The ultimate guide to WooCommerce shipping: from setup to advanced features

• By Admin
• Nov 04, 2024
• 35

You must implement an effective shipping strategy to succeed as an eCommerce or WooCommerce store owner. You may be starting your eCommerce business or willing to redefine your shipping strategy. 

This is where WooCommerce comes in with a range of flexible shipping options suitable for every type of business. It offers simple settings like flat-rate shipping and advanced features like real-time carrier integration. 

According to recent statistics, 93% of customers consider shipping options while purchasing online. Besides, 70% of shoppers leave their cart because of unexpected or additional shipping costs. This indicates the necessity of offering a shipping solution that is transparent and hassle-free. 

In this article, we will guide you through the entire process of WooCommerce shipping options. We will showcase the initial setup as well as the advanced features. Ultimately, you can create an efficient shipping experience for your customers as a store owner. 

Understanding WooCommerce Shipping

Shipping plays a significant role in completing the buying journey of a customer’s online shopping experience. It directly affects customer satisfaction and highlights your store’s capabilities and your revenue. 

WooCommerce shipping offers various functionalities for managing product deliveries from your store to the customer’s doorstep. It ensures smooth transactions by ensuring customers get their products on time. 

WooCommerce Shipping Capabilities

WooCommerce has simplified the shipping process, which may look overwhelming at first sight. However, you can understand the entire process easily after going through this guide. Here are some key settings that WooCommerce shipping covers: 

• Shipping Location: Set where your store ships from. This can be one location or multiple countries you sell to.

• Customer Location: Pre-fill the customer’s location using their IP (geolocation) or let them manually enter it.

• Shipping Zones: Create regions based on countries, states, or zip codes. This helps set custom shipping rules and costs by location.

• Shipping Methods: WooCommerce offers options like flat rate, free shipping, or local pickup. Plugins can add real-time carrier rates like USPS or FedEx.

• Shipping Classes (Optional): Group products by similar traits, like size or weight, and set unique shipping rates for each class.

These fundamental concepts of shipping are essential for handling your eCommerce shipping operations. This guide allows you to easily configure these settings and implement them in your WooCommerce store. 

WoCommerce Shipping From General Settings 

Let’s start with the basic eCommerce shipping settings available in WooCommerce. First, log in to your WordPress site and go to WooCommerce > Settings > General.

Here, you need to set the location where you will sell your products. Then, you will need to set the shipping locations.  

Provide the store address, which will be set to the default location from where the shipping costs will be considered. 

Then, under the General Options, you will get three options, including: 

Selling Location (s): This option lets you choose the countries where you want to sell your products. Select all countries where you sell your products or the specific ones.

Shipping Location: This option lets you set the location where you are willing to ship your products. You will get four options in the dropdown menu-

• Ship to all countries you sell to

• Ship to all countries

• Ship to specific countries

• Disable shipping and calculations

You can also exclude certain countries from shipping or disable shipping altogether. 

Default customer location: This indicates the default customer locations where you will ship your products. You will get the following options in the dropdown menu- 

• No location by default

• Shop base address

• Geolocate

• Geolocate (with page caching support)

If you choose Geolocate, WooCommerce will automatically consider the customer’s location according to their IP address. WooCommerce downloads and uses the MaxMind GeoLite Database and stores it in your WordPress site’s wp-content folder. This database accurately detects the location to calculate the exact shipping costs. 

Creating Shipping Zones 

A shipping zone is simply an area where carriers deliver products, defined by grouping specific locations like zip codes or regions. Shipping zones make it easy to customize delivery rates based on the destination’s distance from your location.

You can set up separate shipping zones for local, regional, national, and even international customers, tailoring each one with specific delivery options.

Let's say your business is based in Florida. In that case, you might want to create a shipping zone just for Florida to offer lower rates for nearby customers. On the other hand, for customers in Texas, you can create a different shipping zone with higher shipping rates to account for the distance.

Let’s go over the steps to create a shipping zone.

Adding Shipping Zones in WooCommerce

Before setting up any shipping zone, go to WooCommerce >> Settings in your dashboard. In the General tab, make sure the Shipping Location option is not set to “Disable Shipping and Shipping Calculations.” This ensures that WooCommerce can calculate and display shipping options for your customers.

Go to the Shipping tab after configuring the shipping settings. Here, you’ll see a default zone called “Locations not covered by your other zones.” This zone applies to customers who aren’t in any of your custom zones. If you don’t plan to ship to these areas, you don't need to add a shipping method. 

Note: If a customer enters a shipping address that doesn’t match any zone with active shipping methods, they will get a notification saying that shipping isn’t available.

Simply click Add Shipping Zone in the Shipping Zones section. You can also click the Add Shipping Zone button directly from the setup prompt.

Next, give your shipping zone a name and choose the region it will cover. Start typing the region’s name, and WooCommerce will show a dropdown list of options to select from.

You can be as specific as you need, choosing an entire country, like Australia, or narrowing it down to specific states within that country. This flexibility lets you tailor shipping rates and methods based on location.

Regions in a shipping zone can include multiple countries, states, or even entire continents. This allows you to set up broader zones that cover multiple areas, giving you the flexibility to create customized shipping options for larger or more varied regions.

You can also target specific ZIP or postal codes within a state. To do this, click on “Limit to Specific ZIP/postcodes” and enter the codes you want. You have a few options:

• Add each postcode on a new line.

• Use a range (e.g., 90210…99000).

• Use wildcards for flexible matches (e.g., CB23* for all codes starting with CB23).

This feature helps you fine-tune shipping rates based on precise locations.

Adding WooCommerce Shipping Methods  

After naming the zone and selecting the regions, you’ll need to add WooCommerce shipping methods. (We’ll cover these methods in more detail in the next section.)

To add a shipping method:

1. Click Add Shipping Method.

2. Select an option from the dropdown menu and click Add Shipping Method again.

3. Finally, click Save Changes to apply your settings.

This step lets you specify how items will be shipped in each zone.

Once you've added the shipping methods, click Save Changes to finalize and save your shipping zone setup. This ensures that your new shipping zone and methods are active and ready for use.

Sorting WooCommerce Shipping Zones

WooCommerce matches the customer’s shipping address to a single shipping zone. Then, it shows only the methods available for that zone. Zones are matched from top to bottom, with the first match being applied.

To reorder your shipping zones, go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Zones. Click the three horizontal lines next to a zone, then drag and drop it into the desired position. This lets you prioritize specific zones based on your needs.

This is how you can easily rearrange your WooCommerce shipping zones. Simply follow the steps and customize the order to suit your shipping strategy for the best output. 

Editing Shipping Zones in WooCommerce

To edit a shipping zone, hover over the zone you want to change and click the “Edit” option. This will allow you to modify the zone's name, regions, or shipping methods as needed.

Now, you can update the shipping zone name, regions, and shipping methods in WooCommerce. Once you’ve made the necessary changes, be sure to click Save Changes to apply them.

This action will update the shipping zone with your changes.

That's how you can update the details of a shipping zone in WooCommerce.

Removing a Shipping Zone in WooCommerce

To delete a shipping zone, simply hover over the zone and click on Delete. You’ll then be prompted to confirm the deletion; click OK to proceed and remove the shipping zone.

Now, let’s discuss shipping methods. These are the options available to customers for delivering their orders.

Adding Shipping Methods in WooCommerce

WooCommerce shipping methods define how your store determines shipping costs for online purchases. These methods consider factors such as the customer's location, the weight of the items, and options for in-person pickup.

By default, WooCommerce includes three shipping methods:

• Free Shipping – Customers do not pay for shipping costs.

• Flat Rate – A fixed shipping fee applies regardless of the order size or weight.

• Local Pickup – Customers can choose to pick up their items in person without incurring shipping charges.

Free shipping

If you want to offer your customers free shipping, you’ll need to set up a free shipping method.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to the WooCommerce Settings.

2. Click on Shipping, then select Add Zone.

3. Scroll down, and you’ll find the Shipping Methods section on the left side.

From there, you can add the free shipping method to the desired shipping zone.

A window will pop up displaying the available WooCommerce shipping methods. Here, you can choose the Free Shipping option to add it to your shipping zone. Select it from the list to proceed.

In the popup window, you’ll need to set up your free shipping method by entering the following details:

1. Title:
   This is the name that will appear to customers during checkout. You can change it from Free Shipping to anything you prefer, such as “No Shipping Fee,” but the shipping method will remain the same.

2. Free Shipping Requirements:
   You can decide how customers can qualify for free shipping by selecting one of the following options:

• A valid free shipping coupon: Customers must have a coupon to access free shipping.

• A minimum order amount: Customers need to place an order that meets a certain total to receive free shipping.

• A minimum order amount or a coupon: Customers can qualify with either a free shipping coupon or by meeting a specified order amount.

• A minimum order amount AND a coupon: Customers must meet both criteria—a valid coupon and a minimum order amount—to receive free shipping.

3. If you want to provide free shipping without any conditions, select the “No Requirement” option.

After setting this up, you’ll see that free shipping has been added to the shipping method box. You’ll find options to edit or adjust your settings on the right side of the dashboard.

Click on Edit, and you’ll be taken to the free shipping settings page. Here, you can make any changes you want.

Once you’ve configured everything, your free shipping method will be successfully set up.

Let’s move on to the next shipping method: Flat Rate Shipping.

Flat rate Shipping

The Flat Rate shipping method is a popular and flexible option that allows you to charge a fixed shipping fee based on specific criteria. This method is particularly useful for e-commerce stores with straightforward shipping costs.

To access the Flat Rate settings, follow these steps:

• Go to WooCommerce.

• Click on Settings.

• Select Shipping.

• Click on Shipping Zones.

• Choose the Shipping Method you want to edit.

• From there, you can configure the Flat Rate settings according to your preferences.

Here’s how to set up flat-rate shipping in WooCommerce:

• Title: Enter a title for the Flat Rate shipping method. This title will be visible to customers at checkout.

• Tax Status: Choose whether the shipping fee should be taxable or not.

• Cost: Define a fixed shipping cost for the Flat Rate method. You can also use placeholders to charge based on the number of items or a percentage of the total order amount.

• Using [qty]: This placeholder adds a fee for each item in the cart. For instance, if you set it as 10 + (2 * [qty]), customers will pay a base fee of $10 plus $2 for each item they order.

• Using [fee]: This placeholder allows you to charge an extra fee based on a percentage of the total order. You can set a percentage, along with a min_fee or max_fee, to limit the fee amount. For example, using 5 + [fee percent="5" max_fee="15"] means the customer will pay $5 plus 5% of their order total, but the shipping fee will not exceed $15.

• Shipping Class Cost: Set an additional fee for products that belong to specific shipping classes. For example, if you assign a cost of $5 to the shipping class “Heavy,” any item categorized as heavy will incur an additional $5 charge on top of the flat rate cost.

• No Shipping Class Cost: This allows you to establish shipping rates for products that do not fall under any specific shipping class. For instance, set this charge to $2. Customers buying items without a designated shipping class will pay an extra $2, along with the flat rate cost.

• Calculation Type: If you have multiple shipping classes, you can choose how the shipping class costs are calculated. In the Flat Rate method, you have two options:

• Per Class: Charges are calculated for each shipping class in the cart.

• Per Order: A single charge is applied based on the highest shipping class in the order.

Adding Local Pickup Shipping Method

By enabling the local pickup shipping method, customers can collect the products they ordered directly from a physical store or warehouse.

Previously, this method was listed alongside flat rate and free shipping under shipping zones. Now, it has its own dedicated settings window, making it easier to manage.

To set up Local Pickup, simply navigate to the shipping methods section within your WooCommerce settings and follow the prompts to configure it according to your store's needs.

This is what the Local Pickup settings look like:

Now, click on the option “Enable Local Pickup.”

Next, scroll down and check the box for “Add a price for customers who choose local pickup.” This allows you to set a cost associated with the local pickup option, ensuring customers know of any applicable fees.

By default, the Local Pickup shipping method is free. However, if you want to charge an extra fee for local pickup, you can set that amount in this section. While many store owners opt to keep this fee at zero, having the option allows you to customize your pricing strategy.

Tax Status: In this section, you can select whether the local pickup fee is taxable or Non-taxable. Choose the option that best fits your business needs.

By default, the Tax Status for local pickup is set to Taxable, meaning store base taxes will apply regardless of the customer’s address. This is typically the best choice for most store owners. However, if you prefer not to charge taxes for local pickup, you can select Non-Taxable instead.

Next, scroll down to find the option to choose pickup locations. On the left side, you’ll see the button “Add Pickup Location.” Click this to set up specific locations where customers can pick up their orders.

You can create a specific zone for Local Pickups. This allows you to define the areas where customers can choose to collect their orders. By setting up a dedicated local pickup zone, you can manage the pickup options and ensure they align with your store's operational capabilities.

By creating a specific zone for Local Pickups, the Local Pickup option in WooCommerce will only appear when the customer’s address matches the defined local pickup zone. This ensures that only eligible customers can select local pickup at checkout, enhancing the shopping experience and preventing any confusion about where items can be collected.

Removing Shipping Method From a Shipping Zone

As mentioned earlier, you can offer multiple shipping methods for a single shipping zone in WooCommerce. However, if you find any unnecessary shipping methods, you can easily remove them.

To delete a shipping method from a shipping zone, follow these steps:

• Go to the desired shipping zone in your WooCommerce settings.

• Hover over the shipping method you want to remove.

• Click on ‘Delete’.

• Confirm the deletion by clicking “OK.”

This allows you to keep your shipping options streamlined and relevant to your

If you don't want to delete a shipping method, you can temporarily disable it instead. To do this:

• Go to the shipping zone where the method is located.

• Locate the shipping method you wish to disable.

• Turn off the toggle button next to the shipping method.

This action will deactivate the shipping method without deleting it, allowing you to re-enable it later if needed.

Setting up WooCommerce Shipping Classes

Shipping classes in WooCommerce enable you to group similar products together. Plus, it lets you set consistent shipping rates and methods for those groups. This feature is especially beneficial when you have products with varying shipping requirements like size, weight, or destination. It helps you apply specific shipping rules to different product categories.

For example, consider a scenario where you sell books and furniture. A book is lightweight and small compared to a piece of furniture like a heavy and bulky chair. If you want to charge different shipping rates for these items, you can create separate shipping classes, such as “Standard” for books and “Oversized” for furniture.

Now, when a customer purchases a bulky piece of furniture, you can apply the “Bulky Items” shipping class to it. With Flat Rate Shipping, you can then set a specific flat rate cost for shipping bulky items.

Conversely, if a customer buys a lightweight accessory, such as a phone case, you can assign it the “Small Items” shipping class and establish a different flat rate cost for shipping small items.

To use a WooCommerce shipping class, follow these steps:

• Create the Shipping Class: Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Classes and add your new class.

• Set Up Rates: Define the shipping rates for each class you create.

• Assign Classes to Products: Go to the individual product settings and assign the relevant shipping class to each product.

This approach allows you to customize your shipping costs based on the characteristics of each product type, ensuring fair and accurate shipping charges for your customers.

Creating WooCommerce Shipping Classes

The Shipping tab has a dedicated window for managing Shipping Classes. This section allows you to quickly create, edit, and delete shipping classes for your products. 

Click on the Add Shipping Class button. You will be presented with the following options to fill out:

• Shipping Class Name: Enter a name for your shipping class (e.g., "Bulky Items" or "Small Accessories").

• Slug: This is a URL-friendly version of the shipping class name. It should be lowercase and contain only letters, numbers, and hyphens (e.g., "bulky-items").

• Description: Provide a brief description of the shipping class. This helps you remember the criteria for this class (e.g., "For items that are large and require special handling").

Now that you have created the shipping classes, you need to assign products to them. To assign products individually, follow these steps:

1. Go to the product page of the item you want to assign.

2. Scroll down to the Product Data section.

3. Click on the Shipping tab.

4. In the Shipping Class dropdown menu, select the appropriate shipping class for that product.

Once you’ve selected the shipping class, save the changes. This ensures that the correct shipping rates are applied based on the class assigned to each product.

To assign a shipping class to a large number of products at once, follow these steps:

• Go to the All Products page in your WooCommerce dashboard.

• Use the filter options to find the products you want to edit.

• Select the checkbox next to each product you wish to update.

• From the Bulk Actions dropdown menu, choose Edit and click Apply.

• In the Quick Edit options that appear, find the Shipping Class dropdown.

• Select the appropriate shipping class for all selected products.

Once you’ve selected, click the Update button to save the changes. This allows you to efficiently assign shipping classes to multiple products simultaneously.

Now, to apply the cost to the shipping classes, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to your desired Shipping Zone in the WooCommerce settings.

2. Click on the Flat Rate option associated with that zone.

From here, you can set specific shipping costs and calculation types. This allows you to define different rates based on the class of the product being purchased. It ensures that accurate shipping charges are applied. 

Shipping Class Costs

Let’s explain the fields associated with shipping classes:

• Shipping Class Cost Fields: Each shipping class you create will have its cost field. Here, you can specify the shipping fee for products within that class.

• No Shipping Class Cost: For products that are not assigned to any shipping class, there is a field labeled “No Shipping Class Cost.” The costs you enter in this field will be added to the main shipping cost specified at the top of the Flat Rate WooCommerce shipping configuration form. This ensures that all products, regardless of their shipping class, have a base shipping charge applied during checkout.

Be sure to fill in these fields appropriately to ensure accurate shipping costs for your customers.

Calculation Type

At the bottom, you'll find a dropdown menu labeled Calculation Type. Here, you can select how to calculate shipping costs when customers have products from multiple shipping classes in their cart. The options are:

• Per Class: This option charges shipping for each shipping class separately.

• Per Order: This option charges shipping based on the most expensive shipping class in the order.

Examples:

Example 1: Flat Rate Calculated Per Shipping Class:

• Bulky Shipping Class: $15.00

• Small Shipping Class: $2.50

• Total Shipping Costs: $17.50

In this scenario, the customer pays $17.50 because the shipping is calculated separately for each shipping class.

Testing Your WooCommerce Shipping Setup

At this point, we’ve explored how to set up shipping in WooCommerce. Now, let’s witness how your customers will experience it.

Adding Products to the Cart:

To test the shipping setup, start by adding some products to the cart. As a reminder, we've applied the following flat rate formula for shipping:

$12 + [fee percent="5" min_fee="8"]

This means that the base shipping cost is $12, plus an additional fee calculated as 5% of the order total, with a minimum fee of $8.

Steps to Check Shipping in the Cart:

• Visit Your Store: Navigate to your WooCommerce store.

• Select Products: Choose various products with different shipping classes.

• Add to Cart: Click on "Add to Cart" for the selected items.

• View Cart: Go to the cart page to see the total price and shipping cost applied.

By reviewing the cart, you can confirm if the shipping costs are calculated correctly based on the setup you’ve configured. This will help ensure your customers have a seamless checkout experience.

Because the current shipping cost is below the minimum fee, a fixed $20 will be applied instead. Now, let’s add some more products to the cart to see how the shipping cost adjusts.

Steps to Add More Products:

1. Return to the Store: Go back to your WooCommerce store.

2. Select Additional Products: Choose more items, ensuring they come from different shipping classes to see how the costs vary.

3. Add to Cart: Click on "Add to Cart" to make the new selections.

4. View Updated Cart: Check the cart page again to see the updated total price and shipping cost.

As you add more products, observe how the shipping cost changes based on the formula you've set up. This will help you ensure that your shipping rules function as expected and that customers are charged fairly based on their order total.

Formula Used:

$12 + [7% of $177 (total added product cost) = $12.39]

Base Shipping Cost: $12

Percentage Fee: 7% of $177 = $12.39

Total Shipping Cost:

$12 + $12.39 = $24.39 (as shown in the previous image).

Adding Products for Free Shipping

Since we have set up free shipping for orders that meet a minimum amount of $200, let’s add more products to reach that threshold.

Steps to Trigger Free Shipping:

• Go Back to Your Store: Navigate to the product pages again.

• Select Additional Items: Choose products whose combined total will bring your cart above $200.

• Add to Cart: Click "Add to Cart" for those items.

• Check the Cart Again: View the cart to see if the shipping method has been updated to free shipping.

Once the cart total surpasses $200, the free shipping option should automatically apply, allowing customers to check out without additional shipping costs. This is a great way to encourage larger purchases!

Limitations of Core WooCommerce Shipping Options

Though WooCommerce brings in all the basic shipping options for your store, it has limitations. You will need more shipping options when your store grows and customer expectation increases.  Here are some limitations of WooCommerce Shipping options that spark the necessity of a shipping plugin. 

• Limited Shipping Rules: Core options do not support complex shipping rules, such as conditional rates based on weight or dimensions.

• No Table Rate Shipping: The absence of table rate shipping restricts flexibility for different zones and product types.

• Inflexible Local Pickup: Local pickup options are basic and may not cater to multiple locations effectively.

• Manual Configuration: Manual setup is required for each shipping zone, which can be time-consuming for large stores.

• Lack of Automation: Limited automation features for shipping labels and order fulfillment, increasing manual work.

• Few Payment Integrations: Default shipping methods have limited compatibility with various payment gateways for shipping calculations.

Top WooCommerce Shipping Plugins 

Shipping plugins can extend your WooCommerce shipping options to a new extent. This means you will get more features in your shipping method to increase customer satisfaction. Here are some advantages that you will get in a shipping plugin: 

• Advanced Shipping Rules: Create complex shipping rules based on weight, dimensions, and destination, allowing for more accurate rates.

• Table Rate Shipping: Implement table rate shipping for detailed pricing strategies that can accommodate various products and zones.

• Real-Time Carrier Rates: Integrate with major carriers to provide real-time shipping rates at checkout, improving customer transparency.

• Dynamic Shipping Calculations: Automate calculations that adapt to customer orders, such as applying for discounts or promotions.

• Multiple Shipping Methods: Offer a wider variety of shipping options, including express, overnight, and international shipping.

• Improved Local Pickup Options: Set up multiple pickup locations and customize local pickup settings based on specific needs.

• Automated Label Printing: Streamline order fulfillment with automated shipping label generation for efficient processing.

• Enhanced Customer Experience: Improve the overall shopping experience by providing accurate shipping costs and faster delivery options.

Here is an outstanding plugin that will enhance the shipping experience of your WooCommerce store.

Shipping Manager

The Shipping Manager Plugin is a robust shipping solution designed to enhance logistics for eCommerce businesses, offering both free and premium features that optimize shipping processes and improve customer satisfaction.

Key Features Overview

• Unit Weight & Distance Fees: Set additional fees based on weight per unit and distance traveled.

• Weight Range Pricing: Assign tiered pricing based on weight ranges.

• Box Size & Price Management: Define multiple box sizes and prices to improve cost-efficiency.

• Zone Distance Calculation: Calculate fees automatically based on shipping zone distances.

• Free Shipping Bar: Show progress toward free shipping to encourage higher cart totals.

• Per Product Shipping Rules: Customize shipping for specific products, overriding general settings if needed.

• Advanced Processing Fees (Pro): Add order-based handling fees to cover logistics costs.

• Dynamic Shipping Zone Selection (Pro): Select multiple zones to tailor delivery options.

• Delivery Date & Time (Pro): Allow customers to pick their preferred delivery times.

• Real-Time Shipping Tracking (Pro): Keep customers updated on shipment progress.

• Customizable Delivery Slips: Tailor delivery slips for efficient fulfillment and branding.

Wrapping Up

A seamless and well-organized shipping experience is crucial for enhancing customer satisfaction. It can be decisive in building customer loyalty and boosting repeat purchases in your WooCommerce store. By setting up robust WooCommerce shipping strategies, you’re meeting customer expectations and strengthening your store’s reputation.

Shipping Manager goes beyond basic shipping functionality and empowers your store to automate and streamline logistics. Its robust features allow you to set automatic shipping rules, so you need minimal manual intervention. 

The ability to customize delivery options and offer real-time tracking keeps customers informed and reassures them. Ultimately, it reduces customer queries and enhances the overall experience.