Apply base shipping cost for all orders to show in header_minicart

Question

I am looking for a way if possible to apply a base shipping cost to all orders that will display in the mini cart in the header then when the customer goes to checkout they can get a more accurate shipping estimate using the normal functions.

Firstly is this possible

Secondly if it is would any one know where I could start.

Used the answer below with this in /checkout/cart/minicart/items.phtml around line 82; <?php $totals = Mage::getSingleton('checkout/session')->getQuote()->getTotals(); //Total object $grandtotal = $totals["grand_total"]->getValue(); //Grandtotal value echo $formattedPrice = Mage::helper('core')->currency($grandtotal , true, false); ?>

my header now displays subtotal and an estimated grandtotal.

Answer 1

What you want is to apply a default destination to a new quote, so that Magento thinks it will be shipped there and thus show shipping costs to that location. Luckily there's a small extension that does just that: http://www.rapidcommerce.eu/blog/2012/04/allways-show-shipping-costs-in-magento/ (note the updated version, it's still working on newer versions of Magento even though it was released in '12).

You can find the settings in the configuration under Shipping Settings.