How to Configure Custom Shipping Methods

Custom shipping methods provide alternatives to real-time carrier rates by allowing you to define fixed shipping costs based on order characteristics.

Types of Custom Shipping Methods

Price-Based Shipping:

• Calculates shipping charges based on order subtotal
• Ideal for free shipping thresholds (e.g., "Free Shipping over $100")
• Supports tiered pricing (different rates for different order values)
• Useful for flat-rate shipping at any order value

Weight-Based Shipping:

• Calculates shipping charges based on total order weight
• Define custom weight brackets with specific costs
• Apply costs per weight unit or to entire basket
• Alternative to real-time carrier weight calculations

International Custom Shipping:

• Country-specific shipping methods that only display for selected countries
• Supports both price-based and weight-based configurations
• Create unique rates for Canada, UK, Australia, etc.
• Useful for international flat rates or regional promotions

When to Use Custom Shipping

Consider custom shipping methods when you want to:

• Offer free shipping promotions or thresholds
• Provide simple flat-rate shipping options
• Create tiered pricing based on order value
• Set predictable shipping costs for budgeting
• Offer country-specific international rates
• Simplify shipping choices for customers

Price-based shipping methods charge flat fees based on order subtotal ranges. These methods display when customer order totals fall within your configured price brackets.

Create a Price-Based Shipping Method

1Navigate to Settings > Ship Methods & Rates

2Click the Custom Shipping tab

3In the Add New Shipping Option section at the bottom, enter a descriptive name in the Shipping Type field

Examples: "Free Shipping over $100", "Flat Rate Economy - $7.99", "Standard Shipping"

4Ensure the By Price checkbox is checked

5Configure visibility options:

• Visible (Storefront): Check to display this method to customers during checkout
• Visible (Admin): Check to make this method available when admin users create orders
• Both checked: Method available everywhere (most common)
• Neither checked: Method is disabled (useful to temporarily deactivate)

6Click Add New

Configure Price Brackets

7Your new shipping method appears in the list above. Click Edit Rates

8In the Add New Shipping Rate section, define price ranges using these fields:

• Rate Low: Minimum order subtotal that qualifies for this shipping charge
• High: Maximum order subtotal (leave blank for no upper limit)
• Cost: Shipping fee to charge when order falls within this range

9Enter your values and click Add New to save each price bracket

10Add additional price brackets as needed to create tiered shipping rates

Tips for Price-Based Methods

• Use descriptive names that include the cost or threshold (e.g., "Free over $100" instead of just "Free Shipping")
• Leave the "High" field blank on your highest tier for no upper limit
• Set Cost to 0 for free shipping tiers
• Ensure price ranges don't overlap to avoid confusion
• Consider starting your lowest tier at 0.01 instead of 0 to avoid edge cases

Weight-based shipping methods calculate charges based on total order weight. Use these when you want custom weight-based pricing that differs from standard carrier rates.

Create a Weight-Based Shipping Method

1Navigate to Settings > Ship Methods & Rates > Custom Shipping

2In the Add New Shipping Option section, enter a descriptive name

Example: "Economy Shipping by Weight", "Standard Weight-Based"

3Ensure the By Price checkbox is unchecked

4Configure visibility options for Storefront and/or Admin

5Click Add New

Configure Weight Brackets

6Your new method appears in the list. Click Edit Weights

7In the Add New Weight Range section, define weight brackets using these fields:

• Weight Low: Minimum weight in pounds that qualifies for this charge
• High: Maximum weight in pounds (leave blank for no upper limit)
• Cost: Shipping fee for this weight range
• Apply Cost To: Choose how to apply the cost:
  • Entire Basket: Charge the cost once for the entire order (most common)
  • Per Weight Unit: Multiply the cost by the number of weight units

8Click Add New to save each weight bracket

9Add additional weight brackets to create a complete weight table

Understanding "Apply Cost To" Options

Entire Basket (Most Common):

• Charges the cost once for the entire order weight range
• Example: 8 lb order in the 5-10 lb bracket costs exactly $9.99
• Use for standard flat-rate weight tiers

Per Weight Unit:

• Multiplies the cost by the weight of the order
• Example: 8 lb order with $1.50 per lb cost = $12.00
• Use for heavy item shipping where cost scales with weight

Tips for Weight-Based Methods

• Ensure all products have accurate weights entered in your product catalog
• Test weight calculations with sample orders before going live
• Leave the "High" field blank on your highest tier for no upper limit
• Consider whether "Entire Basket" or "Per Weight Unit" makes sense for your pricing
• Click the help icon on the page for additional examples and configuration details

International custom shipping methods allow you to create country-specific shipping options that only display to customers shipping to selected countries. This is useful for flat rates, handling fees, or promotions targeted at specific regions.

Create Country-Specific Shipping Methods

1Navigate to Settings > Ship Methods & Rates

2Click the Advanced Custom Shipping - International tab

3In the Add New Shipping Option section, select a country from the Country List dropdown

4Enter a descriptive name in the Shipping Type field

Examples: "Canada Flat Rate - $15", "UK Free Shipping over £75", "Australia Express"

5Choose the rate calculation type:

• Check By Price for price-based rates (based on order subtotal)
• Leave By Price unchecked for weight-based rates

6Configure visibility for Storefront and/or Admin

7Click Add New

8Click Edit Rates (for price-based) or Edit Weights (for weight-based) to configure pricing brackets

Use the same process as domestic custom shipping covered in the sections above

How International Methods Display

International custom shipping methods only appear during checkout when:

• The customer's shipping address matches the selected country
• The order meets any price or weight criteria you configured
• The method's visibility settings allow storefront display
• The country is in your supported country list

Tips for International Shipping

• Create separate methods for different countries to offer region-specific rates
• Include the country name in the shipping method name for clarity
• Consider currency differences when setting international prices
• Use price-based methods for free shipping promotions by country
• Test international methods by placing orders with international addresses
• Ensure countries are in your supported country list (Settings section)

Edit Existing Shipping Methods

1Navigate to Settings > Ship Methods & Rates

2Click the appropriate tab: Custom Shipping or Advanced Custom Shipping - International

3Locate the shipping method you want to edit in the list

4Use the action links on the right:

• Update: Change the shipping method name or visibility settings
• Delete: Permanently remove the shipping method
• Edit Rates: Modify price brackets (for price-based methods)
• Edit Weights: Modify weight brackets (for weight-based methods)

Temporarily Disable Methods

Instead of deleting seasonal or promotional shipping methods:

1Click Update for the method

2Uncheck both Visible (Storefront) and Visible (Admin)

3Save changes

The method remains configured but won't display anywhere. Re-enable by checking the visibility boxes when needed.

Reorder Shipping Methods

Control the display order of shipping methods in the list:

1Use the Move section at the bottom of the method list

2Select a shipping method from the dropdown

3Choose Before or After another method

4Select the target method from the second dropdown

5Click Move

Delete Shipping Methods

To permanently delete a method:

1Click Delete next to the shipping method

2Confirm the deletion when prompted

Managing Shipping Method Visibility

Every custom shipping method includes visibility controls that determine where the method appears: customer checkout, admin order creation, or both.

Visibility Options Explained

Visible (Storefront):

• Check this box to display the method to customers during checkout
• Customers can select this method when placing orders
• Most customer-facing shipping methods should have this enabled

Visible (Admin):

• Check this box to make the method available when admin users create orders
• Appears in the shipping method dropdown during manual order creation
• Available when fulfilling orders and creating shipping labels

Both Checked (Most Common):

• Method available everywhere: customer checkout and admin panel
• Recommended for standard shipping methods you want universally available

Neither Checked:

• Method is disabled and won't appear anywhere
• Useful to temporarily deactivate methods without deleting them
• Preserves rate configuration for future reactivation

Use Cases for Admin-Only Methods

Create shipping methods visible only to admin users for:

• Manual Order Processing: Special handling fees for phone orders that require verification
• Local Pickup: Zero-cost option where admin confirms customer eligibility
• Special Accounts: Negotiated rates for wholesale customers (admin applies manually)
• Exception Handling: One-off shipping methods for unique customer situations

Use Cases for Storefront-Only Methods

Create methods visible only during customer checkout for:

• Promotional Shipping: Limited-time offers only available to online customers
• Self-Service Options: Methods customers can choose without admin intervention
• Marketing Campaigns: Special shipping tied to specific promotions

Naming Conventions

• Use clear, descriptive names that include cost or conditions
• Good: "Free Shipping over $100", "Standard Flat Rate - $9.99"
• Avoid: "Method 1", "Shipping Option", "Standard"
• Include country names for international methods: "Canada Flat Rate"

Price Bracket Configuration

• Ensure price ranges don't overlap to avoid confusion
• Leave "High" blank on your highest tier for unlimited upper range
• Use .01 increments between tiers (e.g., 50.00 ends, 50.01 begins)
• Set Cost to 0 for free shipping tiers
• Test with orders at tier boundaries to verify correct behavior

Weight Bracket Configuration

• Verify all products have accurate weights in your catalog
• Choose "Entire Basket" for most scenarios unless scaling by weight is needed
• Test weight calculations before going live
• Consider dimensional weight for bulky items

Combining Methods

• Offer 2-4 shipping options to avoid overwhelming customers
• Combine real-time carrier rates with custom methods (e.g., add "Free over $100" to carrier rates)
• Provide at least one economy/budget option and one faster option
• Test to ensure methods display correctly and don't conflict

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• ❌ Creating too many shipping options (confuses customers)
• ❌ Using vague names like "Option 1" or "Standard"
• ❌ Overlapping price or weight ranges
• ❌ Forgetting to enable visibility checkboxes
• ❌ Not testing methods before launch
• ❌ Deleting methods instead of temporarily disabling them

Test Your Custom Shipping Methods

Before making methods live, test them thoroughly:

For Price-Based Methods:

• Place test orders at different price points to verify correct brackets apply
• Test at tier boundaries (e.g., $49.99, $50.00, $50.01)
• Confirm free shipping thresholds trigger at the correct order total
• Verify visibility settings work as intended (storefront vs admin)

For Weight-Based Methods:

• Create test orders with different total weights
• Verify weight brackets calculate correctly
• Test "Apply to Entire Basket" vs "Per Weight Unit" calculations
• Confirm product weights are accurate in your catalog

For International Methods:

• Test orders with international addresses to verify methods display
• Confirm country-specific methods only appear for selected countries
• Test with addresses in your supported country list
• Verify methods don't appear for non-supported countries