One of the first tasks we always perform when setting up a new Magento shop is following a self-composed checklist. Under the heading 'Checkout (Shipping)' in the PDF, you will find 'Shipping Methods'. Many shops require setting up the table rates under this. Table rates are shipping costs linked to weight, number of ordered products, or the order subtotal. This allows you to set different prices per country concerning shipping. Handy if, like many Dutch shops, you also deliver abroad.
However, setting up these table rates is not always very clear to everyone. Firstly, as mentioned, there are three conditions to configure them; based on weight, on the number of products, and on the order subtotal. These settings can be found under System > Configuration > Shipping Methods > Table Rates. To specify countries and prices, you need to create a CSV file that you can also upload in this screen. First, you need to set the 'Scope current configuration' to your website (and not store view).
Creating this CSV file manually can be quite a task, especially if you're not used to working with CSV files. You also need to look up the exact letter codes for all countries. To facilitate this, we have created a Table Rates Generator with which you can check countries, specify shipping costs and indicate the condition. You can also specify multiple rows per country, making it possible to set, for example, free shipping costs from a predetermined order amount. Within a few minutes, your table rates file is ready.
The generator can be found here: www.tableratesgenerator.com