General Shipping Module that can adapt to different markets

It seems there their are always shipping modules created based on different shipping providers but not many shipping modules that can adapt and adjust to many different markets right out of the box. I have used table rates, but the stock versions of them always seem limited and not thought out well. End the end I usually use a custom built module that will apply to many different needs. My solution has been to use weight like a point system and not really use weight as real weight.

Here in Japan, shipping is a bit more complicated. Take a look at one of the major companies here http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/english/support/size_rates.html

In here, they have the Area, and then in that area, it’s based from where you are shipping from. Up to that point it’s simple. So let’s just say we live in Hokkaido here. From there we go to Size. So if that package size is up to 60cm and weights under 2kgs then it falls in the the 1st row of prices. But if the product is bigger than 60cm it goes up in price, or if it weighs more than 2kg then it goes up.

Now for a person who is setting up a shop, this becomes a nightmare. Some go with flat rates and others try to guess what it will be. The hard thing is combining different products together and get near the right rate.

What I would like to see if we could have a point table system that would be generic and could be used for anywhere in the world. Most carts that come from the states come with some default shipping modules. I would like to see one that was more for the world.

This is what I have done in the past. A point, table zone rate shipping system.

How this works: Each country can have its own table settings. And in each country you have Zones. For each zone, you have a price, which is based on a point system. Instead of doing weights or size, a seller would assign a set amount of points to a product. Then each point would relate to the table.
So you have a really light item, but its big, you give it like 5 points, then you have another item that is small but the weight is a lot, you also give that product 5 points. So when someone checks out the two together, they get 10 points, and because the shipping is based on size or weight, they don’t deal with the issue of how can we combine these products and get a near correct shipping price. This system also lets them tweak things and spread the points how they see fit later on.

It’s always hard to explain that system to people, but I think if we could work a system like this out, and if we have time, it would be a great addition for the world as it would solve a lot of the problems we have in other countries where shipping providers don’t great solutions for EC sites.

-Shaun