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How to Set Up Shipping on Shopify - Shipping Guide

Last updated: May 23, 2023

Setting up the shipping options for your Shopify store is an essential step for any ecommerce business. When customers purchase from your store, they need to be able to choose the delivery method that works best for them. Luckily, Shopify makes it easy to create and manage shipping options from your store's admin dashboard.

This article looks into how to setup and manage shipping on Shopify, why it's important, and looks at how to utilise a number of useful shipping features so that merchants can deliver the best ecommerce experience possible. Let's get to it!
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What are the pros and cons of shipping on Shopify?


One of the main advantages of shipping with Shopify is that it simplifies the entire process; orders are automatically sent to the appropriate carrier and customers can easily track their orders and get updates on shipping status. Additionally, Shopify Shipping also offers great flexibility, as it supports multiple carriers, customisable shipping options, and order tracking.

On the downside, one of the drawbacks of Shopify Shipping is that merchants need to cover any additional costs that they might incur, and they need to carefully configure their shipping rates and options to optimise their process and pricing strategy. In addition to this, merchants will need to manage inventory and shipping on their own, which can add extra costs and time to their operations, especially if they have a large warehouse with a lot of stock. It's worth to note that there are third-party apps that can be found on the Shopify app store which can help streamline shipping on Shopify, as well as plan how to manage how your business scales as it ships more products.

How does Shipping Affect a Shopify Store's Performance?


One of the most important success factors of a business is customer satisfaction; customers want to receive their orders quickly, and if your shipping is slow or unreliable, it can lead to negative reviews and lost sales. Additionally, shipping costs can affect your profit margins; if shipping costs are too high, customers may be deterred from buying, and if your shipping fees are too low, you may be losing money. In addition to this, the types of shipping available also play an important role; offering multiple shipping options gives customers more choice, allowing them to select the shipping option that best fits their needs and budget. This makes is paramount for merchants to manage shipping properly for their Shopify stores. So, let's get into how to setup shipping on Shopify.

Setting Up Shopify Shipping


The first step in setting up Shopify shipping is to set up your Shipping Zones. These are the geographic areas that you wish to ship to and the rates that you charge for shipping to those areas. To set up Shipping Zones, go to the Settings tab in your Shopify dashboard and click on Shipping. Here, you will be able to add your Shipping Zones and the rates you want to charge for shipping to those areas.

Once you have your Shipping Zones set up, you can start creating shipping profiles. These are the different shipping options you offer your customers. You can set up standard options such as local pickup, flat rate, or free shipping, or you can customise options for specific countries or regions. For example, Germany, Canada, or group them into larger shipping location categories such as Europe. To create a shipping profile, go to the Shipping tab in your Shopify dashboard and click on the Shipping Profiles tab. Here you will be able to create your shipping profiles and assign them to the Shipping Zones you set up earlier.


Configuring Your Shopify Shipping Settings


Once you have your Shipping Zones and Shipping Profiles set up for your shipping locations, you will need to configure your store's Shipping Settings. To do this, go to the Settings tab, click on Shipping, and select the Shipping Settings option. Here, you can configure your store's default shipping options, the default method used for international orders, and the taxes charged for shipping.


Manage Shipping Labels and Tracking


Once you have your Shopify shipping set up and configured, you will need to purchase shipping labels for your orders. To do this, go to the Orders tab in your Shopify dashboard and click on the order you wish to ship. Here, you will be able to purchase a shipping label for the order and enter the tracking information. You can also add tracking information for orders that have been shipped without a label.

How to Offer Free Shipping on Shopify?


Offering free shipping on Shopify is a great way to encourage customers to make more purchases and increase your sales. There are a few different ways to configure free shipping on your store. The first way is to create a free Shipping Profile in Shopify. To do this, go to Settings > Shipping and Delivery and click ‘Manage Shipping Profiles’. From here you can create a new profile and configure the rules for which customers or locations can use this profile. You can then set the shipping prices to £0/$0 or use a discount code to offer free shipping.

The second way is to use the Shopify Script Editor. This powerful tool allows you to customise the checkout process, including the ability to set up rules for when customers get free shipping. You can set this up based on order totals or even customer location. Finally, you can use Shopify Shipping Apps to connect with third-party carriers and offer free shipping. These apps often have advanced settings that allow you to configure specific rules for when customers will get free shipping. By offering free shipping, you can encourage customers to make more purchases and it can add value to your brand image, but it is important to make sure you are still making a profit. Monitor the effectiveness of your free shipping offers and make adjustments as needed.

How do you Remove Shipping Calculated at Checkout on Shopify?


Removing shipping costs at checkout in Shopify is easy and can be done a few different ways. The first way is to use the Shopify Shipping Profiles to configure which shipping rates customers will see at checkout. To do this, you can go to Settings > Shipping and Delivery and click the ‘Manage Shipping Profiles’ button. From here, you can select which shipping methods you want to be available and set specific rules or a condition about which areas or customers can use them.

The second way is to use the Shopify Script Editor. With the Script Editor, you can create scripts that remove shipping based on specific criteria, such as order totals or customer location. You can use the Shopify Shipping Apps to add rate or customise the shipping rates you offer. These apps can connect with third-party shipping carriers and give you more control over how your shipping costs are calculated. No matter which method you choose, you should always test and monitor your changes to ensure that the checkout process is working as expected.

How to Print Shipping Labels on Shopify?


Creating shipping labels for your soldm items with Shopify is a simple and straightforward process. To begin, you'll need to have your orders set up in Shopify and your shipping service connected. Once you've done that, you can start to create shipping labels right from the Shopify admin in these easy steps:

1. From the Orders tab of your Shopify admin, click into an order for which you need to print a label.
2. In the Order Summary section, click on Create Shipping Label.
3. Select your shipping service from the drop-down list.
4. Enter the weight, dimensions, and other details for the product or products.
5. Select the option to have Shopify purchase the label for you or to print a label from the shipping carrier's website.
6. Click Create Shipping Label.
7. Print the label.

How to Use Pickup Points with Shipping on Shopify


Shopify offers integrated pickup points for shipping orders. To set this up, first you'll need to create a shipping profile in your Shopify admin. From there, you'll be able to select a pickup point carrier and enter your store's address. To offer free pickup, you can create a free shipping policy or discount code. You can also specify an estimated processing time before customers can pick up their orders and set a time-based delivery window for each pickup location.

How do you Change the Shipping Time on Shopify?


Changing the estimated shipping time on Shopify is a fairly straightforward process. Here's how to do it:
1. Log into your Shopify admin.
2. Go to Settings > Shipping.
3. Choose the carrier you want to modify the estimated shipping time for.
4. Under the heading ‘Delivery time’, enter your desired estimated shipping time.
5. Click Save.

Once you’ve saved your changes, the new estimated shipping time will be reflected on your Shopify store. This will give customers a better idea of when they can expect their orders to arrive.

How do you Add Multiple Shipping Options on Shopify?:


Adding multiple shipping options on Shopify is a great way to give your customers more control over their orders. Here's how to do it:

1. Log into your Shopify admin page.
2. Go to Settings > Shipping.
3. Click Add shipping option.
4. Enter a name and description for the shipping option.
5. Select a carrier or specify a custom shipping rate.
6. Select the country/countries and regions you'd like to offer this shipping option to.
7. Click Save.

Repeat this process to add as many shipping options as you need. This will give your customers the flexibility to choose the option that works best for them.

How do you Refund Shipping on Shopify?


Refunding shipping costs on Shopify is a simple process that can be done in a few clicks. Here's how to do it:

1. Log into your Shopify admin dashboard.
2. Go to Orders > Completed.
3. Select the order you want to refund shipping for.
4. Click Refund.
5. Select ‘Refund payment’ and select the ‘Shipping’ checkbox.
6. Enter the amount you would like to refund in the ‘Amount’ field.
7. Click Refund.

Once you click Refund, the refund will be processed and your customer will receive their refund. Refunds can take up to 3-5 business days to be processed, depending on the payment method used.

What are the best Shipping partners for Shopify?


The best shipping partners for Shopify are those that offer a wide range of shipping services and pricing models. Popular options include Evri, USPS, FedEx, DHL, UPS, and Canada Post, depending what country you reside in. Starshipit, Huboo, and and AfterShip are also all popular shipping apps for Shopify that offer support for these shipping providers. For a comprehensive list of third-party apps that can be used to supercharge your Shopify store, take a look through our hand-picked best Shopify apps article list.

Starshipit, Huboo, and AfterShip are all great solutions for Shopify stores that need a reliable and cost-effective way to ship orders. With Starshipit, you can generate shipping labels, packing slips, manifests, and customs documentation. You can also set automation to go with the cheapest option every time or compare live rates. With Huboo, you can get access to shipping and logistics services and reduce your shipping costs. AfterShip, on the other hand, provides a Shopify connector and integration that seamlessly helps merchants track and trace their orders across hundreds of couriers worldwide.

All of these solutions come with a dashboard to monitor the current status of orders, and you can send automated in transit and info received email notifications to customers. To integrate these services with your Shopify store, you can go to Settings and select Integrations from your Starshipit account. From Huboo, you can get access to their services by signing up for a free trial, and for AfterShip, you can add a new integration and select Shopify from the list.

How do you Set Up Royal Mail click and drop on Shopify?


To get this setup, you will need to sign up for a Royal Mail Click & Drop account, which you can do directly through Shopify. Once you have registered, you will need to configure your shipping settings, including entering your store address, setting up your Royal Mail account, and connecting your payment method. Once you have these details filled out, you will be able to access Royal Mail Click & Drop shipping rates and labels. Finally, you can customise the appearance of your shipping labels and add any additional details that you want to be included.

How do you add insurance to items shipping on Shopify?


Adding insurance for Shopify Shipping is a great way to ensure that your orders are protected in the event of any damage or loss. To be eligible, you must have Shopify Payments activated on your store, be on the Shopify, Advanced Shopify, or Plus plan, and have shipping labels purchased through Shopify Shipping. If the order's value is over 200 USD, you can purchase insurance for the full shipment value or add a custom amount.

One option for adding shipping insurance to your Shopify store is to use a third-party service. There are a few different companies that offer this service, and they will typically charge a small percentage of the total order value. Another option for adding shipping insurance to your Shopify store is to use a Shopify app. There are a few different apps that offer this service, and they will typically charge a small monthly fee. The final option for adding shipping insurance to your Shopify store is to set up your own policy through a company like Shipstation.

How to Add Shipping on Shopify: Conclusion


Shopify offers multiple options for shipping, such as setting up weights and handling fees. It’s important to set up the right values for each package, so that the shipping cost is accurate for customers. In addition to setting up your products’ shipping costs, Shopify also allows you to set up shipping rules based on location, meaning customers can be charged different rates based on where they’re located. This makes it easier for customers, as they can quickly search for their areas and view the shipping fees. Furthermore, promotions such as free shipping can be set up as well.

Shopify makes it easy to ship items and provides all the necessary tools to do it smoothly and accurately. From setting up weights and handling fees to creating shipping rules, Shopify has it all. Plus, it even allows store owners to create shipping packages on behalf of their customers, which is a great time-saving tool. Through these tools, customers can have peace of mind knowing their shipments are handled with the utmost care and respect, and that their rights and packages are safe.

Setting up the shipping options for your Shopify store is a crucial part of any ecommerce business. The process is relatively straightforward and Shopify makes it easy to do so. Getting shipping right and offering flexible options can help give customers control over their orders and provide a better user experience. Customers can choose the shipping option that works best for them, whether it’s the cheapest option or the fastest option. It also gives customers an alternative if their preferred delivery option is unavailable. Offering multiple shipping options also gives customers more assurance that their order will arrive quickly and efficiently. Additionally, providing multiple shipping options can help you increase revenue and grow your business.

If you'd like support in maximising the ecommerce experience, get in touch with us today and we can help develop and integrate shipping solutions that are best for your online business, help provide strategic support, reach KPIs, and anything and everything in between. We are experts in the Shopify platform and have an in-house team to bring the very best features to your store as a result. For more info around Shopify, take a look at the content with have in our articles page.


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