[ic] Shipping Questions - Multiple Boxes Per Item - How to?

[interchange-users@interchange.redhat.com]

I've been digging through the archives for a couple weeks now. It seems just
as I get close to figuring out how to make things work the thread just ends.

I sell heavy products that are in multiple boxes. For instance, product
ABC001 weighs 200lbs in all and is in three seperate boxes, each weighing
different amounts. I need to use the UPS lookup method because the cost has
so much variance depending on the destination and shipping method, such as
Ground vs. 2nd Day Air. Right now the shipping cost calculation is so far
off it's basically unusable. I cannot just tack on an additional handling
fee because the variance in total cost prevents it. A shipment to from
California to California might actually cost $125 and Interchange is saying
it runs $50. The farther the destination gets away from my ship to the worse
things become.

I've come across what appears to be the solution, chained shipping. I have
been unable to implement this as I don't have any idea how to get the
product information to include the information regarding the number of
boxes. It seems that Interchange only allows one weight for each product,
assuming that each item is contained in one box or package... But 90% of my
products are multiple boxes that must be shipped in seperate boxes. Since
the boxes are so large I am unable to just strap them all together as this
violates the UPS maximum size and weight. Using the UPS Hundredweight lookup
sheet works for orders over 150lbs but that doesn't fix my problem for less
heavy items.

Any ideas or example stores that have implemented something along these
lines? If you know of a thread that fully outlines this procedure please let
me know, I understand how frustrating it is to constantly re-post the same
information over and over. But like I said, I haven't been able to find a
thread(s) that solve my problems.

Thank you,

Jeff @ PLC
Running 4.8.3 on Linux