Most businesses start with one shipping rule per decision, such as anything under 2kg going on Royal Mail Tracked 48. As you add carriers, services and products, the right choice usually depends on several things at once, like weight, destination and what's in the order.
If each rule only checks one of those, your team ends up making the rest of the decision by hand at dispatch. Any order they miss goes out on the wrong service, which can mean a carrier surcharge, a late delivery or an unhappy customer.
Combining conditions in one rule lets the whole decision happen automatically. Zenstores checks weight, destination, SKU and more on every order the moment it imports, and generates customs documentation automatically for international orders.
- Plan which service each order should go on
Start by listing the carrier services you use and why each one exists. For example, you might use Royal Mail Tracked 48 for light UK parcels, DPD Next Day for customers who pay for next day delivery, and a Royal Mail international service for the USA. Next to each one, note what decides it today, such as weight, destination or the service chosen at checkout. Those reasons become the conditions in your rules.
- Build Shipping Rules that apply the right service
Each Shipping Rule checks new orders as they import, and applies a carrier and service when an order matches all of its conditions. Conditions cover weight, destination, postcode zone, SKU, day of the week and more. That means one rule can send UK orders under 2kg on Royal Mail Tracked 48, while another sends USA orders on a Royal Mail international service with customs documentation created automatically. Build one rule for each service on your list.
- Use Zenstores Automations for tasks beyond the carrier
Zenstores Automations handle the work around each order, built as a flow on a visual, whiteboard-style canvas. Each automation starts from a trigger, checks up to 25 conditions, then runs one or more actions in a row. Actions include changing an order's status, adding a flag or note, assigning it to a team member, or marking it as dispatched on the channel. For example, an order with [PRE-ORDER] in an item title can be moved to the On hold tab and get a pre-order flag in one flow.
- Combine automations and Shipping Rules into one flow
An automation can apply a Shipping Rule as one of its actions. The automation decides which rule an order gets, and the rule sets the carrier and service. The same flow can then book the shipment and print the shipping label straight to the printer at your packing workstation. For example, an order your store flags as VIP can have your next-day rule applied, its shipment booked and its label printed.
- Let your rules run and refine them as you grow
Once your rules and automations are switched on, every matching order is handled without anyone choosing a service. When something changes, such as a new carrier or a new product range, edit the existing rule or flow instead of starting again. You can switch any rule or automation off without deleting it, and reorder Shipping Rules so the most specific ones apply first.
We’ve been using Zenstores for over a year, and it has been an incredible help for our fulfilment operations. It has saved us countless hours and made the entire fulfilment process far more efficient and streamlined The Zenstores team has also been extremely responsive and helpful whenever we’ve contacted them with questions or issues. Our setup includes fairly complex automation rules, and no other solution we looked at offered the same level of granular automation and flexibility as Zenstores. I would highly recommend them, not only for the platform itself but also for the excellent customer support.
Grace & Co.
Frequently Asked Questions
What conditions can a Zenstores Shipping Rule use?
Zenstores Shipping Rules can check weight, destination, postcode zone, SKU, time of day and more. You can combine the conditions you need into a single rule, and it only applies when an order matches all of them.
What happens if an order matches more than one Shipping Rule?
Zenstores applies the matching rule with the highest priority. You set that priority order yourself and can drag rules into a new order at any time. Put specific rules, like one for Highlands postcodes, above broader ones, such as all UK orders under 2kg.
Can a Zenstores rule match one condition out of several?
Yes, using Automations a rule can be matched to one of several conditions. Each check in an automation holds up to 25 conditions. For example, an order that's over a set weight or contains a bulky SKU can follow the same path.
Can Zenstores change the service based on when an order is placed?
Yes. Zenstores Shipping Rules include day of the week and time of day conditions, so orders placed after your carrier cut-off or near the weekend can go on a different service. For example, Friday orders after 1PM can go on a Saturday delivery service automatically.
What can Zenstores Automations do beyond choosing a carrier?
Zenstores Automations can change an order's status, add a flag or internal note, assign it to a team member, mark it as dispatched on the channel and more. Actions run in sequence, so one flow can put a pre-order on hold and flag it for your team at the same time.
Do Zenstores Shipping Rules work for international orders?
Yes. Zenstores Shipping Rules use destination conditions to send each country or region to the carrier and service you choose. Zenstores generates customs documentation automatically from your product data for every international order, so there's no extra paperwork at dispatch.
Can Amazon and Shopify orders follow different rules in Zenstores?
Yes. Sales channel is a condition in Zenstores Shipping Rules, so you can set separate rules for each channel. Orders from every connected channel arrive in one Zenstores queue, so nothing ships differently unless a rule says so.
Can I use my own carrier accounts with Zenstores Shipping Rules?
Yes. Zenstores connects to your existing accounts with leading carriers including Royal Mail, DPD, DHL, Evri and FedEx, or you can ship on Zenstores' pre-negotiated rates. Your Shipping Rules and automations work the same way whichever you choose.
Do I need technical skills to build rules in Zenstores?
No. You can build Zenstores Shipping Rules and Automations by choosing conditions and actions, with no code or developer needed. Most rules take a couple of minutes to set up. If you need help, the Zenstores team can talk you through set-up or build rules for you.
Will the Zenstores team set up my rules?
Yes. The Zenstores team helps migrate your existing rules from your current platform and connects your carriers, so you don't start from scratch. You can edit, add or reorder rules yourself at any time after that.
