Help with Product Package Shipping Dimension Rule

[p4k]

I do not know if this is a bug, a module limitation or if I plain and simple am missing something, but I have been unable to get accurate dimensional weight calculations when using product specific package dimensions. The shipping rate always uses the default box size. I realize that the shipping rules are not going to "select" the correct box size, however if a product's specific package dimensions are larger than the default, shouldn't the system use the largest dimensional values?

The only way I have gotten this to work is to select the Product Always Ships in Separate Packaging checkbox. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case for us - if we use a larger box to accommodate a specific product, other products will invariably also fit in the larger box. By using the Separate Packaging rules, the shipping calculations get way out of hand when the customer orders numerous products.

[Rick Wilson]

Re: Help with Product Package Shipping Dimension Rule

Have you setup the bigger boxes too? Or are you just putting the bigger dimensions in the product?

[p4k]

Re: Help with Product Package Shipping Dimension Rule

I have all our box sizes setup in packaging rules.

[p4k]

Re: Help with Product Package Shipping Dimension Rule

After thinking about it, I believe that this situation also effects shipments where the products shipping dimensions are smaller than the listed default box size.

[p4k]

Re: Help with Product Package Shipping Dimension Rule

Rick,

I think I identified the problem. When we originally entered all the box sizes, we had the Packaging Rules set to the default setting of <Always use default...>. With this setting, the max weight/quantity field for the boxes was not available. Once we updated to PR5 and switched the Fedex shipping module from Vikings to the new Fedex Web Services module, the dimensional issue became apparent. We then changed the packaging rules to <pack by weight>, but did not update the individual box settings with a max weight value. It appears that when the max weight field is blank, Miva will not use that box and assumes the value is 0.

I would recommend that the max weight/quantity value be displayed on the box summary page. This would allow the user to see any incorrect/blank fields without having to click on each and every box size. I also believe that you may also want to re-think having a field that was left blank equal 0 - maybe a default weight/quantity that is set under packaging rules?