1. Project Overview We are building a Multi-vendor E-Commerce platform where independent designers/vendors ship products internationally (primarily from Vietnam etc to countries like Japan, UAE, Bahrain etc). The primary focus of this project is 'seamless international logistics', not general ecommerce features. The system must: Feel “Amazon-like” to end customers Centralize logistics decisions at the platform level Abstract away courier and customs complexity from vendors 2. High-Level Logistics Flow (Target State) Vendor/designer uploads product (with weight, dimensions, value) Customer places international order Platform calculates shipping options automatically Platform selects courier based on predefined rules Shipping label + Customs documents are generated automatically Vendor/Designer prints label, packs product, hands it to courier Courier handles pickup, customs, delivery Customer receives tracking updates Platform handles exceptions (failed delivery, customs refusal) 3. Platform & Tech Assumptions CMS: WordPress Ecommerce engine: WooCommerce Multi-vendor model (vendors ship their own products) Platform controls: Courier selection Shipping logic Customs handling rules Vendors do NOT integrate their own couriers 4. Core Functional Requirements 4.1 Vendor Capabilities Upload products with: Weight Dimensions Declared value Product category View assigned courier and shipping instructions Download & print: Shipping labels Customs/commercial invoices View shipment status (read-only) No manual courier booking by vendors 4.2 Customer Capabilities See shipping cost and estimated delivery time at checkout Choose between limited options (e.g. standard vs express) Receive tracking link post-purchase Clear communication about customs/duties (DAP model) 4.3 Platform (Admin) Capabilities Configure shipping rules: by country by weight by product category Decide priority: Lowest cost vs lowest failure rate Enable / disable couriers per region Central dashboard to: View all shipments Track delivery status Identify failures Override shipment routing if needed 5. Logistics & Shipping Integration 5.1 Shipping Aggregation Integrate with one shipping aggregation API (e.g. EasyPost / Shippo or similar) Single integration to support multiple couriers 5.2 Courier Support International couriers (e.g. DHL, Aramex, FedEx) Ability to add/remove couriers without code changes 5.3 Label & Document Generation Automatic generation of: Shipping labels Tracking numbers Customs documents Labels must be vendor-printable 6. Customs & International Shipping Rules Initial model: DAP (Delivered At Place) Buyer pays customs duties on delivery Platform must: Clearly communicate this to customers Pass correct customs metadata to courier No upfront duty/tax calculation required for MVP System must handle: Customs refusal Delivery failure scenarios 7. Exception Handling (Critical) The system must define behavior for: Failed delivery Customs refusal by customer Courier non-serviceable locations Weight/dimension mismatch after pickup Expected outcomes: Refund-only OR Return-to-origin (configurable) 8. Non-Goals (Out of Scope) To avoid scope creep: No warehouse / fulfillment center logic No inventory forecasting No advanced tax engines (Avalara, etc.) No Amazon FBA integration as core logistics No mobile app 9. Deliverables Expected from Freelancer Architecture proposal for logistics flow WooCommerce + shipping API integration Vendor/designer dashboard enhancements (labels, tracking) Admin configuration interface for shipping rules Error handling & fallback logic Documentation explaining: Assumptions Edge cases Future extensibility 10. Evaluation Criteria for Freelancers We are specifically looking for: Prior experience with cross-border shipping Understanding of customs, DAP/DDP concepts Experience integrating: Shipping APIs WooCommerce custom logic Ability to explain trade-offs clearly 11. Engagement Model (Important) Open to: Discovery / architecture phase Followed by: Fixed-price MVP OR hourly development Freelancers should: Clearly state assumptions Identify risks early Suggest simplifications where possible