How To Add Additional Charge To Order Stripe Woocommerce

How to Add an Additional Charge to WooCommerce Orders with Stripe: A Beginner’s Guide

Running an online store with WooCommerce and using Stripe for payments is a fantastic combination. But sometimes, you need to add an extra charge to orders – maybe for handling fees, rush processing, or a special service. While WooCommerce doesn’t have a built-in feature for this, don’t worry! This guide will walk you through how to add an additional charge to orders in WooCommerce using Stripe, even if you’re a complete beginner.

We’ll break down the process, explaining the “why” behind each step, so you can confidently implement this on your own store.

Why Add an Additional Charge? Real-Life Examples

Before diving into the “how,” let’s understand *why* you might need this. Here are a few common scenarios:

• Handling Fee: Imagine you sell delicate glassware. Proper packaging requires extra time and materials. A small handling fee covers these costs.
• Rush Order Processing: A customer needs their order shipped ASAP! You offer a “rush processing” option with an extra charge to cover the expedited handling and shipping costs.
• Personalization/Customization: You offer engraved jewelry. The engraving process adds time and effort, justifying an additional fee.
• Local Delivery Fee: You offer local delivery within a certain radius. This incurs fuel and labor costs, covered by a delivery charge.
• Gift Wrapping: Providing a gift-wrapping service requires materials and labor, which can be covered with an additional charge.

Choosing Your Method: Plugins vs. Custom Code

You have two primary options for adding charges:

• Plugins: These are pre-built solutions that offer a user-friendly interface. They’re generally easier for beginners and require no coding.
• Custom Code: This involves adding snippets of code to your theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin. It offers more flexibility but requires some coding knowledge.

For beginners, we strongly recommend using a plugin to start. It’s the most straightforward and safest approach. We’ll focus on plugin options in this guide.

Recommended Plugins for Adding Additional Charges

Several plugins can help you add fees in WooCommerce. Here are a couple of popular and reliable choices:

• WooCommerce Fees and Discounts by WebToffee: This plugin is highly versatile and allows you to add fees based on various conditions (cart subtotal, user role, shipping method, etc.).
• YITH WooCommerce Extra Options: This plugin is great for adding extra options to products with associated fees. For example, customers can choose gift wrapping, expedited shipping, or other options.

For the sake of this guide, let’s assume you’re using the WooCommerce Fees and Discounts by WebToffee plugin (or something similar, as the general concepts are transferable).

Step-by-Step Guide: Adding a Handling Fee with a Plugin

Here’s how you can add a simple handling fee to all WooCommerce orders using a plugin:

1. Install and Activate the Plugin:

• Go to your WordPress dashboard.
• Navigate to “Plugins” > “Add New.”
• Search for “WooCommerce Fees and Discounts by WebToffee.”
• Click “Install Now” and then “Activate.”

2. Configure the Plugin:

• After activation, you’ll typically find a new menu item in your WordPress dashboard, often labeled “Fees and Discounts” or something similar.
• Click on this menu to access the plugin’s settings.

3. Create a New Fee:

• Look for an option to “Add New Fee” or “Create New Rule.”
• This will open a form where you can define the details of your fee.

4. Define the Fee Details:

• Fee Name: Give your fee a descriptive name (e.g., “Handling Fee”). This is for your internal reference.
• Fee Title (Displayed to Customer): This is what the customer will see in their cart and during checkout (e.g., “Packaging & Handling”). Make it clear and concise!
• Fee Type: Select “Fixed Amount” or “Percentage” depending on how you want to calculate the fee.
• Fee Amount: Enter the amount of the fee (e.g., 5.00 for $5.00).
• Conditions (Optional): This is where you can set rules for when the fee applies. For a general handling fee, you might leave this blank so it applies to all orders. If you only want to apply it to orders over a certain amount, you can set a condition based on the “cart subtotal”.
• Taxable: Decide whether the fee should be taxable. If it’s considered part of the product cost, it usually is. Consult with a tax professional if you’re unsure.
• Apply to: Choose where you want the fee to be applied. Usually, the “cart” and “checkout” options.

5. Save Your Fee:

• Click the “Save” or “Publish” button to activate your new fee.

Example:

Let’s say you want to add a $3.00 handling fee to all orders. Here’s how you’d configure the plugin:

• Fee Name: Handling Fee
• Fee Title (Displayed to Customer): Packaging and Handling
• Fee Type: Fixed Amount
• Fee Amount: 3.00
• Conditions: (Leave blank
• applies to all orders)
• Taxable: Yes (consult your tax advisor)
• Apply to: Cart and Checkout

Testing Your New Fee

After setting up the fee, always test it!

• Go to your WooCommerce store and add a product to your cart.
• View your cart and checkout page.
• Verify that the “Packaging and Handling” fee (or whatever you named it) is displayed correctly and that the total is calculated accurately.
• Place a test order to confirm the fee is included in the order details.

Important Considerations When Adding Fees

• Transparency: Be upfront and honest with your customers about any additional fees. Clearly display the fee name and reason for the charge in the cart and checkout. Surprise fees lead to abandoned carts!
• Legality: Ensure that any fees you charge comply with local laws and regulations. Some regions may have restrictions on certain types of fees.
• Reasonableness: Make sure the fee is reasonable and justified. Overcharging can damage your reputation and drive customers away.
• Stripe Processing Fees: Remember that Stripe will charge you a processing fee on the total order amount, *including* the additional fee.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Fee Not Appearing: Double-check that the plugin is active and that the fee is enabled. Verify that the conditions (if any) are being met.
• Incorrect Fee Amount: Ensure that you’ve entered the correct fee amount in the plugin settings.
• Tax Calculation Issues: Review your WooCommerce tax settings and the plugin’s tax options to ensure that taxes are being calculated correctly on the fee.

Conclusion

Adding an additional charge to your WooCommerce orders via Stripe is easier than you might think, especially with the help of plugins. By being transparent with your customers, setting reasonable fees, and thoroughly testing your setup, you can effectively cover extra costs without negatively impacting your customer experience. Remember to always keep your plugin updated and follow best practices for security and performance. Good luck!