Custom Shipping Application (Carrier Service)

Shopify, offers flexible shipping options via “shipping profiles” occasionally encounters limitations that may hinder businesses seeking tailored solutions. This is where the freedom to develop carrier service applications becomes a game-changer, allowing companies to transcend constraints and customize freight charges to suit their unique needs.

First Light created a carrier service application for our client to handle the shipping rates/ methods for bulky items delivered around Australia. The logic was relatively complex to serve the correct delivery method and cost across a valet service (provided by the merchants own delivery vehicles), delivery to the nearest depot to the customer via a third party service and in select cases based on location and product provide an option to deliver from the depot. There was also a different set of rules applied for rental products vs purchased products and accessories.

The First Light team were able to produce a solution by taking the desired logic and developing a custom Shopify application leveraging the Google routes API, Google address validation API and Google geocoding API. The result is greater shipping cost recovery and a smoother experience at checkout with upfront information about delivery methods and expectations.

If you are facing limitations with delivery options and rates to suit your business model please contact us to discuss your shipping strategy and explore the options.