When managing orders in VESYL, it’s important to understand the distinction between Shipping Method and Shipping Service. Although the terms sound similar, they play very different roles in your ecommerce workflow.
What is a Shipping Method?
A Shipping Method is what your customer selects at checkout on your ecommerce store.
- Examples: Free Shipping, 2-Day Shipping, Standard Shipping, UPS Ground.
- Shipping Methods reflect the customer’s expectation for delivery speed or cost.
- In VESYL, Shipping Methods appear in the Ship Method column on the Orders page.
How Shipping Methods Are Used in VESYL
- Automation Rules: You can map Shipping Methods to the best Shipping Service or Rate Shop group.
- Example: A checkout method of “2-Day Shipping” could automatically map to FedEx 2Day or UPS 2nd Day Air.
- Rate Shopping: VESYL can automatically find the cheapest option that still fulfills the selected Method.
- Custom Branding: Merchants often name methods (e.g., “Eco Shipping” or “Express Saver”) even if multiple carriers can fulfill them.
What is a Shipping Service?
A Shipping Service is the actual carrier service you use to ship the package.
- Examples: USPS Priority Mail, UPS Ground, FedEx Overnight, DHL Express Worldwide.
- This determines how the package is handled, delivered, and billed by the carrier.
- Unlike a Shipping Method, Services are tied to real-world logistics and carrier rules.
Key Difference: Method vs. Service
- Shipping Method: What the customer chooses at checkout (customer-facing).
- Shipping Service: What you actually purchase and print in VESYL (carrier-facing).
In short: Methods manage customer expectations. Services fulfill those expectations.
Best Practices in VESYL
- Map Methods to Services: Use Automations to automatically map customer-selected methods to the right carrier service.
- Use Rate Shopping: If multiple services meet the same method, set up VESYL’s Rate Shopping to pick the cheapest or fastest option.
- Keep Naming Clear: Avoid confusing customers by naming methods after specific services unless you always intend to use that exact service.
- Audit Regularly: Periodically review how methods are mapped to services to ensure customers get what they expect at the best price.
Example
- Customer selects “Free Shipping” at checkout (Shipping Method).
- VESYL automation maps “Free Shipping” to USPS Priority Mail or UPS Ground (Shipping Service), depending on rate or weight.
- The customer sees “Free Shipping” on their order confirmation, but you control which service is used.
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