Shipping settings

What delivery cost will be used when customers add products from different vendors to their cart?

Shipping is a cornerstone of marketplaces, and it can become challenging when vendors are not used to shipping packages. That's why, at Garnet, we simplified the vendor's options.

To enable shipping, go to Garnet > Admin Panel > Shipping.

Vendor shipping names

When shipping is enalbed, the marketplace can specify shipping method names. These names allow the vendor to add shipping rates based on these names.

Ultimately, these names will show as options when a customer checks out their cart:

Shipping rate computation

• The displayed shipping rates apply to all items in a cart.
• By default, a vendor that did not specify their shipping rate offers free shipping rates.
• If there isn't a shipping rate that applies to all items, the customer will not be able to pay.
• Garnet's shipping rates can work with existing Shopify's shipping profiles.

INFO

Shopify is working on a way to offer different shipping for several line items. It is supposed to be live by September 2024.

Third-party integrations

At Garnet we are working with several logistic partners to automate the vendor shipping experience. Contact us to know more about it.

If you are looking to integrate with custom or in-house logistic software, you can contact us to request an integration.

Feature Restriction

Shopify restriction

You can only use this feature if the marketplace Shopify's plan is either:

• the Advanced Shopify plan or higher,
• the Shopify plan with monthly billing and the service feature has been added to the plan,
• the Shopify plan with yearly billing,
• a development store.

Alternatively, you can reach out to the Shopify support to enable the feature.

Learn more

Which shipping setting to use?

When starting your marketplace, setting your shipping methods can be a daunting tasks. At Garnet, we have seen a lot of marketplace and we know what worked well.

If you are still in doubt, contact us.

1. If possible, free shipping

When you are selling in a single country and the shipping rate is standard accross the whole country, it is always better to request vendors to include the shipping price in their item price.

Advantages:

• Simple to understand for accounting, the vendors, and the customers.
• No settings are required by the vendor.
• No surprising shipping fee when the customer checks out

Inconveniences:

• Too simple for international shipping
• Vendors might need to inflate their prices
• Not flexible for outstanding items

2. Standardise shipping for all vendors

If all your vendors are in a single country but you deliver similar items worldwide, you can use Shopify's shipping rates. These rates will apply to all vendors.

Advantages:

• Allow for international shipping
• Simple to understand
• Vendors do not manage shipping cost

Inconveniences:

• Shipping fees must be higher than the actual shipping cost
• The marketplace is responsible for setting up shipping

3. Let the vendor set their own shipping

Using Garnet's shipping feature, the vendors can define the rate of their choice.

Advantages:

• Vendors precisely define their own shipping

Inconveniences:

• Vendors must specify their shipping rates to start selling

4. Use third-party logistic partners

Using logistics partners like Shippo enables the marketplace to get precise carrier rates.

Advantage:

• Vendors do not need to manage shipping rates.

Inconveniences:

• Vendors need to use specific shipping carriers chosen by the marketplace.