Advanced Flat Rate Shipping For WooCommerce 4.7.9

The Advanced Flat Rate Shipping For WooCommerce is a premium plugin (often offered by various developers like TheDotStore, PI Websolutions, or sold on the WooCommerce Marketplace) that takes the simple flat rate functionality built into WooCommerce and expands it into a powerful, rule-based system.

It is designed for store owners who need to set highly precise, conditional shipping costs that go far beyond the default settings.

⚙️ Core Functionality: Rule-Based Shipping

The plugin's strength lies in its ability to create unlimited Shipping Rules based on a variety of criteria, which can then be combined using logical operators (AND/OR).

1. Conditional Shipping Rules

You can define a specific flat rate fee that only appears or applies when one or more of the following conditions are met:

Cart-Based Conditions:

Cart Subtotal: Before or after discount (e.g., "$15 shipping if cart total is between $50 and $100").

Cart Quantity/Weight: Based on the total number of items or the total weight of the cart.

Coupon Code: Apply a specific rate only if a certain coupon is used.

Product-Based Conditions:

Product/Category/Tag: Set a different rate if a specific product, category (e.g., "Furniture"), or tag is present in the cart.

Shipping Class: Apply an additional charge based on the product's assigned shipping class (e.g., an extra $20 for "Heavy" items).

Location/Customer-Based Conditions:

Country/State/City/Postcode: Define extremely localized shipping zones.

User Role: Offer VIP pricing or free shipping to specific user roles (e.g., "Wholesale Customers").

Purchase History: Offer special rates to customers who have placed a certain number of orders or spent over a threshold.

Time-Based Conditions:

Date & Time: Schedule rates to be active only during certain periods (e.g., a "Holiday Shipping" rate from December 1st to 24th).

2. Flexible Pricing and Calculation

The plugin allows for dynamic and layered calculation methods:

Fixed Amount: A standard flat fee ($10).

Per Quantity/Per Item: Charge a flat fee for the first item, and a lower fee for each additional item (e.g., $5 base + $2 per item).

Percentage-Based: Charge a fee that is a percentage of the cart subtotal, often with the ability to set minimum or maximum caps (e.g., 10% of subtotal, but never less than $5).

Combining Rates: You can set rules to calculate multiple costs and apply the lowest, highest, or combine them all into a single final shipping cost.

💡 Why Use This Plugin?

The default WooCommerce Flat Rate only allows simple formulas based on cost and shipping class. This advanced plugin is necessary when you need:

Complex Tiered Pricing: Shipping costs that change based on specific cart subtotal ranges.

Specific Product Overrides: Charging one rate for a category while simultaneously offering free shipping for a specific product within that category.

Geo-Targeted Promotions: Offering special rates or delivery options only to customers in specific zip codes or cities.

It essentially gives you minute control over your shipping logic, ensuring you charge customers accurate, fair prices, which helps reduce cart abandonment.

Do you have a specific complex shipping scenario you are trying to solve?