What are some best practices for retrieving weight information for products from a database and matching it with the appropriate shipping provider costs in PHP?

When retrieving weight information for products from a database and matching it with shipping provider costs in PHP, it is important to ensure that the weight data is accurate and consistent. One best practice is to store weight information in a standardized format in the database, such as in kilograms or pounds. Then, when calculating shipping costs, convert the weight to the appropriate unit of measurement required by the shipping provider.

// Retrieve weight information for a product from the database
$productWeight = 5; // Assume weight is stored in kilograms

// Calculate shipping costs based on weight and shipping provider rates
if ($productWeight <= 1) {
    $shippingCost = 5.00; // Shipping cost for products weighing 1kg or less
} else {
    $shippingCost = 5.00 + (($productWeight - 1) * 2.00); // Additional cost for each additional kg
}

echo "Shipping cost for product with weight $productWeight kg: $shippingCost";