Let Google Automatically Calculate Your Shipping Costs

Like most online shoppers, you've probably experienced the frustration of getting different shipping rates in various sources. However, Google recently released a solution that will help online shoppers get more accurate shipping rates. This new tool is referred to as the Shipping Configuration tool and it is available in Google Merchant.

The tool has features such as: shipping rules, multiple methods of shopping, and even allows your customers to enter their location and select from a list of exclusion options. Google merchants can also give each one of their products a shipping label. This label then allows merchants to easily configure the rates of shipping based on the product or service being sold. This tool will allow you to give unique shipping rates to special items like perishables and bulky goods.

Although Google has already applied this tool to all of its users they still advise merchants to go through the shipping configuration tool in order to understand how it works and the features that make it so important.

Once you access the tool, you will have to set up the four shipping methods.

1. Single rate – which is basically a flat rate that can be an exact figure or a percentage of the price of the product being sold.
2. Rate table – which is perfect for merchants who have different shipping costs depending on the many factors such as price, weight or destination of the item. You just define these elements and then Google can calculate the appropriate rate.
3. Carrier calculated rate - which only applies to users in the US. This one is suitable if the rate of shipping you charge depends on certain supported carriers.
4. Unique shipping rules – which allows you to specify the shipping destinations not just in terms of country but also the regions, cities and states where merchants can deliver your products.

You can in fact use the configuration tool to attract more clients and make sure no one fails to buy your products because of confusing shipping rates. Most consumers will drop off when inaccurate shipping costs are displayed in a product they are interested in. So make use of this configuration tool to enhance your sales.