Skip to main content

Provider agnostic shipping layer

Feature request: a provider-agnostic shipping layer (with broad geographic coverage)

Shipping is the biggest gap I see for stores selling physical products on FluentCart. Weight and dimension fields already exist, and the webhooks and REST API are excellent. What’s missing is a standard way to connect a shipping provider. The roadmap lists β€œThird-Party Shipping Carrier Integrations”, so I’d like to suggest how to build it so it covers as many regions as possible.

Core idea: build a shipping framework first, then add providers as adapters

No single provider covers every region, so one hard-coded integration helps only some stores. A documented provider interface (hooks and a PHP interface) would let FluentCart, third-party developers and agencies add providers quickly. Suggested first adapters:

  • Europe: Sendcloud and MyParcel (Benelux, DACH, France and beyond), plus Packlink for Southern Europe.
  • Global / US: ShipStation, EasyPost or Shippo.
  • Regional: local aggregators for FluentCart’s strong markets (for example India), as the framework allows.

Core features of the framework

  1. Shipment record per order: carrier, service, tracking number, label URL, status, and support for several parcels per order.
  2. Order status sync: a webhook or callback from the provider updates β€œshipped” and β€œdelivered”, with events that automations (FluentCRM) can use.
  3. Tracking in customer emails and the customer account page.
  4. Checkout options: rates mapped to FluentCart’s shipping zones and classes, and a service/pickup point selector. Pickup points are very common in Europe.
  5. Returns: return labels linked to the Refunds module.
  6. Customs data: HS code and country of origin per product, plus the required export documents, for non-EU and cross-border shipping.
  7. Bulk actions in the admin: create labels for several orders at once and print them.
  8. Label and parcel data from the existing product attributes (weight, dimensions) and packaging settings.

Suggested order

  • Phase 1 (quick win): the shipment data model, tracking fields, status sync, customer emails and documented hooks. Even without official adapters, the community can then build and maintain connectors.
  • Phase 2: the first European and global adapters, with pickup points.
  • Phase 3: returns, customs and bulk label printing.

I’m happy to help test, especially for Benelux/EU shipping.

Hi, thanks for sharing such a thoughtful proposal.

The team is currently planning improvements to shipping and is considering a shipping hub integration as an alternative to building and maintaining separate custom integrations for individual providers. I’ve forwarded your suggestions, including the shipment and tracking workflow, pickup points, returns, customs, and bulk actions, to the team for evaluation.

We can’t confirm which features or providers will be included, or provide a timeframe, but your feedback will help inform the team’s review.

Thank you

jan deroo

Amimul Ihsan MahdiΒ Thanks, that’s good to hear. A hub approach makes sense. One request for the evaluation: for European stores, please check that the hub supports European carriers and, in particular, service/pickup points (Benelux, DACH, France, Southern Europe), not just carrier rates and labels. Pickup-point selection at checkout makes a real difference to conversion in these markets. Beyond that, webhook-based tracking updates and return labels tied to the Refunds module would cover most needs. I’m happy to beta test a Benelux/EU setup.