Product flag for Ship Separately really isn't

[AbleMods]

Multiple quantities of the same item marked as ship-separate do not create multiple shipments.

So if I buy a quantity of 5 of something that's marked to ship separately, and that item is the only item in my basket, I still only get 1 shipment during Checkout.

That doesn't seem very....separate

[heinscott]

I could be wrong about this, but isn't the ship separately designator used for kit items that belong to different warehouses? So, instead of a kit with different components all shipping in the same shipment, they could be split up by warehouse?
I haven't upgraded yet, so I am just speaking from past understanding...

Scott

[AbleMods]

You can use it without kits.

It does put that item on a separate shipment if there are other items in the basket. But if you order more than 1 of that item, all units of that item go on the same shipment.

[plugables]

Ship separately probably means that the product ships in its own separate box. It could be in the same shipment or it could be a separate shipment. 'ship separately' would probably only affect how allow AbleCommerce to calculates the shippings but does not necessarily create a new shipment.

[plugables]

In order to ensure that a product gets ships in a separate shipment you can assign it to a different warehouse.

[AbleMods]

RIght. But if I order 3 of a single item, all 3 will get grouped into the same warehouse/shipment.

[plugables]

RIght. But if I order 3 of a single item, all 3 will get grouped into the same warehouse/shipment.

You are right.
I think the option 'Ship Separately' is badly named. It actually should be something like 'Calculate Shipping Separately'. If you look at the tool tip for Shippable option it says

Indicates whether this product is shippable. Yes means it can be shipped in a
package with other items. Separately means it has to be shipped in its own
package and its shipping charges are calculated separately.

It has to be shipped in its own package... not necessarily a separate shipment.

[AbleMods]

Yeah it's the name that is confusing. Shipping something separate from other items in the basket can really be broken into two categories - ship-separate-same-packaging and ship-separate-individual-packaging

I modified OnePageCheckout to explode the basket items into separate shipments, so it's certainly possible to do it both ways. Maybe the next version will have choices for both.