able Rates can be set up in 3 different ways; Weight and Destination, Price and Destination and the Number of Items and Destination. To set up Table Rates go to System -> Configuration and Select Shipping Methods from the Left Navigation. You will be able to set up your default values for the Table Rates here, but the rates themselves are entered on the Website level.

Let’s first set up our default configuration for the Table Rates.

First we enable Table Rates by selecting yes from the Enabled dropdown. You are then able to edit the Title and Method names. In this case we have the Title set to Standard Shipping and the Method set to Standard.

You then select the way you want the Table Rates calculated. In this case we are going to calculate the rates based on the Price and Destination.

Select the Save Config button and then move to the Website level to enter the rates.

Using the Current Configuration Scope dropdown in the left navigation select the website you want to enter rates for. In this case we will enter rates for the Main Website.

Once you select the site you will view the Shipping Carriers in this way:

In this case we will use the default values, but by deselecting the checkboxes you can edit the values for the website.

The table rates are entered by importing a CSV file. First export the file by selecting the Export CSV button. Save the file to your computer and open it in Excel.

Once the CSV file is open in Excel you can enter your rates.

We are going to have 3 rates in this case, $15 for orders $0 - $49.99, $10 for orders $50 - $99.99, and $5 for orders $100 and up. As it says in the CSV, the rates are calculated on the order sub-total. As with all order sub-totals this is the sub-total AFTER other discounts are added. So if a customer applies a coupon, the sub-total after the coupon is applied is the rate we calculate against.

In the case of price and destination the first rate you will need to enter is for the order sub-total of $0 and above. In this example we are going to set up a single rate for every region in the USA. First we enter the Country as USA. If we don’t want to specify a rate for each individual region/state we enter a * in the field. This applies the rate to all regions in the country. We will do the same for all ZIP codes in this case as well.

You then save the file and upload it back to the site using the Import tool for the Table Rates in the admin panel. We now have a simple table rate set up for all orders to the USA. However, let’s say you find you are shipping to customers in Hawaii and Alaska frequently and are losing money each time you do so. We can set up different rates just for those 2 states. Export the file back out of the site and you will be able to view the current rates for the site. Now we can enter higher rates for Alaska and Hawaii by entering them in the CSV file.

By entering the states in the CSV the site will now look for these rates anytime a customer enters a shipping address in either of these states. The states must be entered using the 2-digit Postal Abbreviation. In this case we still have the * for the first 3 rates. Instead of meaning all states, the * now means all states EXCEPT for HI and AK.

Save the file and import it back to the site, select the Save config button and you have your new table rates.

The other 2 options, Weight and Destination and # of Items and Destination, function in the same way, but instead of looking at the Sub-total they will calculate the rates based on either the total weight of all items in the cart or the total number of items in the cart.