A flat shipping rate refers to a fixed predefined cost for shipping which can be applied per item or per shipment, according to your preferences.

To define flat shipping rates:

  1. Select System > Configuration > Shipping Method.

  2. Expand the Flat Rate section to define a fixed predefined amount for shipping.



    Tip: Magento CE also provides the option to specify table rates by expanding the Table Rates section. This feature enables you to define shipping rates by weight, destination, price, the number of items and various combinations of these categories. The table rates are entered by importing a CSV file.

    See www.magentocommerce.com/knowledgebase/entry/how-do-i-set-up-table-rate-shipping for more information.


  3. In the Enabled field, select Yes. The flat rate method then appears as an option in the shopping cart and on the shipping page during the checkout.

  4. The contents of Title and Method name fields appear in the frontend.

    Note: Some Shipping Methods, such as UPS, provide a variety of shipping methods to choose from.


  5. In the Type field, specify the entity to which the shipping fee applies, such as Per Item. In this case, the shipping fee is dependent on the number of items shipped. If you set the rate to be per item, it is multiplied by the total quantity of items in the shopping cart. If you have two of the same item or two different items, then the rate is the same. You can also select Per Order in this field.

  6. In the Ship to applicable countries field, you can select the Specific Countries option to enable access to the field under it in which you can select specific countries, so that the appropriate (and different) shipping rates are applied to the relevant countries.

    Tip: Hold down the Ctrl key while clicking options to select multiple countries.


  7. In the Sort Order field, specify the position of this shipping method in relation to the other shipping methods offered to the customer.