Ok so here’s the problem. We sell to a large number of customers who live in HI, AK, and APO addresses. We use Real-Time Priority Postal for those addresses. The problem is that if the order is over 70lbs then they do not get any Postal option. Then they choose our “custom” option, which only applies to the lower-48 states, and can’t be excluded since it is a “custom” option. I wish “custom” shipping options could be excluded, why show a customer something they can’t get? Anyway…

I know the post office limits the weight and does not have a solution except customer programming. So my question is, does anybody know how to make a note or option come up that tells the customer to contact us if the weight equals over 70lbs and the package is going to HI, AK, or APO? I know it is a tall order but any advice would be appreciated.

By the way, does anybody know if is working on the ability to exclude custom shipping option like it does real-time?

Mailbag,

The new feature you are talking about -- to tie custom shipping to locations -- is on the drawing board, but it may be some time before this option can be fully integrated.

In the meantime, I can give you other options. You could create a second custom shipping method that ONLY shows up for orders over 70lbs. Then you can use HTML or some other method to have this method stand out in such a way as to get the attention of customers in AK, HI and APO.

The Shipping Type field could look like this -


And the shipping Notes field could look something like this:


I hope that helps....

The big disclaimer is the way to go with that. Just have to watch your orders carefully. The one thing you can be sure of, is no matter how many confirmations they have to make to confirm they live in those states, huge blinking signs, audio warnings, guys showing up to remind them its only for those states......you will have a few people select that by mistake. Can always count on customers not paying attention.