Splitting an order into more than one shipment

A shipping class groups products that cost a similar amount to send, such as heavy or fragile items. When a basket holds products from more than one class, Orbit splits the order into separate shipments. Your customer picks a delivery method for each shipment and pays a charge for each. You create classes under Settings, then Shipping, on the Shipping Classes tab.

Considerations

• The split happens on its own when a basket spans more than one class. There is no setting to switch it off.
• Products with no shipping class all sit in one group together.
• Only the classes used by products in the basket count. A class nobody is buying makes no difference.
• A variant can carry its own shipping class. Two variants of the same product can then land in different shipments.
• Every shipment needs a delivery method that covers it. If the zone for the address has none, your customer cannot pick delivery for those items.

Why an order splits

At the delivery step, Orbit sorts the basket into delivery groups by shipping class:

• Products in the same class go in the same group.
• Products with no class go in one group of their own.
• Each group gets its own list of delivery options and its own charge.

One group means one delivery choice, as usual. Two or more groups means the order ships in two or more deliveries. It is the number of classes in the basket that splits an order, not the number of products, so five products in one class are still one shipment. The delivery charge is the charge for each shipment added together.

What your customer sees at checkout

A message at the top of the delivery step reads Your order ships in 2 deliveries, then says items arrive on different dates and asks them to choose a method for each. Under it sits one card per shipment, each with:

• Shipment 1 of 2: the card header, with the number of items next to it.
• Arrives: the date those items are due, based on the option chosen.
• The products in that shipment, with a picture and the quantity.
• Choose a delivery option: the methods for that shipment. Each shows its name, its price and the date it arrives. An option that costs nothing shows FREE in place of a price.

The first option in each card is picked for your customer, and they can change it. If they edit their address and their choice is no longer offered, Orbit picks the first option instead.

Note: When no method covers a shipment, that card reads No delivery options available for these items at this address. Check the zone for that address has a method that quotes for the class. See Setting up shipping zones and rates.

Create a shipping class

1. From your Orbit dashboard, go to Settings.
2. Under Selling, click Shipping.
3. Click the Shipping Classes tab.
4. Click Add Class. On a store with no classes yet the button reads Create First Class.
5. Type a Class Name, such as Heavy Items. Customers can see this name.
6. The Slug fills in from the name. It takes lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens only.
7. Add a Description if you want one. It reminds you when to use the class.
8. Leave Class Status switched on. Only active classes can be given to products.
9. Click Create Class. The message Shipping class created successfully appears and the class is on the list.

The table shows the class name and slug, the Supplier it came from, its Description, how many Products use it and its Status. Use the menu on a row to Edit Class or Delete Class. The button beside it toggles Deactivate Class and Activate Class.

The default class, used for products you have not classified, is not on this list. It cannot be deactivated or deleted.

Put a product in a shipping class

1. From your Orbit dashboard, go to Products.
2. Open the product and find the Shipping section.
3. Check This is a physical product is ticked. The class field is only there for physical products.
4. Under Shipping Class, click Select shipping class and pick the class.
5. Save the product.

Only active classes are listed. If you have none, the field reads No shipping classes available and a line under it links to Shipping Settings.

Keep an order in one shipment

If you would rather your customer got one delivery charge and one date, keep the products in one group:

• Give products that often sell together the same class, or leave them all with no class.
• Use as few classes as you can. Every extra class in a basket is another shipment.
• Move a product in with the rest by changing its Shipping Class to match.
• Delete a class you no longer need. Every product on it falls back to the default shipping class.

Warning: Deleting a class takes it off every product that uses it, and you cannot undo it.

A split is not a fault. It lets your customer pay for the speed they want on each part. For sending an order as more than one parcel, see Fulfilling an order and adding tracking.

Related guides

• Setting up shipping zones and rates
• Fulfilling an order and adding tracking
• Creating a product