Setting shipping rates

Overview

This article explains how to configure shipping rates for your SimplePart eCommerce store. It covers how to set up tier-based standard rates, how to assign fixed rates to specific products, and how to make bulk adjustments to your rates. For carrier-integrated real-time rates, see Setting up Real-Time Shipping (RTS).

Before you begin

• Your standard shipping tiers are configured when your store goes live. You do not need to build them from scratch — you can edit them at any time
• To access shipping settings, make sure you have selected your website from the dropdown in the top right of the Control Panel. Settings will not appear if no site is selected
• Fixed shipping rates are assigned at the product level. You will need the part number or product detail page for any item you want to update

Shipping rate types

SimplePart supports two types of shipping rates. Most stores use both.

• Tier-based rates (standard): The most common setup. Shipping cost is calculated based on the total parts value in the customer's cart. You define dollar ranges and a corresponding shipping cost for each range. These apply to all products unless a fixed rate overrides them.
• Fixed rates (product-level): A set shipping cost assigned to a specific product, typically used for oversized or overweight items like rotors, bumpers, or transmissions. When a product has a fixed rate assigned, the standard tier rate does not apply to that item. If a cart contains both fixed-rate and standard-rate items, both costs are combined at checkout and displayed separately so the customer can see the breakdown.

How to set your shipping tiers

1. Log in to your SimplePart Control Panel at secure.simplepart.com
2. Go to Settings > Shipping Rates
3. Review your existing tiers. Each tier covers a dollar range and has a corresponding shipping cost
4. Click Edit on the tier you want to update, or click Add to create a new tier
5. Update the low value, high value, and shipping cost as needed
6. Save your changes

Tier structure rules

• Low and high values across tiers must not overlap
• If one tier ends at $20.00, the next must start at $20.01
• Overlapping ranges will prevent rates from calculating correctly

A basic tier structure looks like this:

Order value	Shipping cost
$0.00 – $20.00	$X.XX
$20.01 – $50.00	$X.XX
$50.01 and above	$X.XX

Low and high values across tiers must not overlap. If one tier ends at $20.00, the next must start at $20.01. Overlapping ranges will prevent rates from calculating correctly.

Bulk editing all rates at once

If you need to increase or decrease all of your shipping rates by a set percentage — for example, to account for a carrier rate increase — use the Mass Edit tab on the Shipping Rates page.

See Bulk editing shipping rates for steps and important information about this feature before using it.

Note: There is no undo option after applying a mass edit. Review the preview carefully before confirming.

Setting fixed shipping rates for specific products

Fixed rates are applied at the product level and are typically used for items that are oversized, overweight, or require special handling. 

Parts that commonly require fixed shipping rates include:

Chassis: Brake rotors, front/rear absorbers, wheels

Body: Dashboards, doors, front fenders, front/rear fascia, hoods, quarter panels, side skirts, trunk lids, windshields, headlights

Drivetrain: Engines, catalytic converters, fuel lines, gas tanks, mufflers, torque converters, transmissions

To set a fixed shipping rate for a product or category, submit a support request with the following information:

• A part list or a few example part numbers for each category you want a fixed rate applied to
• The fixed shipping amount you want set for each category

SimplePart Support will apply the rates on your behalf. Once complete, the fixed rate will appear on the relevant product pages and at checkout.

Where you’ll see the fixed shipping rate

Fixed rates are assigned at the product level, not by cart value. During checkout, fixed rates display separately from your standard shipping rate so customers can clearly see any additional costs for large or heavy items.

If a cart contains both fixed-rate and standard-rate items, both rates will be combined at checkout.

The fixed rate appears alongside the item in your EPC or on the Product Detail page in the SimplePart Control Panel. During checkout, this rate will display separately from the standard shipping rate, so customers can clearly see any additional shipping costs for large or heavy items.

Troubleshooting

• My shipping rates are not calculating at checkout 
  • Confirm your tier ranges do not overlap. Check that every dollar range in your cart value is covered by a tier — gaps between tiers can cause rates to fail
• A customer is seeing two shipping charges
  • This is expected when their cart includes both a fixed-rate item and standard-rate items. Both costs are combined and displayed separately at checkout
• I can't see my shipping settings
  • Confirm you have selected your website from the dropdown in the top right of the Control Panel
• A fixed rate is not appearing for a product that should have one
  • Confirm the fixed rate has been assigned to the correct product. Contact SimplePart Support if you have verified the setup and the rate is still not displaying

Need help?

Our in-house Client Services team is available Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST to help you with any questions or issues. You can reach us in the following ways:

👉 Submit a request through this support form

📞 Call us at 1 [phone]

📧 Email us at [e-mail]

We’re ready to help you get the most out of your SimplePart experience!