The WooCommerce Royal Mail shipping plugin is a practical solution for providing customers with Royal Mail shipping rates without the need for an API. As Royal Mail doesn't currently offer a public API, this plugin serves as a convenient tool for integrating their shipping costs into your WooCommerce store.

Key Features:

1. GBP Currency and UK Base Country:
   • To utilize this plugin, your store should be set to GBP currency, and the base country should be the United Kingdom.
2. 2018 Rate Guide:
   • The shipping rates provided by this plugin are in accordance with the 2018 cost guide.
3. Weight and Size Configuration:
   • Your products need to have weights or shipping dimensions configured. The plugin primarily works with millimeters (mm) and grams (g), but it automatically converts other units.
4. Functionality:
   • Choose the Royal Mail services available for customer selection.
   • Customize the service names to align with your preferences.
   • Optionally require additional spending on specific options.
5. Shipping Services:
   • Within the UK:
     • 1st Class Royal Mail
     • Signed Royal Mail For® 1st Class
     • 2nd Royal Mail Course
     • Signed Royal Mail For® 2nd Class
     • Special Delivery by Royal Mail Guaranteed by 9 am®
     • Royal Mail Hand-to-hand delivery with 1 pm® guaranteed.
   • International:
     • International Standard of Royal Mail
     • Foreign Tracked & Signed Royal Mail
     • International Tracked Royal Mail
     • Royal Mail Signed International
     • Royal Mail Economy International
     • Parcelforce Worldwide via Royal Mail

Usage:

1. Base Currency and Country:
   • Set your store's base country to the United Kingdom.
   • Configure your store to use GBP currency.
2. Weight and Dimensions:
   • Ensure that your products have weights or dimensions configured.
3. Plugin Integration:
   • Activate the WooCommerce Royal Mail plugin.
   • Configure the available Royal Mail services and customize their names if needed.
4. Shipping Rate Display:
   • Customers will now see Royal Mail shipping rates during the checkout process.

Note: This plugin serves as a practical solution for WooCommerce stores in the UK that rely on Royal Mail for shipping services. While it doesn't offer extensive features due to the absence of a public Royal Mail API, it effectively integrates shipping rates into your online store.

Conclusion: WooCommerce Royal Mail provides a straightforward solution for UK-based stores looking to incorporate Royal Mail shipping rates seamlessly. If Royal Mail is your primary shipping provider and you operate in the UK, this plugin offers a practical and efficient way to display accurate shipping costs to your customers.