name
3. 3. There is a section for ‘Fulfillment Service’ under the ‘Shipping’ section on the Product Page
4. 4. Select the related Fulfillment Service for the selected Product
5. 5. Save the changes

Following the above steps will assign the Product to Fulfillment Service. Henceforth, whenever this particular product is selected by customer; the Shipment Rates will be calculated as per the method defined in that particular Fulfillment Service for that particular Shipping Zone and displayed at checkout. You can change the assigned Fulfillment Services as per your requirement.

Fulfilment services need to be mapped from shopify’s default “Shopify/Manual” to your custom fulfillment service value.

Add Shipping Zones

The shipment rates are always based on Zones. Depending on the Zone the shipment belongs to, shipping prices will vary. Only the Zones which have Primary Parcel selected for calculating the shipment rates will show up under Manage Fulfillment Services.

To add a new zone:

1. 1) Click on ‘Shopify Settings’
2. 2) Click on ‘Shipping’
3. 3) Click on Add Shipping Zone
   1. a. Enter the Zone Name, e.g. United States
   2. b. Add States under the Zone e.g. Arizona, Arkansas etc.
   3. c. Ignore the Price based rates and Weight based rates, if you would like Primary Parcel to calculate the Shipping Rates for this Zone
   4. d. Under Calculated Rates, click on ‘Add Rate’
      1. i. Select a Carrier as ‘Primary Parcel’
      2. ii. And click on ‘Done’
4. 4) After saving, you will see the added Zone under the Shipping Zones

Installing, Starting and Uninstalling the App

First time users

For a first time user, to install the Primary Parcel App, to your Shopify Account, follow the below steps:

Step 1: Login to your Shopify Account

Step 2: Go to Shopify App Store –Shopify > Apps > Visit Shopify App Store > Search for Primary Parcel

Step 3: Open the App page and click on “Add App”

Step 4: Authorization Screen:

Primary Parcel requires authorization for accessing “View Shopify account data, Manage Products, Manage Orders” as these are some pre-requisites for using the app.

Step 5: The app will be added from your Shopify Store

The below screen will be displayed on opening the app from the store app section, once Primary Parcel is successfully installed.

Uninstall the app

To uninstall the app, simply click on delete icon from the Apps section of Shopify and the app will be removed from the store however you need to send a mail to customer service(support@primarysoftware.com)for confirmation.

Rates and Other Features

Dashboard

Once the Fulfillment Service and Zone setup is completed, open the Primary Parcel Dashboard to complete the remaining settings in order to start the shipping rate calculations.

On the Dashboard, you will see the below information:

• Current Mode: This is the default mode of the app during setup. Initially app will be on ‘Test Mode’. Once the setup is completed, you can switch to Live Mode.
• Customer Information: This will show information about Your Current Plan and Mode (Live or Test).
• Last Sync Status: This will display when the system was last synced to upload the recently changed/updated information.
• Count Status: The count of the Products, Fulfillment Services and Zone will be displayed.
  • Fulfillment Services: This will be clickable. On clicking, it will display all custom added Fulfillment Services.
  • Zone: By clicking on the ‘Count’ all the Zones which are synced with the app will be listed.
• Transit Time and Warehouse: By clicking on ‘Manage Warehouse’, a new page will be displayed from where you can enter your warehouse details located in the USA. And ‘Edit Transit Time’ page will determine the delivery time to customer’s location.
• Fulfillment Service: From these settings, you can setup the Shipment Rates (Zone Wise), for the Zones that have been added for Primary Parcel delivery.
• Global Settings: These are the overall App Settings.
• The ‘Menu’ option is on the top left corner of the dashboard page.
• Beside the Menu, will be the Help and Support drop down:
  • Customer Support
  • FAQs
  • App Manual

Transit Time and Warehouse

Transit time is used for calculating the time required for the product to reach the destined state from your nearest warehouse. Delivery date on the checkout is calculated by using the end transit time and the greatest lead time of the products in cart. Default Max Transit Time is used if state wise transit time is not mentioned.

This is only applicable for warehouses in the US.

Click on ‘Manage Warehouse’, a list of all added warehouses will display. To add a new Warehouse click on ‘Add New’:

• Name – Enter the name of the Warehouse
• Select Location – Location of the Warehouse, i.e. State
• Zip Code – Zip Code of the Warehouse location
• Select Status – This is to enable/disable the Warehouse

From the main page, you can delete the added Warehouses or edit to set the transit time for different states from the Warehouse.

By clicking on ‘Edit Transit Time’, a list of all state names will be displayed, besides which will be a text box for entering the number of business days for Transit from the Warehouse location to the other states.

Enter the number of business days for all the applicable states and click on Submit. This will save the information.

If for any Zone and Fulfillment Service, when a specific transit time is set in a method, the same value is considered as delivery date and displayed to customer at checkout.

For example:

Scenario 1 – If a method has Maximum Transit Time set as ‘1’ Business Day and transit time mentioned in the Warehouse section is ‘3’ Business Days, then ‘1’ Business Day will only be considered for calculation of delivery time.

Scenario 2 – If Maximum Transit Time is not set, then ‘3’ Business Days will be considered.

Fulfillment Service

The app will display Fulfillment Services which are already defined in Shopify. By clicking on Manage Fulfillment Services; a list of all Fulfillment Services will be displayed.

• Click on any one of the Services
• You will see:
  • Name of selected Fulfillment Service
  • Zone Name(s)
  • View Methods Link

To set up a rate for each Fulfillment Service, select the Fulfillment Service, click on ‘View Methods’ given in front of the Zone Name (under each Fulfillment Service).

Note:If under any Zone, Primary Parcel is not added under ‘Calculated Rates’, the set Shipment Rates will not be displayed to the customer at checkout. Instead, an error message will be displayed: ‘We do not ship to this Zone’.

View methods

You can set up shipment rates based on different methods of calculation. There will not be any rates mentioned beforehand if you are a first time user. If you are visiting this page after adding the rates, you can edit them as well. To Add a New Rate, click on ‘Add New Method’, this will display 4 methods of calculation:

• By Weight
• By Price
• By Items
• Third Party Service

Select any of the above to setup the Shipment Rates. You can also add Shipment Rates for multiple methods. So, when all the products in cart are of a single Fulfillment Service and for the selected Zone, then all the added rates will be displayed and the customer can select their preferred shipment rate.

See below how to add rates under different methods:

1)By Weight:This rule type offers shorthand to setup variable weight shipping prices without having to build out a long table:

For example, a customer has selected two products of same Fulfillment Services. Total weight of the products in the bag is 10 Pounds(lbs), and the rate is set as “First Pound(lbs) – $1”, “Price per Additional Pound(lbs) – $2”. So as per this setting, the total Shipment Cost will be (1*1) + (9*2) = 1+18 = $19.

Other fields required when adding a Weight based pricing:

• Display Title– Name of the Rate.
• Message displayed below with display title in smaller font– any additional message for the customer when this rate is being displayed, e.g. Order before 14:00 EST and order will be dispatched the same day.
• Optional Additional Charge for this method– add if there are any additional charges over and above the shipment cost, e.g. packaging, handling etc.
• Optional Discount in percent for this method– any discount to be offered on this rate, the discount will be added as a percentage, and will be calculated on the total cost after shipment cost is added. This charge is deducted once for all items belonging to that particular method in cart.
• Set to Free Shipping over certain amount– enter the minimum order total amount above which you want to allow Free Shipping. This will be applicable only when the cart/order contains items of a certain Fulfillment Service.
• Max Transit Time for this method– The number of business days for the delivery of selected product.
• Status– Whether this rate is to be enabled/disabled for calculation.

2)By Price:Primary Parcel provides you the flexibility to define a minimum and maximum shipping cost. You can charge a percentage of the product price as the shipping cost if it falls under the defined maximum and minimum limit.

For example, a customer selects an item worth $69.5 (for a single Fulfillment Service). As per the rates set above, the Shipment cost displayed will be: 10% of $69.5 = $6.95.

Another example, the cost of item in an order is $30, so the shipment rate as per the percent of total price will be $3, but as the minimum shipping charge is set at $5, the customer will see the Shipping Rate as $5. Same will be applicable for any orders above $1000 for the above configuration, i.e. any order above $1000, the shipment cost will not exceed $100.

Other fields when adding Price based Rate:

• Display Title– Name of the Rate.
• Message displayed below with display title in smaller font– any additional message for the customer when this rate is being displayed, e.g. Order before 14:00 EST and order will be dispatched the same day.
• Optional Additional Charge for this method– add if there are any additional charges over and above the shipment cost, e.g. packaging, handling etc.
• Optional Discount in percent for this method– any discount to be offered on this rate, the discount will be added as a percentage, and will be calculated on the total cost after Shipment is added. This charge is deducted once for all items belonging to this method in cart.
• Set to Free Shipping when amount is over– enter the minimum order total amount above which you want to allow Free Shipping. This will be applicable only when the cart/order contains items of a certain Fulfillment Service.
• Max Transit Time for this method– The number of business days for the delivery of selected product.
• Status– Whether this rate is to be enabled/disabled for calculation.

3)By Items:Set shipping rates for the 1st product and for every additional product added to the cart. This is a common rule type used by fulfillment providers.

Usually the first item costs the most to ship, but subsequent items that ship in the same box cost additionally less.

For example, there are a total of 4 items in an order (for the same Fulfillment Service). So the Shipping Rate displaying to the customer will be: (1*10) + (3*5) = 10+15 = $25.

This rate is calculated based on the number of items in a cart. As the number of items increase in a cart, the shipment cost will also add up.

Additional fields required when adding an Item based rate:

• Display Title– Name of the Rate.
• Message displayed below with display title in smaller font– any additional message for the customer when this rate is being displayed, e.g. Order before 14:00 EST and order will be dispatched the same day.
• Optional Additional Charge for this method– add if there are any additional charges over and above the shipment cost, e.g. packaging, handling etc.
• Optional Discount in percent for this method – any discount to be offered on this rate, the discount will be added as a percentage, and will be calculated on the total cost after Shipment is added. This charge is deducted once for all items belonging to this method in cart.
• Set to Free Shipping when amount is over– enter the minimum order total amount above which you want to allow Free Shipping. This will be applicable only when the cart/order contains items of a certain Fulfillment Service.
• Max Transit Time for this method– The number of business days for the delivery of selected product.
• Status– Whether this rate is to be enabled/disabled for calculation.

Third party service

Clicking on this, a different page will open, where you can set the Shipment Rates as per the third party used for delivery of items.

For FedEx

The most commonly used Shipping Services will be listed in the drop down, select the one applicable for your store, and enter information in the fields below:

• Display Title– Name of the Rate
• Message displayed below with display title in smaller font– any additional message for the customer when this rate is being displayed, e.g. Order before 14:00 EST and order will be dispatched the same day.
• Third Party Services– Select the Service applicable as per your affiliation with the third party service.
• Status– Whether this rate is to be enabled/disabled for calculation.

For UPS

Third Party Services – For UPS shipping, customer will be able to see the methods available from the below option.

• UPS Standard
• UPS Worldwide Express
• UPS Worldwide Express Plus
• UPS Worldwide Expedited
• UPS Worldwide Saver

Status– Whether this rate is to be enabled/ disabled for calculation.

Common Rates

When your customer chooses multiple products which belong to different Fulfillment Services, Primary Parcel calculates these combined costs as per the products` defined methods and displays a blended shipping rate to the customer at checkout. The app will add together the preferred methods from each Fulfillment Services in a cart and displays a blended rate.

Here are the steps to assign a preferred method for each Fulfillment Services, in each zone:

• Click the ‘View Methods’ button against any of the Zone under the selected Fulfillment Service.
• A section for Blended Rates will display at the bottom of the page.
• Click on ‘Add New Blended Rate’
  • Add the name for the Blended Rate
  • Is title override with Specific Rate Title – Select Yes/No, to change the title for the rate. This method title will override with Specific Rate title in checkout page. This can be enabled under only 1 Fulfillment Service. If enabled for both; the one in force will be displayed above the field.
• After saving, the added method will display under the Blended Rates section.

Note: Common rate added for a Zone, will display under all Fulfillment Services.

After this common rate is added, select the Specific Rate that will be applicable for this Blended Rate. For each Zone, under a Fulfillment Service, a drop down with the specific rates will be given, from which you can select the blended rate to apply (i.e. the specific rates). Multiple Blended Rates can be added under any Zone. Under each Fulfillment Service, the rate to apply will be selected for the blended rate to display on the website/app when an order contains items from multiple Fulfillment Services.

If the common rate for a Zone is not selected under all (should be More than 1) the related Fulfillment Services, the Blended Rate will not show up on the store.

E.g. A cart contains items for Zone 1 under Fulfillment Service A and Fulfillment Service B; a method under the blended rate has been selected for Zone 1, under Service A, but not under Service B. So, the Customer will not be shown option for a blended shipment rate during checkout. If a method is selected under both the Fulfillment Services, the blended rate would be a total of both the rates applicable.

Blended Rate is calculated for individual Fulfillment Items. Taking an Example:

Global Settings

Change mode

Using this, you can change the mode of Primary Parcel from Test to Live and vice versa. For instance, when you want to add a method or modify the rates, you might want to check it before going live. Primary Parcel gives you the flexibility to alter modes multiple times.

An example: Cost Meta field – based on this Meta field, an additional discount can be allowed to the customer on their shipping cost.

Cutoff time

This setting allows you to set a cutoff time before which if an order is received, it would be dispatched the same day. Let your customers know, that they have an option to get their package shipped on the same day.

Product metafield configuration

If you want to use additional features of Primary Parcel for defining restrictions – product-wise, state-wise, international or air, or if you want to calculate profit percentage then Meta Field needs to be mapped.

In Primary Parcel these Metafields can be used to set up Cost and for allowing discount to users. To visit: go to Global Setting > Configure Product Metafield Setting. Under this section, you will view various fields, where you will need to enter the name of the set Metafield.

To set a Metafield, you need enter the following information:

Namespace– A category or container that differentiates your metadata from other metafields.

Key– The name of the metafield.

Value– The content of the Metafield. In most cases, the value is what will be displayed on the storefront or used by the app.

Metafields can be added under each Product. To add a Metafield, go to Products > ‘Product Name’ > More Actions > Edit Metafields

After setting up Metafields under all your Products, visit ‘Configure Metafields’ under ‘Global Settings’ and configure the Metafields added under your products for the system to use the information.

Product Metafield Configuration

None of the fields are mandatory. If your site is already configured with Metafields, you have to map the parameters (shown above in the screenshot) in Namespace and Key format so Primary Parcel can automatically pull the related field information.

The product’s Metafield data should be in the below format

An example – Cost Metafield. Based on this Meta field, you can offer additional shipping discount to your customer.

Profit on the product is calculated (based on Metafield Configuration for Products) and the amount is deducted on ‘Shipping Charge’, thus allowing a discount to customers without reducing price of the product.

On demand sync

This section will allow you to sync your Products, Fulfillment Services and Zones. If you have recently added a new Product, Fulfillment Service or a Zone, although automatic sync will match all the data with our backend as soon as it is updated; but if required you can manually sync the new information to display in Primary Parcel. Click on the ‘Sync Now’ button in front of each service to manually sync the data.

Third Party Configuration

Primary Parcel is currently integrated with Fedex and UPS for international shipment. Clicking on this, a different page will open, where you can set the Shipment Rates as per the third party used for delivery of items.

Account Setup

All Third Party Shipment Services will be listed here, and you can configure the ones applicable for your store. These services will be applicable for all the Products you ship. The account credentials will help us pull out the relevant information regarding 3rd Party Shipment to display to your customers.

For Fedex Shipment Service, enter the below information to configure:

• Fedex Account Number
• Fedex Meter Number
• Fedex Key
• Fedex Password
• Ships from Zip

For UPS Shipment Service, enter the below information to configure:

• UPS Access Number
• UPS User Name
• UPS Password
• UPS Shipper Number
• Ships from Zip

Note: The Shipment Rates calculated using Primary Parcel will automatically display when a customer checks out of your Shopify Store. The Shipment Rates can also be displayed on the Cart Page, but for this your developer will need to add a code at theme level. This feature is not available by default. However, we can assist you in its implementation if required. You can get in touch with oursupport teamfor the same.

Subscription Plans

We can customize a pricing plan to suit your requirements. You can get in touch with oursupport teamfor the same.

Clicking on the Plan from the dashboard will display the current plan in force and its start date. The plan will be based on the below features:

• Product Offered
• Fulfillment Services Offered
• Warehouses Offered
• Common Rates Offered

Here, as per your plan you can see ‘Your Configuration’ and ‘What We Offer’. If ‘Your Configuration’ counts go above ‘What we Offer’, you will have to upgrade your plan for the additional counts to be allowed. All the plans will be displayed; however, you will not be able to select the plan below your current limit without downgrading your current configuration.

The available plans include:

*Prices and plans are subject to change.

You can choose to use the app in ‘Live Mode’ or ‘Test Mode’ for free until the Trial Period ends. After which, you will either need to subscribe with a Paid Plan to continue using in ‘Live Mode’ or you can use the app in ‘Test Mode’ for unlimited time without paying. After the 14-day Trial is over, you will be recommended to subscribe for a paid plan, failing to which the app will automatically switch to ‘Test Mode’.

Primary Parcel does not charge payment separately; the charges for this app would be added to your monthly billing cycle from Shopify.

Note: While in a paid plan if you switch to test mode, you will still be charged as per your monthly billing plan.

Checklist

Checklist for displaying Methods through Primary Parcel

• Ensure the app is on ‘Test Mode’ if you are configuring for the first time.
• Check whether you are using Free Trial or Paid Plan.
• All Products are mapped with their Fulfillment Services.
• Zones are configured.
• Each Zone should have “Primary Parcel” (Rates provided by app) in its “Calculated Rates” section of Shopify [Shopify>Settings>Edit Shipping Zone>Calculated Rates ]
• Product, Zones and Fulfillment services are synced successfully with the app.
• Metafields (if any) are configured.
• Products should have Metafield values in the required format as per the user manual.
• Warehouse (if any) are configured with the transit time.
• Each Fulfillment Service has minimum 1 method for each Zone and should be enabled.
• Common Rates are created and mapped.
• Common Rule (if any) are mapped with Fulfillment Services.
• Fedex/UPS accounts should have correct credentials and to be mapped for international methods/shipment.
• If using Cut-off time feature, ensure the cut-off time limit is set.

Troubleshooting

Notifications

Do not ignore any notifications in the Primary Parcel dashboard.

Shopify’s Caching For Shipping Methods

Shopify has a shipping cache mechanism. Under this, when specific combination of products in the Cart and Shipping Address whose rates are already fetched is requested again from the same device, the same previous (cached) result is taken into consideration. If there are any changes in the shipping rate, they will NOT get reflected unless that cached data is expired or there is a change in products or address.

Solution: In order to make your new shipping rates visible, you need to modify anyone of these – shipping address/ first name/last name/phone number/zip code and simply click on the ‘Continue to shipping method’ button. This will help you make your new rates visible.

Changes in Fulfillment Services

Shopify caches the Fulfillment Services on its server. Whenever the Fulfillment Services are modified, it takes time for the changes to get reflected in the shipping calculation.

Primary Parcel’s calculations are based on the data obtained from Shopify. If the details are not obtained in Shopify request or if old data is provided, then calculations will differ from actuals. Primary Parcel has no control over the same.

For example – If the Fulfillment service X is modified to Y by store admin or external script but if Shopify’s cache is not refreshed then shipping rates will be shown of X and not Y until the cache is removed.

Product Variant Updates

For Metafield, product’s variant ID is used. This has to be consistent to show accurate results whenever the product is updated. It should be a practice to update the product with the variant id and not product id so that the data is consistent.

When You Get The Below Errors
For Example – While calculating shipping rates for United States –

Error 1– “Error: Zip is not valid for United States.”Solution 1– Check if the zip code is valid.

Error 2– “We do not ship to this destination.”Solution 2– Check the below points

1. 1) If you are using our 14 Days Free Trial Plan in ‘Test Mode’, ensure the ‘First Name’ at checkout is ‘Test’.
2. 2) If your trial plan is expired and you have not upgraded to a paid plan, then Primary Parcel will switch to “Test Mode” and rates will not be visible to customers.

If above 2 points are in place, check the below:

1. 1) Make sure that the products are mapped properly with the Fulfillment Services
2. 2) Zones are mapped within the app
3. 3) Fulfillment Services are configured within the app
4. 4) Method is created and enabled for the products
5. 5) If Common rates are used, then the method corresponding to the Common rate is mapped

Error 3 – When wrong rates are visible or specific rates are not visible in the calculations –

1. 1. Check if rates are coming from Primary Parcel app and not any other app.
2. 2. Check if the products are mapped with exact Fulfillment Services.
3. 3. Check your method name and the values in the Fulfillment Services.
4. 4. Cross check your rate calculations.
5. 5. Make sure the discounts and interest are considered in your calculations.
6. 6. If product’s Fulfillment Services are recently updated, there are chances of old rates being reflected due to Shopify cache. In such a case, try after some time or modify the address or zip code and try again.
7. 7. Make sure the combined rates are considered when products of different Fulfillment Services are under consideration.
8. 8. Check if profit margin is enabled and those calculations are understood well.

If you are still unable to solve the issue or if you have any other queries, contact our customer support with respective screenshots along with below details:

• Store name
• Product Name and Quantity in cart
• Complete Address
• Country
• State
• Zip code