Planning shipping methods and rates for my Shopify store

Asked 5 years ago

Setting up a Shopify store and trying to understand how to charge for shipping. I sell a variety of customized products and planning to use UPS. Any suggestions?

Shopify shipping Free shipping Flat rate Calculated shipping rates

Mark Guthrie

Monday, June 22, 2020

Hi, Mark here from Shopify
Here are some basics that may help -
First you need to decide regarding the shipping method - shipping / local delivery / local pickup.
If you go for shipping, decide between free shipping / flat rate / exact carrier rates - 
Free shipping is a good way to increase sales but you need to be aware of the cost and add it to the product price. 
Flat rate is simple to handle and works well when your product variety is standard (similar size and weights). You should estimate your average shipping cost  and try not to over charge.
Exact carrier rates / Calculated shipping rates can be very effective. It lets your clients choose the service and cost they want, and saves you the worries about calculating your shipping costs and pricing accordingly. If you're in the United States and use Shopify Shipping, then you can add live calculated rates from USPS, DHL, and UPS.
No matter which strategy you choose, it is critical to know your actual shipping costs.  There are helpful tools for calculating shipping costs according to your shipping provider. Here is one from Shopify -  https://shopify.com/toolbox/shipping/calculator
If you are based in the United States, Canada, or Australia you should consider using Shopify Shipping (https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/shipping/shopify-shipping) . Shopify Shipping lets you enjoy the following benefits:
Display calculated shipping rates, instead of flat rates, to your customers at checkout.
Get reduced shipping rates.
Print shipping labels directly from your Shopify admin.
Just tried to give you a short brief of the basics. Planning your shipping strategy could be highly important for the success of your Shopify store. You can find allot of relevant information here - 
https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/shipping/understanding-shipping
https://www.shopify.com/blog/shipping-and-fulfillment