Handling Shipping by Various Sellers
| Project: | Ubercart Marketplace |
| Version: | 6.x-1.x-dev |
| Component: | Code |
| Category: | support request |
| Priority: | normal |
| Assigned: | Unassigned |
| Status: | active |
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Thanks to the contributers for such a great module!
It seems there are two options for the shipping relationship between the various sellers and the marketplace host. In both cases the marketplace host charges shipping costs to the buyer (i.e. using the various quote methods).
In option 1, the marketplace host can pay for the actual shipping from their account, using the funds from the buyer and the system allows the seller to print the shipping label.
In option 2, the marketplace host needs to provide the shipping funds that was charged to the buyer to the seller on top of the seller commission.
There was a request for the option to have shipping charges to be allocated to the seller, who will likely be the one bearing the cost of the shipping (in most marketplace scenarios). There was a reply (http://drupal.org/node/334033) that this feature was not available for Marketplace 5 but will likely be available in Marketplace 6.
I am not sure if/how either option 1 or option 2 is set in Marketplace 6. Is it now possible for Shipping amount to be paid to the seller on top of the commission? Is this done automatically?
Thank you.
#1
The shipping quotes module provides the option to either assume 1) all products on an order ship together or 2) all products on an order ship separately - for calculating shipping costs.
In a marketplace scenario we should at the least assume all products ship separately, or better assume all products from a seller ship together, but separately from all products from another seller.
Perhaps the best way to accomplish this, is to actually create a separate order for every seller that a buyer has in their shopping cart. So if a seller has z items from seller A and y items from seller B, the marketplace should create 2 orders instead of 1, one for seller A and one for seller B. Shipping costs for each order would be handled separately.
The alternative option would for for marketplace to over-ride the shipping quotes module to calculate based on items from different sellers ship separately.
i'm not sure which is best or easiest to implement.
#2
I have implemented an experimental version of your latter idea that is working quite nicely. It is a shipping quote module that should be the only one enabled. It than splits the order upon retrieving of a quote and dispatches the necessary 'orders' to the appropriate other enabled (but not enabled as a shipping quote) quote modules. It also allows for logging of shipping costs per vendor for compensation later. I wrote this in d5, and would be willing finish it, assist in upgrading it to d6, or customizing it if someone wants to sponsor such. Otherwise, based on my research, the method I described is the easiest. Contact me if interested.
#3
Hello,
Is there a current method of allowing the sellers the ability to set the shipping costs for their individual items? Or does the admin set just standard shipping cost for everything on the site? Thanks
Royce
#4
divinevette, I believe with the flat rate shipping, sellers can set their own shipping rate. You can set the flat rate to $0.00 by default, and they can enter the proper amount on the product page, with proper permissions.
#5
akolahi, That worked, thankyou, I had avoided the settting "administer products" because I interpreted it as "admin all products" because it is listed under UC settings, not MP. I think an "admin own products" permission should be added to MP settings.
#6
I'm using the flatrate method described here, but would prefer a more robust solution in the future where sellers can choose their own methods of shipping as well as prices for these methods.
#7
A simple, but much improved solution for some business models, has been added in the form of mp_quote. Please visit this comment for details: http://drupal.org/node/331415#comment-1571204. Testing is requested and submissions for suggested improvement are also welcome.
#8
Weird,
I can't for the life of me get the shipping quote field to show up on the seller product form. (I think a list of permissions settings in the documentation would be a good idea...)
I have the following enabled for seller role and still no joy!
mp_orders module
fulfill own orders X
write own order comments X
mp_products module
act as seller X
administer sellers
view own products X
mp_reports module
view own reports X
uc_catalog module
administer catalog
view catalog X
uc_credit module
administer credit cards
process credit cards
view cc details
view cc numbers
uc_order module
administer order workflow
create orders
delete orders
edit orders
unconditionally delete orders
view all orders
view own orders X
uc_payment module
delete payments
manual payments
view payments
uc_paypal module
administer paypal
uc_product module
administer product classes X
administer product features X
administer products X
create products X
delete all products
delete own products X
edit all products
edit own products X
uc_quote module
configure quotes X
uc_reports module
view reports X
uc_shipping module
fulfill orders X
uc_stock module
administer product stock X
uc_store module
administer store
view customers
view store reports
Can anyone point me in the right direction?
#9
Figured it out. Had to uncheck "Hide extra fields" at admin/store/settings/seller.
doh!
#10
Hi Turgid,
I've had a look at the flat rate shipping method. To provide the most flexibility to sellers, it seems to me the best scenario would be to have two fields in the flat rate shipping area in the product form:
Base rate:
Default product rate (ie. additional cost per item):
This is similar to how the flat rate shipping quote module handles shipping rates at admin/store/settings/quotes/methods/flatrate
This allows a seller to set a flat rate regardless of quantity.
Where's are you accepting sponsorship funds?
Michael