Carrier-calculated shipping is here


One of the most requested features of Google Checkout is to provide buyers with shipping rates for the major shipping carriers. So we're pleased to announce support for carrier-based shipping calculations for FedEx, UPS and the US Postal Service. Since we do the shipping calculations, you can also use this feature instead of having to set up a handler for Merchant-calculated shipping.

To use carrier-calculated shipping in a shopping cart post, simply include a list of the carriers and delivery services you offer. Here's what the XML would look like if you wanted to offer Priority Overnight shipping with FedEx:

      <shipping-methods>
<carrier-calculated-shipping>
<carrier-calculated-shipping-options>
<carrier-calculated-shipping-option>
<shipping-company>FedEx</shipping-company>
<carrier-pickup>Regular_pickup</carrier-pickup>
<shipping-type>Priority Overnight</shipping-type>
</carrier-calculated-shipping-option>
...

</carrier-calculated-shipping-options>
</carrier-calculated-shipping>
</shipping-methods>

You will also need to specify the weight of the items in the shopping cart.
It's important to note that this feature is currently available for U.S. merchants and buyers only. There are many more options as well, including the ability to apply simple business rules to the shipping rate returned. For example, you can ask for the rate for FedEx Priority Overnight, add 5% to cover handling, and present that result to the buyer. Or, you can offer a $10 discount on shipping for a particular shipping method. You can find more information in
the Google Checkout Developer's Guide.


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