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Can Spark Shipping update prices in my store?

Yes! Spark Shipping can update your prices.

Pricing automation is a powerful site-wide feature that allows you to add a formula to markup the vendor cost and push the final price to your store. This ensures your margins are protected while keeping your prices competitive.

 
The Core Formula:(Vendor Cost + Vendor Markup) + Site Markup = Final Price

There are 3 main components to this automation:


1. Default Site Settings: Your global safety net. If no other rules apply, these settings take charge.

📍 Configuration Path:
Automation > Pricing

Key Parameters:

  • Tolerance Controls
    • Price Increase %: Only update if the new price is X% higher than the old one.
    • Price Decrease %: Only update if the new price is X% lower than the old one.
    • Auto-approve Zero Price: Check this to allow updates even if the vendor sends a $0.00 price (use with caution!).
  • Markups
    • Default Markup %: A percentage added to the vendor cost (e.g., 35%).
    • Default Markup Value: A fixed dollar amount added (e.g., $5.00).
    • Apply per Unit: If checked, the markup value is multiplied by the package quantity (e.g., a 4-pack gets 4x the markup).
  • MSRP Settings
    • Do not price below/above MSRP: Ensures your calculated price respects the manufacturer's suggested retail price window.
  • MAP Enforcement
    • Enforce MAP: Never sell below MAP (Floor).
    • MAP Overrides Suggested: If MAP exists, use it as the price (Ceiling/Fixed).
    • Ignore Tolerance for MAP: Forces the update if the price matches MAP, ignoring your tolerance % rules.
  • Pricing Rounding
    • Rounding Increment: Always rounds up to this decimal.
      • Example: 0.99 turns $6.89 → $6.99
      • Example: 0.00 turns $6.89 → $7.00

2. Pricing Tiers

 
Smart logic to balance margins across low and high-ticket items.

📍 Configuration Path:
Located within the Pricing Automation section.

How it works:
Spark Shipping checks the cost of the product. If it falls into a tier, it ignores the Default Site Settings and uses the Tier settings instead.

Example Tier Structure:

 
Tier Name Cost Range Markup Strategy
Low Value $0 - $50 50% + $2.00
Mid Value $50 - $200 30%
High Value $200+ 15%

3. Vendor Price Settings

 
 

Where to add vendor-specific costs like dropship fees.

📍 Configuration Path: Vendors > select Vendor > Price Settings

How it works: Vendor pricing adjusts the Total Cost before your site markup is applied. There are two fields: Shipping Cost Percent and Shipping Cost Value. These are not a replacement for site settings they feed into Step 1 of the formula, and your site markup runs on the result in Step 2.

📝 Real World Example:

  • Scenario: SpeedyParts charges a $3 dropship fee per order. You add $3.00 to the Shipping Cost Value for that vendor.
  • The Math: Total Cost = Unit Cost + $3.00, then site markup applies to that new total.
  • Result: The dropship fee is baked into cost before your margin is calculated, so your markup % still reflects actual profit.

 

⚠️ Important Notes

  • MAP pricing will not be observed if site Automation Pricing is not enabled; you must have price automation on if you want MAP-enforced.
  • Site price level settings must be set FIRST before vendor level price settings are set; vendor price settings add on to site level price settings.
  • These settings are global across your entire site and will always be enforced.