Rate Shopping
Compare live shipping rates across the integrated carrier network in real time. TimberCloud fetches small-parcel and LTL freight rates, applies your markup, and lets you pick the best option for each order — then you can book the label without ever leaving the dashboard.
Carrier Services availability: Live rate shopping is part of Carrier Services, which is included on Build, Production, and Enterprise plans. On Commerce, add the Carrier & Freight Services add-on ($99/mo) to turn it on. The Free plan does not include Carrier Services. See Subscriptions & Plans for details.
No carrier accounts to set up. Carrier relationships are managed centrally through TimberCloud's integrated network. You do not create or connect your own FedEx / UPS / USPS / LTL accounts or API keys — just shop rates, select, and book.
Opening the Rate Shopping Modal
- Open the order you want to ship.
- Make sure the Delivery Option is set to Carrier Services.
- Click Shop Rates.
- The Carrier Services modal opens.
Shipping Mode Selection
Choose how you want to ship:
| Mode | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | The system decides based on package type and weight | Most orders |
| Small Parcel | Standard parcel shipments | Light, boxable shipments |
| LTL Freight | Less-than-truckload freight | Heavy or pallet shipments |
Auto mode is recommended. TimberCloud routes a shipment to LTL freight automatically when any package is a pallet or the total weight exceeds 150 lbs; otherwise it ships as small parcel.
Package Preview
Before fetching rates, review your auto-calculated packages:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Box or Pallet |
| Dimensions | Width × Length × Height |
| Weight | Calculated from the order's products |
| Freight Class | For LTL shipments |
| Quantity | Number of identical packages |
Packaging is computed from your products' dimensions and weights and your packaging settings. See Smart Packaging for how boxes and pallets are built.
Editing Packages
Click Edit Packages to manually adjust:
- Adjust dimensions
- Change weights
- Add or remove packages
- Convert boxes to pallets
- Consolidate multiple boxes
Shipping Options
Select additional services based on delivery requirements:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Liftgate Required | For deliveries without a loading dock |
| Residential Delivery | Non-commercial addresses |
| Inside Delivery | Carrier brings items inside |
| Appointment Required | Scheduled delivery window |
| Insurance | Extra insurance coverage |
Note: Some options are applied automatically based on your shipping-location settings (see Multi-Location Shipping below).
Fetching Rates
Step 1: Choose the carriers to compare
TimberCloud's integrated network returns rates from a range of national and regional parcel and freight carriers. You can choose which carriers/services to include in the comparison.
The exact carriers and service levels offered depend on the origin, destination, and shipment size. Common examples include:
- Parcel services — express, ground, and economy/home-delivery levels from major national carriers.
- LTL freight — regional and national less-than-truckload carriers.
The specific carrier names shown in the modal are illustrative of the integrated network and may vary by route and availability. You do not need an account with any of these carriers — access is built in.
Step 2: Configure options
Select any additional shipping services needed (liftgate, residential, inside delivery, etc.).
Step 3: Get rates
Click Get Rates to fetch real-time rates from all selected carriers.
Comparing Rates
Rates load from every selected carrier, each showing:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Carrier | Name and logo |
| Service Level | Ground, Express, etc. |
| Price | With your markup already applied |
| Delivery Time | Estimated transit time |
| Delivery Date | Based on ship date and lead time |
Filtering & Sorting
Refine your options:
- Sort by: Price (lowest first) or Time (fastest first)
- Price Range: Filter by min/max price
- Delivery Time: Filter by delivery window
Selecting a Rate
- Click your preferred rate card.
- Review the details.
- Click Select Rate.
- The rate is saved to the order.
Saved Rate Data
When you select a rate, TimberCloud saves:
- The complete pricing breakdown
- Carrier and service information
- The package configuration
- Everything needed to book the shipment
Rate Staleness
Shipping rates expire after 24 hours. This ensures customers always receive accurate, current pricing.
How It Works
- An admin (or the customer at checkout) selects a shipping rate.
- A timestamp is recorded when the rate is selected.
- The system marks the rate as stale after 24 hours.
- A warning appears prompting you to refresh.
- Fresh rates are fetched with current pricing.
Visual Indicators
- A yellow warning banner when rates are outdated
- A Regenerate Rates button with a pulse animation
- An Outdated badge on the selected rate card
- Automatic detection when order items change
When Rates Become Stale
A saved rate goes stale when any of these happen:
- 24 hours have passed since the rate was selected
- Order items have been modified (quantities, products)
- The shipping address has changed
- The due date has changed
Tip: Always refresh stale rates before booking. Carrier pricing changes over time, so the quoted price may differ once a rate is older than its window.
Shipping Markup
Add your markup to shipping costs to cover handling and packaging materials. Your markup is applied to the carrier rate before it's shown on the rate card.
Markup Options
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage | Add X% to carrier rates | 10% → $50 becomes $55 |
| Fixed Amount | Add a flat fee to all shipments | +$10 handling |
Configure markups in Settings → Orders → Shipping. See Shipping Configuration for the full set of options.
Multi-Location Shipping
If you fulfill from more than one location, you can ship from the right origin per order:
- Configure locations with their addresses
- Set primary and backup locations
- Split shipments across locations
Plan note: Multi-location (multi-warehouse) fulfillment is a Production (and Enterprise) feature. On other plans you ship from a single fulfillment location. Locations are configured under Settings → Company → Locations.
Location-Based LTL Services
Each shipping location can have default LTL services configured:
- Liftgate availability
- Dock availability
- Limited-access requirements
These are applied automatically to freight shipments originating from that location.
Freight Class Reference
For LTL shipments, freight class helps determine shipping cost based on a package's density (weight relative to its volume):
| Class | Density | Typical Products |
|---|---|---|
| 50–70 | 35+ lbs/ft³ | Metal, machinery |
| 85–100 | 12–15 lbs/ft³ | Appliances, steel |
| 125–150 | 8–10 lbs/ft³ | Small furniture |
| 150–175 | 5–8 lbs/ft³ | Cabinet doors, wood products ⭐ |
| 175–200 | 4–5 lbs/ft³ | Large boxed items |
| 200–250 | 2–4 lbs/ft³ | Lightweight furniture |
Most cabinet doors and finished wood products fall in the 150–175 range. Freight class is computed for you from package dimensions and weight; you can override it when editing a package.
Best Practices
- Use Auto mode — let TimberCloud route parcel vs. freight for you.
- Compare multiple carriers — prices vary significantly route to route.
- Check delivery dates — account for your production lead time.
- Apply an appropriate markup — cover your handling and materials costs.
- Refresh stale rates — always get fresh pricing before confirming or booking.
- Review the package configuration — verify dimensions and weights before fetching rates.
Troubleshooting
No rates returned
- Confirm your plan includes Carrier Services (Build+ or the Commerce Carrier & Freight Services add-on — see Subscriptions & Plans).
- Check that the shipping address is complete and valid.
- Ensure the order's products have weights and dimensions.
- Review the destination for carrier service availability on that route.
Rates are stale
- This is normal for a quote older than 24 hours.
- Click Regenerate Rates for fresh pricing.
- TimberCloud ensures accurate pricing before booking.
Prices seem high
- Check product dimensions and weights.
- Review the freight class on each package.
- Verify your package consolidation settings.
- Try editing packages manually to consolidate boxes.
Next Steps
- Booking & Labels — book the selected rate and print labels
- Smart Packaging — how packages are auto-calculated
- Shipping Configuration — markup, packaging, and location settings
- Order Tracking — follow shipments once they're booked