Test your rates with the Shipping Estimator

The Shipping Estimator quotes any cart to any address, without placing an order. Use it after every rule change, and whenever a shopper reports a wrong or missing rate.

Beginner · How-to guide

Steps

1. Go to Shipping Estimator in the ASM menu, or select Test your rates → on the Dashboard.
2. Under Ship to:
   • Enter the ZIP code (it says postal code for other countries).
   • Choose the Country.
   • Choose the Address type: Residential or Commercial. It starts on your store's default.
3. Under Products:
   • Type the product's Product SKU (Shopify and BigCommerce) or Product ID (Turbify and most other platforms). After two characters, matching products are suggested. Pick one.
   • Set the Quantity.
   • Select Add another product for each extra product in the cart.
4. Select Calculate rates.

After "Calculating rates…", the results appear under Your rates: each method, its price, and how long it took. See Read Shipping Estimator results.

Testing customer tags or groups

If your store uses the Customer Tags/Groups extension, an extra field appears: Customer Tag (Shopify) or Customer Group (BigCommerce). Enter a tag or group to test rules that only apply to, or exclude, those customers. Leave it empty to quote as a regular shopper.

Tips for useful tests

• Copy the real cart. Use the same products, quantities, ZIP code and address type as the shopper who reported a problem.
• Try both address types. Carriers often price residential and commercial addresses differently, and checkout may detect the type automatically.
• Test the edges. A very light cart, a very heavy one, and a mixed cart. A nearby ZIP code and a faraway one.
• Save a screenshot of the results, including any errors below them. It's the most useful thing you can send support.

Messages you might see

• "Please enter a valid ZIP code." — the ZIP code needs at least 3 characters.
• "Please enter at least one product ID and quantity." — add a product.
• Product ID "…" is not in our database. — ASM doesn't know that SKU or ID. See A product is missing in ASM ("not in our database").
• "No shipping methods are available for these products and this address." — no rule passed for this cart. See No shipping methods at checkout.

Check that it works

Quote a product you know well to a nearby ZIP code. You should see the methods and prices you expect. If checkout shows something different, see Why the estimator and checkout can differ.