Carrier Rates & Rate Shopping

Display real-time shipping rates from carriers like UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL, and Canada Post in your checkout.

Supported Carriers

Setup Guide

Connect a Carrier

1. Go to Settings → Carriers
2. Click Add Carrier
3. Select carrier (e.g., UPS)
4. Enter API credentials
5. Test connection
6. Save

Getting API Credentials

Need carrier credentials? See our detailed guides:

👉 Carrier Credentials Section

Step-by-step instructions for each carrier:

• UPS - Access Key, User ID, Password
• FedEx - Client ID, Client Secret, Meter Number
• USPS - User ID, Production Approval
• DHL Express - API Key, API Secret
• Canada Post - API Key, Contract ID

Creating Carrier Rate Rules

Action Type: Carrier Calculated

Use this action to return live carrier rates.

Configuration:

1. Create new rule
2. Add conditions (optional)
3. Set action → Carrier Calculated
4. Select carrier
5. Choose services
6. Set markup (optional)

Example: UPS Ground for Domestic Orders

Rule: UPS Ground - Domestic

Conditions:
┌─ AND Group ──────────────────┐
│ Country = "United States"    │
│ Cart Total < $100            │
└──────────────────────────────┘

Actions:
┌─ Carrier Calculated ─────────┐
│ Carrier: UPS                 │
│ Services:                    │
│   ✅ UPS Ground              │
│   ✅ UPS 2nd Day Air         │
│   ✅ UPS Next Day Air        │
│ Markup: +10%                 │
└──────────────────────────────┘

Result: Customer sees three UPS options with 10% markup.

Selecting Services

Each carrier offers multiple service levels. Select only the services you actually use to avoid customer confusion.

Examples:

• UPS: Ground, 2nd Day Air, Next Day Air, Worldwide Express
• FedEx: Ground, 2Day, Standard Overnight, International Priority
• USPS: First-Class Package, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express
• DHL/Canada Post: See carrier documentation for full service lists

Refer to your carrier's documentation for complete service offerings.

Rate Shopping

Return the cheapest option from multiple carriers automatically.

How It Works

1. Rule matches conditions
2. RateTell requests rates from all configured carriers
3. Rates are compared (including markups)
4. Cheapest option is displayed
5. Other options hidden or shown (your choice)

Enable Rate Shopping

Option 1: Single Best Rate

Action: Rate Shopping
Carriers: [UPS, FedEx, USPS]
Services: All Ground services
Display: Cheapest only
Markup: +15%

Option 2: All Options

Action: Rate Shopping
Carriers: [UPS, FedEx, USPS]
Services: All services
Display: All options (sorted by price)
Markup: +10%

Example: Cheapest Ground Shipping

Rule: Best Ground Rate

Conditions:
┌─ AND Group ──────────────────┐
│ Cart Total < $75             │
│ Cart Weight < 25 lb          │
└──────────────────────────────┘

Actions:
┌─ Rate Shopping ──────────────┐
│ Carriers:                    │
│   ✅ UPS (Ground)            │
│   ✅ FedEx (Ground)          │
│   ✅ USPS (Parcel Select)    │
│ Display: Cheapest only       │
│ Label: "Standard Shipping"   │
│ Markup: +12%                 │
└──────────────────────────────┘

Checkout Display:

Standard Shipping: $8.95 (via FedEx Ground)

Customer sees best price without carrier details.

Markups & Handling Fees

Apply margins to carrier rates:

Set different markups per carrier (e.g., UPS: +10%, FedEx: +12%) to offset varying packaging costs.

Fallback Strategies

Handle carrier API errors gracefully:

• Fixed Backup Rate: Show flat rate (e.g., $9.99) if carrier fails
• Next Carrier: Try carriers in order (first to last) until one succeeds
• Hide Option: Don't show shipping option if carrier unavailable

Configure in rule action settings → Enable Fallback Mode → Choose strategy.

Testing Carrier Rates

Test Mode: Use sandbox credentials during development. Enable in carrier settings and switch to production when ready.

Rate Simulator: Test without real API calls. Click "Test Rule" in rule builder, enter shipping details, and view simulated rates using historical data.

Troubleshooting

No Rates Returned: Verify API credentials, carrier account status, origin address, and product weights. Test connection in Settings → Carriers.

Rates Incorrect: Check product dimensions/weights, origin ZIP code, markup settings, and currency configuration.

Slow Checkout: Enable parallel requests (Settings → Performance), verify caching is enabled, and set reasonable timeouts (3-5 seconds).

Next Steps

• Create Your First Rule
• Understand Rule Priority

Need help? Email support@ratetell.com