Discover the best shipping strategy for your store – flat-rate or calculated shipping?
Shipping costs make up nearly 90% of order fulfillment expenses.
Choosing the wrong method can lead to overcharging or financial losses.
WooCommerce offers two main shipping options: Flat-rate & Calculated Shipping.
Fixed fee per order, item, or shipping class.
Simple to set up and easy for customers to understand.
Predictable pricing improves conversion rates.
Simple & transparent pricing.
No third-party integrations needed.
May overcharge or undercharge customers.
Lacks flexibility for different product types.
Uses real-time carrier rates (UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc.).
Charges based on weight, dimensions, and destination.
Provides fair and accurate pricing.
Accurate shipping costs.
Supports multiple shipping speeds.
Fair pricing increases customer trust.
Requires plugins or API integrations.
Sudden high shipping costs may lead to cart abandonment.
Bulk or oversized orders can cause unexpected high shipping costs.
Setting quantity limits helps streamline order fulfillment.
Prevents losses from shipping costs exceeding product profits.
Restrict bulk orders to prevent high shipping costs.
Use product variations for perishable or fragile items.
WooCommerce plugins help automate quantity restrictions.
Set weight-based, category-based, or size-based shipping limits.
Prevent orders over 50 lbs or restrict oversized items to one per order.
Plugins or custom code can enforce these rules.
Flat-rate: Best for simple stores with consistent products.
Calculated: Best for stores with varying product sizes & weights.
Hybrid Approach: Use both for different product categories.
Test different shipping strategies.
Use plugins for better control.
Display shipping costs upfront.
Offer free shipping for high-value orders.