Shipping Rates, Packaging Overhead & Freight Operating Guide

Print Life Software provides a comprehensive shipping rate engine that blends standard shop flat rates, live multi-carrier parcel rate shopping, packaging and materials overhead surcharges, and customer self-service delivery selection. Designed for screen printers, commercial embroiderers, and merchandise decorators, the platform enables shops to standardize shipping costs, recover box and packaging consumables, generate accurate parcel weights, and offer seamless local pickup options.

[!TIP] For the complete dedicated reference on EasyPost carrier setup, prepaid wallet management, auto-recharge settings, 4×6 thermal roll printing, and label voiding, see EASYPOST_INTEGRATION.md.

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1. Feature Scope & UI Navigation

The shipping engine connects global preset configuration, automated packaging surcharges, quote-level price overrides, and public customer checkout across the following dedicated navigation paths:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                PRIMARY NAVIGATION PATHS                                │
├──────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┤
│ Flat Rates & Packaging   │ /settings?tab=business      │ Settings -> Business Info     │
│ Carrier Integrations     │ /settings?tab=connections   │ Settings -> Connections       │
│ Quote Shipping Selector  │ /quotes-invoices/[id]       │ Quote Builder -> Shipping Row │
│ Public Customer Checkout │ /q/[quoteId]                │ Public Quote -> Action Bar    │
│ Label Generation         │ /quotes-invoices/[id]       │ Production / Fulfillment Tab  │
└──────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────┘

Global Shipping Settings (/settings?tab=business)

• In the left sidebar, expand Finance & Settings $\rightarrow$ click Settings $\rightarrow$ select the Business Info tab.
• Locate the Shipping Rates card:
  • Add Rate (Button): Opens the modal to configure a new flat-rate preset (Name, Estimated Transit Days, Flat Price).
  • Default Selection: Designate which shipping method pre-populates all new draft quotes.
  • Packaging & Materials Overhead: Configure a flat dollar or percentage markup applied to all shipping options to cover carton boxes, poly mailers, and tape.
  • Customer Shipping Selection Toggle: Located under Customer Checkout Options. When enabled, customers can select their preferred shipping method on the public quote page before paying.

Carrier Integrations (/settings?tab=connections)

• Under Settings, select the Connections tab.
• Connect EasyPost or ShipStation to enable real-time carrier rate shopping (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL Express) and 1-click shipping label generation directly inside your orders.

Quote Builder Shipping Selector (/quotes-invoices/[id])

• In the Quote Builder summary sidebar, click the pencil edit icon next to the Shipping line item to open the Select Shipping Option dialog:
  • Preset Rates Tab: Choose from your shop's saved flat-rate options (e.g., UPS Ground, 2-Day Air, Free Local Pickup).
  • Live Rates Tab: Fetch real-time live rates from connected parcel carriers based on estimated order weight and customer destination address.
  • Custom Option Tab: Enter a one-off shipping title, custom dollar amount, and transit days for unique freight or courier deliveries.
  • Price Override ($): Modify the charged price on any preset or live rate for this specific quote without altering global presets.

Public Customer Quote View (/q/[quoteId])

• When Customer Shipping Selection is enabled, the bottom action bar on the public quote page renders an interactive shipping selector allowing clients to choose Ground, Express, or Local Pickup before completing checkout.

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2. Capabilities & Operational Boundaries

The shipping architecture balances flat-rate simplicity with automated packaging cost recovery and live multi-carrier rate shopping:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                        QUOTE ESTIMATING ENGINE                         │
│       Garment Line Items: Automatic Weight Scan (6 oz / blank)        │
└───────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                                    │
                                    ▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                       SHIPPING SELECTION PIPELINE                      │
│   [Flat-Rate Preset]   OR   [Live Carrier Rates]   OR   [Custom Rate]  │
└───────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                                    │
                                    ▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                PACKAGING & MATERIALS OVERHEAD INJECTION                │
│    + Flat Fee ($) OR Percent (%) to cover boxes, polybags & packing    │
└───────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                                    │
         ┌──────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────┐
         ▼                                                     ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────┐   ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│     CLIENT VISIBLE TOTAL        │   │     INTERNAL STAFF VIEW         │
│  Single Clean Rate Displayed    │   │  Base Rate + Materials Margin   │
│  (e.g., "UPS Ground — $18.50")  │   │  (e.g., "$14.00 + $4.50 Box")   │
└─────────────────────────────────┘   └─────────────────────────────────┘

Supported Capabilities

1. Standard Flat-Rate Presets: Define standard delivery methods (e.g., Standard Ground — $15.00, 2-Day Air — $35.00, Shop Pickup — $0.00) with custom transit durations.
2. Packaging & Materials Overhead: Automatically add a flat fee (e.g., $+$4.50$) or percentage (e.g., $+10%$) to every shipping rate. This seamlessly recovers the expense of shipping cartons, tape, bubble wrap, and packing labor without confusing customers with separate fees.
3. Automated Package Weight Estimation: The system automatically scans order garments and computes estimated shipping weight:
   • Apparel blanks: 6 oz per garment.
   • Custom accessory items: 4 oz per item.
   • Carton packaging box: +8 oz flat overhead.
4. Per-Quote Price Overrides: Adjust shipping prices directly on individual quotes with 1 click without affecting master shop settings.
5. One-Off Custom Shipping: Create temporary shipping methods (e.g., LTL Pallet Freight — $185.00) directly within the order.
6. Customer Self-Service Selection: Allow customers to select between Ground, Air, or Shop Pickup directly on the public approval portal, recalculating total amounts due in real time before payment.

Operational Boundaries & Guardrails

• Pass-Through Taxability Rules: In many jurisdictions, carrier postage is non-taxable while packaging materials and handling fees are taxable. The platform itemizes these components internally to ensure accurate sales tax reporting.
• Default Pre-Population: Setting a default shipping option applies automatically to new draft quotes. Existing finalized quotes and paid invoices retain their historical locked rates.
• Customer Selection Gating: The public shipping selector remains hidden on customer quote links until Customer Shipping Selection is explicitly enabled in Settings.

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3. Step-by-Step SOP Workflows

SOP 1: Setting Up Flat-Rate Shipping Presets & Local Pickup

[Settings -> Business Info] ──> [Shipping Rates Card] ──> [Add Rate] ──> [Configure Name, Days, Price]

1. Navigate to Settings (/settings) from the left sidebar.
2. Select the Business Info tab.
3. Locate the Shipping Rates card and click Add Rate.
4. Configure standard ground shipping:
   • Name: Standard Ground Freight
   • Est. Transit Days: 3
   • Price ($): 15.00
   • Check Default Shipping Option if you want this applied to all new quotes.
   • Click Save Rate.
5. Click Add Rate to create a zero-dollar pickup tier:
   • Name: Shop Pickup (Free)
   • Est. Transit Days: 0
   • Price ($): 0.00
   • Click Save Rate.

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SOP 2: Configuring Packaging & Materials Overhead

To ensure your shop recovers the cost of cardboard boxes, tape, polybags, and packing labor:

1. Under Settings $\rightarrow$ Business Info, locate the Shipping Rates card.
2. Find the Packaging & Materials Overhead section inside the card.
3. Select your preferred fee structure:
   • Flat Amount ($): Enter a fixed dollar fee (e.g., $4.50) added to every shipment.
   • Percentage (%): Enter a percentage (e.g., 10%) added to the carrier rate.
4. Click outside the input to save automatically.
5. Result: When live rates or presets are selected, the surcharge is quietly bundled into the customer's shipping total while remaining visible as an internal line item for staff.

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SOP 3: Enabling Customer Shipping Selection at Checkout

To allow clients to pick their preferred delivery method before paying their deposit:

1. Navigate to Settings $\rightarrow$ Business Info.
2. In the Shipping Rates card, scroll to Customer Checkout Options.
3. Toggle Customer Shipping Selection to ON.
4. Open any public customer quote (/q/[quoteId]).
5. Verify that the bottom checkout bar includes an interactive shipping selector allowing customers to choose between available options (e.g., Ground vs. Local Pickup) before paying.

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SOP 4: Applying Overrides and Custom Freight on a Quote

1. Open any quote in the Quote Builder (/quotes-invoices/[id]).
2. Click the edit icon next to the Shipping line item.
3. To Override an Existing Rate:
   • Select a preset rate (e.g., Standard Ground — $15.00).
   • In the Price Override ($) field, enter a custom price (e.g., $10.00).
   • Click Update Price. The quote displays Standard Ground with the adjusted price.
4. To Add Custom Freight:
   • Click the Custom Option tab.
   • Enter Shipping Method Name (e.g., White Glove Local Courier).
   • Enter Shipping Cost ($) (e.g., 45.00) and Transit Days (e.g., 1).
   • Click Apply Custom Shipping.

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SOP 5: Live Multi-Carrier Rate Shopping in the Quote Builder

1. Ensure EasyPost or ShipStation is connected under Settings $\rightarrow$ Connections.
2. Open the quote editor and click the edit icon on the Shipping line item.
3. Click the Live Rates tab.
4. The system calculates the estimated order weight based on garment counts and queries live carrier rates for the customer's delivery ZIP code.
5. Compare options across USPS, UPS, and FedEx.
6. Select the preferred service tier (e.g., UPS Ground — 2 Days) and click Add to Quote.

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4. Business Logic, Formulas & Surcharge Rules

Packaging & Materials Overhead Calculation Formula

The total shipping amount charged to the customer incorporates the base carrier rate plus the configured packaging overhead:

$$P_{\text{customer}} = P_{\text{carrier_rate}} + O_{\text{packaging}}$$

Where $O_{\text{packaging}}$ is evaluated based on the selected fee model:

$$O_{\text{packaging}} = \begin{cases} F_{\text{flat}}, & \text{if Fee Type is Flat Dollar Amount ($)} \ P_{\text{carrier_rate}} \times \left(\frac{F_{\text{percentage}}}{100}\right), & \text{if Fee Type is Percentage (%)} \end{cases}$$

Display Boundary Rule:

• Customer Facing: Displays the unified sum $P_{\text{customer}}$ (e.g., UPS Ground: $19.50).
• Staff Internal View: Displays the itemized breakdown (e.g., Postage: $15.00 + $4.50 Packaging Margin).

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Automated Garment Weight Estimation Formula

When querying live carrier rates, total parcel weight is estimated using standard apparel metrics:

$$W_{\text{total}} = \left(N_{\text{garments}} \times 6\text{ oz}\right) + \left(N_{\text{accessories}} \times 4\text{ oz}\right) + 8\text{ oz}_{\text{carton}}$$

$$\text{Weight (lbs)} = \frac{W_{\text{total}}}{16}$$

Where:

• $N_{\text{garments}}$ represents standard blank apparel (t-shirts, long sleeves, tank tops).
• Heavy garments (hoodies, outerwear) scale automatically to 16–20 oz per piece.
• $N_{\text{accessories}}$ represents caps, tote bags, and small promotional items.
• $+8\text{ oz}$ accounts for standard corrugated cardboard cartons and packing tape.

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Total Delivery Timeline Projection

The estimated delivery date presented to clients combines production lead time with shipping transit:

$$D_{\text{delivery}} = D_{\text{start}} + T_{\text{turnaround_days}} + T_{\text{shipping_transit_days}}$$

When a customer selects Shop Pickup (Free) ($T_{\text{transit}} = 0$), the delivery date matches the exact day production completes.

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5. Troubleshooting & Diagnostic Matrix

Symptom / Question	Root Cause	Exact Remediation Step
Customers cannot select a shipping method on the quote link	Customer Shipping Selection is disabled in settings.	Navigate to Settings $\rightarrow$ Business Info $\rightarrow$ Shipping Rates, scroll to Customer Checkout Options, and toggle Customer Shipping Selection to ON.
Live Rates tab is missing in the Quote Builder	No carrier API integration is connected.	Navigate to Settings $\rightarrow$ Connections and connect your EasyPost or ShipStation account.
Shipping is calculating with unexpected added dollars	A Packaging & Materials Overhead fee is active.	Check Settings $\rightarrow$ Business Info $\rightarrow$ Shipping Rates $\rightarrow$ Packaging & Materials Overhead to verify your flat fee or percentage margin.
Shipping is showing as $0.00 on a quote	A free pickup option was selected, or no shipping rate was assigned to the quote.	Open the quote editor, click the pencil icon next to Shipping, and select a valid shipping preset or custom rate.
Live carrier rates return "Address Not Found" or fail to load	Customer shipping address is missing a valid street address or 5-digit ZIP code.	Verify that the customer's delivery address on the quote includes a valid street, city, state, and postal code.

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6. Frequently Asked Questions & Action Prompts

Q: How do I offer free local pickup?

Answer: Go to Settings $\rightarrow$ Business Info $\rightarrow$ Shipping Rates and click Add Rate. Set the Name to Local Pickup (Free), Estimated Days to 0, and Price to $0.00. Customers can select this option at checkout to avoid shipping fees.

[How do I add a pickup shipping option?](chat:How do I add a local pickup option in Settings?)

Q: Can I charge a handling fee for boxes and tape?

Answer: Yes! Under Settings $\rightarrow$ Business Info $\rightarrow$ Shipping Rates, locate Packaging & Materials Overhead. You can configure a flat fee (e.g., $+$4.50$) or a percentage (e.g., $+10%$) that is quietly bundled into every shipping rate to cover packaging expenses.

[Where do I configure packaging overhead?](chat:Where do I set up packaging overhead fees?)

Q: How does the system calculate package weight for live rates?

Answer: The platform scans the garments on the order, estimating 6 oz per standard t-shirt, 4 oz per accessory item, and adds 8 oz for the shipping box. This estimated weight is sent to EasyPost or ShipStation to retrieve accurate carrier rates.

[Show me live carrier rate setup](chat:How do I connect live carrier rates in Settings?)

Q: Can I override the shipping price on a single quote?

Answer: Yes. In the Quote Builder, click the edit icon next to the Shipping line item, pick any preset or live rate, enter your desired dollar amount into the Price Override ($) field, and click Update Price.

[How do I override shipping on a quote?](chat:How do I change shipping cost on a quote?)