Shopify shipping strategies to consider now & later
Shopify offers inbuilt options for flat rates or calculating shipping by integration.
To save on initial costs, we recommend that you start simple, become familiar with inbuilt options, then expand operations as your site grows.
Shipping Tips:
- Keep it simple. Use flat rates to increase average order value & avoid cart abandonment. Shipping costs to customers will vary but ultimately balance out and can always be adjusted. Establish rates based on services available to you and revise based on real order data, e.g. Domestic Australia Post 0-5kg. Max 22kg
- Load products that are easy-to-ship. When both pickup & shipping services are enabled, products are expected to be available for all pickup & delivery methods. Bulky or items that cost more to ship require further management.
- Offer free shipping. This should be a standard offering for most retail businesses. If it isn't, entice customers with a limited time offer.
- Provide Tracking numbers. Keep customers informed of delivery progress and help reduce incidents of missing orders. Tracking numbers can be added via Auspost or other carrier integrations
- Integrations. Connect with third-party services to enhance label management or order fulfilment.
- Australia Post. Connect with MyPost Business account to manage ecommerce orders and save as you sell more. You can buy and print labels directly in Shopify. MyPost Business | Australia Post
- Carrier-calculated rates can be setup through shipping integrations using product weights. Due to initial running costs (Data entry time, higher Shopify plan & app integration) this is best considered for the next phase of your site. Shopify Help Center | Activating third-party carrier-calculated shipping
- Target locals with local delivery. Up to 5 zones can be created based on either postcodes or radii.
- Products can have different rates. However, more consideration is required for product, shipping profile or app management. Shopify Help Center | Shipping profiles
- If you have heavy or bulky items that you think maybe too heavy to ship, we have some workarounds that we can help you with. However, these complex or varied setups are often best tackled with apps.
- Avoid disappointment. Communicate shipping rates clearly. If you have varied rates, add a notice to product details (Product title is clearest during checkout). Update Default Theme Content labels for checkout wording. Theme customisations & Shopify Flow can help with product messaging.
- Keep your shipping policy up-to-date, again communication is key!
Packing & Fulfilment Tips:
Example Shipping Strategies:
📦Online Shopper - Flat Rates & Free Shipping
Standard Rate
Express Rate
Free Shipping for orders over ___
🤝Community Shopper - Flat Rates & Local Delivery
Standard Rate
Local Area 1 (e.g. Customers within 5km - FREE)
Local Area 2
etc.
🎯Specialty Retail Shopper - Weight based Rates
Load products with exact weights. Set flat rates or use calculated shipping integrations.
e.g. Live rates calculated at checkout
e.g. Flat rates based off available services
0-4.99kg $
0-4.99kg $
5-21.99kg $$
🔠Charge different rates for different products
Dozen or so products that need different rates? Assign to custom shipping profile.
e.g.
General Profile - Flat Rate $
Bulky Items Profile - Flat Rate $$
Save time on order management with Calculated Shipping & app integrations or look at workarounds for inbuilt options.
🧩Shipping Workarounds
Instead of managing products or using apps to set custom shipping rates, you can leverage inbuilt options. Note that Local Delivery is available to all products if enabled.
Load exact weights or make products identifiable with an intentionally high weight. Something identifiable can help with theme customisations & product messaging.
Need help with Shipping related customisations? Get in touch via email webdesign@towersystems.com.au
Scenario: Shipping only available for select products.
Apply weights to select products
General Profile - 0.01kg-5kg
Scenario: Mixture of products are either bulky or available for shipping.
Apply an intentionally high weight e.g. 99kg
General Shipping Profile: Standard Rate between 0-98.99kg - This prevents shipping checkout options of 99kg products.
General Profile - 0-4.99kg
General Profile - 5-98.99kg
When having complex or varied setups, website communication is key!
Need help with Shipping related customisations? Get in touch via email webdesign@towersystems.com.au
Shopify Shipping overview:
Use inbuilt options & consider apps to save time
Great for: All Shopify Plans
- Set flat rates based on shipping profiles using either total order price or weight.
- Set General Shipping Profile rates for all products
- If required, assign different rates to select products in a custom profile
- Shopify Help Center | Shipping profiles
- Fulfil orders with Australia Post MyPost Business online, take it to your local post office or connect with other integrations.
- Take it a step further and use an app to speed up order fulfilment operations.
For Example: - Connect with apps to create custom checkout experiences or automate flat rate shipping profiles.
For Example:
Leverage app or calculated carrier options.
Great for: Grow & Advanced Plans
- Load products with exact weights
- Integrate with calculated carrier shipping apps.
- Shopify Help Center | Activating third-party carrier-calculated shipping
- App examples:
- Bespoke Shipping | Shopify App Store
- Australia Post Rates & Labels | Shopify App Store
- Consolidate different carriers. Integrate with fulfilment services
App examples: