Restriction on countries for some products.

Hello,

I have have a certain productrange for which I am reseller. The case is that I am restricted to sell these products in just a few countries. The manufacturer of the product has a strict reseller policy and I need to keep these restictions in order to maintain the reseller status for the countries they allow me to sell the products.

Can I set restrictions for this line of products in a way that they are only visible and available for customers in the countries that I am allowed to sell to?

Thanks

Sjaak

Hi Sjaak,

One solution is to affect a specific shipping method to these products and use the "restriction" option to limit this shipping for only few zone.
You then can add a message in the product description about this restriction.
Indeed, making the product invisible for customers in given countries seems really complicated.

Thanks for the quick reply.

I only sell downloadable goods. So finding a solution in shipping methods is not an option I guess.
I already have the restriction mentioned in the product descriptions but well..... you know people..... Reading...... It happens often enough that I need to explain this after the order has taken place and then I need to cancel the order and do a refund.

The products I am talking about are products that the manufacturer wants to deliver themselves. Downloadable goods and software licenses. If I forward an order for somebody beyond the borders of my reseller area I get a heavy slap on my wrist. So there's no sense in 'being naughty' and proceed with the order.
If I don't cancel those orders I will be labeled as a bad reseller.

It would make me happy to have a solution for this.

Sjaak

Hi Sjaak,

Indeed it will became a little be more complicated, but there is solution (there is always a solution )
First, you have to create two zones. One zone with the countries which can't buy and the other one.
Then, you have to create two manual shipping methods (I know you don't send goods but don't worry, it's the only option).
Make these two methods free and add a restriction on them -> method 1 to the first zone you created and method 2 to the second zone.
Once this is done, enable the option "Use price per product".
You can now go to your product configuration page (product you want restriction on) and you'll see a new block on the bottom right (shipping price).
So just check the "block" checkbox for the shipping method assigned to forbidden country. People from this country won't be able to buy it from now.

This should work so far. Last step if you want something really clean, add some CSS to your css file to hide the line with the shipping method so people won't see it when they pay.
I hope it will solve your problem

OK Thanks,

I started to work on this. Already created the zones and shipping methods. I set the price and restriction to it. Price per product is enabled.
In the product config page I indeed see the two shipping methods.

Now the questions I walk in to:
clicking the desired shipping method shows 3 empty fields and a checkbox. What di I need to do with them? AAm I supposed to fill in a value? Do I need to check that checkbox?

Looking in the frontend. I tried to add a product with the new shipping method in the cart. At the checkout I do not see any difference. There's no shipping method shown. So now I am not sure I did it correct. It's a bit hard to test it because I am not in a country that I want to restrict from buying the products.

Other question: Do I need to assign all the other products to the other shipping method? I hope not. hundreds of products

Sjaak

Hi Sjaak,

I don't really understand which checkbox and fields you are talking about, could you post a screenshot?
About the frontend, the method will be displayed according to the country set in your profile. When people register, then have to specify a country and it's the parameter used to apply zone restriction.
So just create few user from different countries to test it!

Finally, don't worry, you just have to block the given product for the forbidden countries but the other products will still be available everywhere

Hi Eliot,

Attached you will find a screenshot of the extra fields that pop up.

I will do the tests you propose. If I meet any problems I let you know.

Sjaak

Hello Eliot,

I did some testing. I created a user in a country in which I am supposed not to sell the products.
I took one of the products ans set the shipping method to the product.
I logged in as the new user and tried to purchase the product which I can't buy since I am in the 'wrong country'.
Well, I could order it and checkout brought me to Paypal.

I thought, Maybe I'm wrong, and I am doing things the other way around. So I set the other shipping method to the product.
The new client still could purchase the product.

So now I am wondering what I am doing wrong here.
Can you help me? No problem for me to give you backend access if needed.

Sjaak

Maybe one last thing I forget, your product must have a weight specified.
This should solve your problem

Hi Eliot

It must be something else. I added weight to the product. Logged in as my fake client and could purchase the product. I tried it on bot shipping methods.

Sjaak

Hi,

Two things. First you can activate the shipping method option "include virtual product" (so you don't have to set a weight for each product).
Then verify that the shipping step is included in your checkout workflow in the main configuration. It's in System>Configuration>Checkout

Hi Eliot,

I activated 'include virtual product' for the shipping methods.
I verified that the shipping step included in the checkout.

My new non-existing client (Charley is his name ;o) ) now could not check out. 'Shipping method not found' was the message.
This happened with both shipping methods.
In fact it........ it happened on ALL products. Now it seems nobody can checkout (read buy) in my shop.
That is not what I want....So I turned it off again.

PANIC : Charley still cannot check out on any of the products. So now nobody can buy stuff.
I must have messed up something and don't know what.

Sjaak

Did you activated the 'include virtual product' option for every shipping method?
I guess you can send me a PM with a backend access so I'll be able to help you solve this.

Hi,

Yes I did. I was supposed to do that? Am I right?

Well, I will contact you via PM.

Perhaps I learn a lot faster when I see how you have set it up.

Thanks

Sjaak

Hi there,

I just did a test with the product Artlantis Studio 4 and it's working. The user I tested had 2 adress and if I switch from netherland to france I can't buy anymore.
You can take a look at the product configuration, you have to do the same for every product of this brand.
About the other product, you don't need to edit them since they will use the other shipping method (BTW this shipping method must have all countries included).

Thank you very much Eliot.