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Shipping methods do not appear at
CS-Cart checkout — how to fix it
You set up shipping in CS-Cart, but on the checkout page the customer sees an empty list — no shipping methods at all. Sounds familiar? Let’s break down why this happens and how to fix it step by step.
Problem overview
Why doesn’t CS-Cart show shipping methods?
It comes down to the platform’s logic: CS-Cart displays a shipping method only when it can calculate the cost for the customer’s specific address. If the calculation fails, the method simply does not appear in the list, with no error message.
There can be several reasons for that, and below we’ll go through each one.
Step 1
Manual shipping methods: what to check
If you set shipping rates manually, without an external service API, check the following:
Rate area
Make sure the shipping rate is set for the area that includes the customer’s address. Without that, the method will not be shown.
Rate area settings
Pay special attention to the Zip codes and Cities sections — mistakes there are the most common reason an address does not match any area.
Weight limit
In the shipping method settings, check the allowed weight values. If the product weight is outside the range, the method will not appear.
Step 2
Real-time shipping (API-based): how to find the issue
If you use an integration with an external shipping service such as DHL, CDEK, UPS, or others, the steps are a bit different.
Check the logs
Go to Administration → Logs and look for responses from the shipping service. You can often see the problem right away: an expired API key, an invalid request format, or a temporary service outage.
No responses in the logs?
Multithreaded cURL requests may be enabled, and some APIs do not handle them well.
Rate areas for real-time methods
Some real-time shipping methods can also be limited by rate areas. Make sure the customer’s address falls within the area allowed for that method.
Step 3
Product parameters
Sometimes the problem is not in shipping settings, but in the product itself.
Product weight
It must fit within the allowed values defined in the shipping method settings.
Product dimensions
Some shipping services take package size into account when calculating the price.
Units per package
This parameter can also affect the final calculation for some shipping services.
Step 4
Modules: Suppliers and Warehouses
If you have extra modules enabled, they can also affect shipping visibility.
Suppliers module
Each shipping method must be explicitly enabled for the supplier assigned to the product. Otherwise, the method will not be available.
Warehouses module
If stock is assigned to specific warehouses or pickup points, make sure those warehouses are linked to the rate areas. Without that, the calculation will not go through.
Step 5
Other reasons
A few additional things that are easy to miss.
Multi-Vendor
If you are using Multi-Vendor, go to Vendors → Vendors, open the required vendor, and switch to the Shipping methods tab. The method must be enabled and available to that specific vendor. This applies to both manual and real-time methods.
User groups
Check that the selected shipping method is available to the user group the customer belongs to. Otherwise, the method will not appear even if everything else is set up correctly.
Checklist
Quick checklist: what to check first
If you do not have time to investigate in detail, go through this list.
- Is a rate set for the customer’s address area?
- Are the rate area settings correct (zip codes, cities)?
- Does the product weight stay within the shipping limit?
- Are there any responses in Logs for real-time methods?
- Are the shipping provider API keys correct?
- Is the method enabled for the supplier / vendor (if those modules are used)?