Shipping Cost Calculation Before Checkout

[hgtseo]

Trust is something that online sellers have to build with visitors via the web interface, communications, and through sound policies. Buyers are skeptical about purchasing until they know all their costs. I personally do not purchase from online sellers that require personal information prior to their disclosure of all the costs related to the transaction.

In other words: I suspect that requiring customer information prior to revealing shipping costs may be resulting in higher cart abandonment rates.

Allowing the visitor to enter the cart, add their zip code and select their shipping method without requiring any further info will put many visitors at ease.

Perhaps this is currently possible and I am not aware of how to do it. If so, I welcome your advice. If not, it is something that is worth considering.

Regards,

Greg

[standby]

Yes, I think the same.

[hhtmp88]

I totally agree!

If you check in joomla's backend:
-> components -> virtuemart -> admin -> configuration -> checkout

you will find the standard checkout process is selected:
* Standard :
1. Shipping address request
2. Shipping method request
3. Payment method request
4. Complete Order

If we want to change the order of the checkout process, we need to know which php file(s) are involved, so can some Virtuemart Guru give some hints to us?

Thanks for any kinds of help!

[hhtmp88]

Hi all!

I find that this can be done by simply select Checkout Process 3 (instead of the "standard" one):
* Process 3:
1. Shipping method request
2. Payment method request
3. Complete Order

Rgds,

[hhtmp88]

Hi all!

I find that this can be done by simply select Checkout Process 3 (instead of the "standard" one):
* Process 3:
1. Shipping method request
2. Payment method request
3. Complete Order

Rgds,

Sorry that the above does not solve our problem!

It seems that we have to do some hacks, and the checkout process need to be something like:

1. Shipping method request
2. Payment method request + Shipping address request
3. Complete Order


That is, we need to embed the "Shipping address request" into "payment method request" page,

-> so can any checkout process guru give some hints on which php file(s) to work on?

Thanks for any kinds of help!

[Martin Tilma]

I'am looking for the same thing and willing to program. I don't want to hack any VM core files. But I don't know if that is possible.

I looked at how the friends of osCommerice did the job: http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,1781/, well they just hacked it in. The osCommerce way, I believe.

[Anthony C.]

Hi,

I agree with all of you. However, it seems that there is no easy way to do this at front.

The file that you can try is:

checkout.index.php

P.S. I did a modification for our company website. However, it doesn't ask user to enter any information. They just need to add items into cart and the quote will be automatically generated. We have a simple way of calculating the shipping cost. (using standard_shipping module)

Anthony

[hhtmp88]

Hi,

I agree with all of you. However, it seems that there is no easy way to do this at front.

The file that you can try is:

checkout.index.php

P.S. I did a modification for our company website. However, it doesn't ask user to enter any information. They just need to add items into cart and the quote will be automatically generated. We have a simple way of calculating the shipping cost. (using standard_shipping module)

Anthony

Hi Anthony!

Thanks for your information!

I have just visited your site (http://www.natvd.com) and it looks nice!

It seems that you are using the "standard" (4-step) checkout process, I still need to be registered before I can go further to get the shipment cost, so do you know how to move it to the "payment method request" page?



It seems that "checkout.index.php" in:
<joomla directory>/administrator/components/com_virtuemart/html/

is the right file to work on, but how?

Sorry that I am not a programmer and it looks too difficult for me, so can you or any virtuemart Guru gives some hints?

Thanks

[Anthony C.]

Hi hhtmp88,

In our website, you don't need to register to see the shipping charge. like I mentioned in the last post, you just need to add items in cart and move your mouse on the "Quick Quote" button. Then you will see a window shows the total with the shipping charge.

Yes, the checkout.index.php file is located in that fold. You can try to rearrange the checkout process there.
I am not the core programmer but I will definitely try from there.

Anthony

[hhtmp88]

Hi hhtmp88,

In our website, you don't need to register to see the shipping charge. like I mentioned in the last post, you just need to add items in cart and move your mouse on the "Quick Quote" button. Then you will see a window shows the total with the shipping charge.

Yes, the checkout.index.php file is located in that fold. You can try to rearrange the checkout process there.
I am not the core programmer but I will definitely try from there.

Anthony

Hi Anthony!

The quick quote module is great, would you mind share it with us?

Concerning "checkout.index.php", do you know which "function" or codes or line# should I work on?
-> so that the registration request is moved to and embedded with the payment page?


Thanks for any kinds of help!

Rgds,

[Mike C]

Anthony, yes, that quick quote module is very nice - did you write it yourself, or buy it somewhere?

[Lance Thompson]

I too would be VERY interested in how you accomplished the quick quote feature. Where did you get this?

Thanks in advance!

Lance

[Marcus]

Erm hello, has this thread just gone dead...and we thought we were so close!

[Marco]

Hi

Anybody interested in this could try and contact Joseph Kwan.
He did this for us. Very fast response time and for a good price.
He is active on this forum.

We use the standard shipping module also.

[macallf]

The reason you have to log in to see the shipping rates.

In some sales it depends on where you live as to what the shipping cost will be. The only way to get this info is for the user to log in, where the country, state, city, zipcode etc is available for the shipping module to get the correct info.

I know it is not the same in all cases, but in general this holds true.

Mark