Choosing Between Estimated and Real Shipping Costs in Odoo!
Efficient shipping can make or break your customer experience, especially in today's fast-paced eCommerce and B2B environments. Thankfully, Odoo gives businesses flexible tools to manage shipping costs with clarity and control.
Smart shipping strategies can make all the difference in customer satisfaction and profitability. Let’s explore how Odoo empowers businesses with two flexible invoicing options when integrating with carriers like DHL and FedEx.
What are the Two Options?
Under Invoicing Policy (available when Integration Level is set to "Get Rate and Create Shipment"), Odoo offers:
Estimated Cost:
- Calculates shipping based on product weight and carrier rates before an order is confirmed, giving customers real-time clarity during checkout. A buffer margin can be applied to cover rate fluctuations.
Real Cost:
- Final shipping charge is based on actual cost after dispatch. While this ensures billing accuracy, the customer won't know the final amount until after shipping.
When to Use Each Option?
Business Type | Best Shipping Cost Policy | Why? |
eCommerce / B2C | Estimated Cost | Upfront rates improve checkout clarity–fewer abandoned carts |
B2B or Customized Shipping | Real Cost (with estimated upfront) | Real rates ensure invoicing accuracy, and negotiation usually accept post-shipment billing. |
Beyond Cost: Powerful Shipping Features in Odoo
Odoo can do more than calculate costs; it helps automate your entire shipping workflow.
Carrier Integrations
- From Odoo's inventory settings, you can install connectors for DHL, FedEx, UPS, USPS, Shiprocket, Sendcloud, and more. Once set up, these integrations:
- Fetch live shipping rates
- Automatically generate and email shipping labels
- Provide real-time tracking number for orders
Packaging, Multiple Parcels, and Dimensional Weight
- Fully leverage Odoo's packaging tools:
- Define bos dimensions and weight
- Use "Put in Pack" to split orders into multiple packages–each with its own label and cost.
Advanced Shipping Rules
- Odoo's rule engine lets you define shipping based on weight, volume, or a mix:
- Set flat fees, free shipping over thresholds, or dynamic tiers
- Apply margin and adjust based on delivery zones.
Customer Experience Enhancements
- Integrations like FedEx offer estimated delivery dates, proactive delay alerts, and customizable service options (overnight, weekend pickups, etc.) right at checkout.
Tips & Best Practices
- Always set product weights and package dimensions - Odoo relies on them for shipping calculations.
- Choose buffer margins - especially with Estimated Cost, to offset carrier rate changes.
- Use "Put in Pack" for multi-package orders - ensures accuracy and proper tracking
- Monitor logs and test your setup, especially when going live - carrier APIs often behave differently in production modes.
- Evaluate third-party connectors like EasyPost or Sendcloud if you need multi-carrier or regional options beyond Odoo's built-in modules.
Ready to Transform Your Shipping Setup?
At Something Somewhere Consulting OPC, we help craft shipping environments that align perfectly with your business goals. Imagine checkout clarity for your customers, accurate billing after shipment, streamlined dispatch, and full visibility into every delivery setup.