Introduction:

In the fast-paced world of online selling, keeping your Shopify store running smoothly involves handling orders and deliveries efficiently. A game-changer in this process is Third-Party Logistics (3PL) integration. So, in this guide, we’ll explore what 3PL integration is and how it can make a big difference in how well your Shopify store performs.

Understanding 3PL Integration:

What is 3PL Integration?

Imagine if you didn’t have to worry about storing products, packing orders, or managing deliveries. So, that’s where 3PL comes in. It stands for Third-Party Logistics, and when integrated into Shopify, it means your store links up seamlessly with a company that takes care of all these tasks. This integration makes everything work together, allowing you to focus more on growing your business and less on managing the nitty-gritty details.

The Shopify Advantage:

Shopify is like a trusted friend for businesses setting up shop online. It’s easy to use, has excellent features, and can connect with other services, like 3PL providers. So, you benefit from a smooth-running Shopify store while optimizing your logistics without any hassle.

Next, let’s look at why adding 3PL integration to your Shopify store is smart, how you can set it up, and what perks it brings to the table.

Why Consider 3PL Integration for Your Shopify Store:

Scaling Up:

As your business grows, so do your orders and deliveries. So, this is where 3PL integration shines. Overall, it helps you handle more orders, store more products, and get packages out the door faster. In another sense, consider it a way to keep up with your growing success without slowing down.

Making Things Easier:

Who wouldn’t want things to be easier? 3PL integration does just that by automating tasks like getting orders ready and keeping track of your products. This means fewer mistakes, quicker order processing, and more time for you to focus on what you do best.

How to Set Up 3PL Integration with Shopify:

Using the Shopify App Store:

Setting up 3PL integration with Shopify is a breeze, thanks to the Shopify App Store. Here, you’ll find different apps designed to simplify connecting with popular 3PL providers. So, these apps act as bridges, linking your Shopify store to the systems of your chosen 3PL provider. Pick an app that fits your needs, and you’re ready.

Going a Bit Custom:

API integration is another option for those who want something more tailored to their business. Don’t let the tech talk scare you. This means you can create a more personalized connection between your Shopify store and your 3PL provider. It’s like getting a custom-made suit – perfect for your unique requirements.

Now, let’s look at some cool features that come with Shopify 3PL integration and how they can make a real difference in managing your deliveries.

Features and Benefits of Shopify 3PL Integration:

Speedy Order Fulfillment:

When someone buys something from your Shopify store, Shopify 3PL integration steps in. It ensures the order details quickly move to your 3PL provider, who takes care of packing and sending out the products. So, it’s like having a super-fast assembly line for your orders, reducing errors, and getting things shipped in a flash.

Keeping Tabs on Inventory:

Knowing how much stock you have is crucial. Shopify 3PL integration keeps your Shopify store up to date with real-time info on your products. So, as orders go out and new stock comes in, you always know exactly what’s on your shelves. Therefore, there are no more guessing games – just precise, accurate stock levels.

Easy Shipping and Tracking:

Shopify 3PL integration takes care of the shipping details for you. It automatically updates your Shopify store with shipping info and tracking details. This means your customers get accurate and timely updates on their orders. Plus, it eases the load on your customer support team, as customers can check the status of their shipments themselves.

In the next section, we’ll share tips on choosing the right 3PL provider for your Shopify integration, looking at compatibility, cost, and services.

Tips for Picking the Right 3PL Provider:

Checking Compatibility:

Choosing a 3PL provider that works seamlessly with Shopify is crucial. Remember, it’s essential to have systems that talk to each other effortlessly. Thus, look for providers with a track record of successful integrations with stores like yours, and ask about any potential challenges.

Counting the Costs:

While it’s nice to have everything run smoothly, you also want it to be cost-effective. Different 3PL providers offer various service packages. Thus, you’ll want to pick the one that matches your needs. So, consider warehousing costs, order fulfillment charges, and any extra services they offer.

Wrapping It Up:

In conclusion, making your Shopify store work even better with 3PL integration is smart. Whether using apps from the Shopify App Store or going for API integration, the key is to pick a 3PL provider that fits your business goals and easily connects with your Shopify store. By tapping into the cool features of Shopify 3PL integration, you’re setting your online business up for success in a competitive market.

If you’re an e-commerce store looking to grow your sales, you must get serious about pop-ups.

Contrary to popular belief, pop-ups don’t have to be annoying. Executed correctly, they have the power to make a big difference in your conversions. It all goes down to segmenting them correctly and making them relevant to your visitor.

Today, we will look at the seven best pop-up tools you can use to take your conversion to new heights. Let’s get started:

1. Privy

Privy grows your sales with exit-intent popups, flyouts, announcement bars, and more. It’s a valuable tool if you’re looking to increase your email list and reduce cart abandonment.

The easy-to-use program makes it easy to experiment and tweak your email popups. You can test different messages based on color, design, display time, and more to see what works the best, even with no coding skills.

Another area where Privy excels is segmentation. To make your popups relevant to the visitor, you can segment them based on which country they come from, how they landed on your website, how much they have in their shopping cart, etc.

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2. Sumo

Sumo is a top-rated conversion tool trusted by over 600,000 businesses worldwide. The platform includes multiple features to help stores win more sales, generate conversions, and increase subscribers.

From the platform admin, you can create unique offers and discounts to get your customers’ attention. By making customers sign up, you’ll increase your store’s average order value and boost sales.

Just as shoppers are about to leave their cart, Sumo reaches out with a popup that encourages them to follow through with their purchase. It also retargets customers with a follow-up email when subscribers view your product without buying.

 

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3. Justuno Pop Ups

Justuno uses artificial intelligence to boost conversions with pop-ups, exit offers, countdown timers, and more. It offers endless ways to customize your upsell and cross-sell offers.

The platform’s AI software analyzes billions of data points to tailor pop-ups based on each visitor. It tracks visit frequency, geolocation, cart value, and more to ensure your store sends the right message at the right time.

Justuno comes with advanced analytics to track your marketing success and measure performance. You’ll gain exact insights into what strategies work and what don’t.

 

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4. Omnisend

Omnisend is one of Shopify’s most popular email marketing apps, with a near-perfect 4.7 rating. It connects your email efforts with other channels such as SMS, Facebook, and Google.

On top of using pop-ups to generate sales, you can optimize your landing pages for conversion. It’s also known for its Wheel of Fortune pop-up that offers customers the chance to win a special voucher on your store.

 

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5. Salespop

Social proof is a powerful tool for conversion. 91% of customers trust reviews as much as their own friends and family.

Sales Pop helps you use social proof to boost sales by displaying real-time customer activity. When visitors know that others are buying from your store, they are more likely to buy themselves. It also makes your store look busy and creates urgency.

The app does this by connecting to your Shopify and tracking recent sales. Customers will also be able to click on the pop-up to look at the purchased product.

 

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6. Pixelpop

With Pixelpop, you can capture visitors’ emails and sync them to Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Constant Contact, or Conversio. You can also add banners that display special offers, such as free shipping.

Pixelpop has various ways to style and customize pop-ups on your store. The different types of pop-ups you can use on your website include email signups, announcements, coupon codes, social follow, etc. The sky’s the limit!

Pixelpop doesn’t require any coding background to get started and only takes a few seconds to install on your store.

 

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7. Wisepops E-commerce Pop-Ups

Thanks to its drag-and-drop editor, Wisepops makes it possible to create high-converting emails within seconds.

One aspect that makes Wisepops stand out from other popup tools is its vast choice of templates. The platform makes it easy to find designs that reflect your brand.

Wisepops sends the right message at the right time with contextual targeting. You can target customers based on various factors such as their cart value, their timezone, location, and more.

 

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Conclusion

Pop-ups are great for growing your email list and landing more sales. We hope this list of tools will help you pick the right pop-up tool for your business. Experiment with each platform and see which fits you the best!

A vital shipping program is central to e-commerce success. Very few e-commerce companies, however, know how to set one up. This guide will walk you through how to set up shipping on your Shopify store [and more].

It doesn’t matter if you have the best user experience and products on your website. Without the right shipping strategy to satisfy customers, you’re shooting yourself in the foot.

For example, a customer finds a product they like from your store and adds it to their cart. They discover your high shipping rates and start hesitating in their purchase. They search the web and look for cheaper alternatives. Next thing you know, they’re ditching their cart and going to your competition.

In this complete guide, you’ll learn everything about setting up a shipping strategy on Shopify to ensure this never happens. Here’s what we’ll cover (click any topic to jump ahead):

  1. Why you need a shipping strategy.
  2. Shopify’s default shipping options.
  3. How to set up shipping zones and rates from the Shopify admin.
  4. Should you offer free shipping?
  5. How to offer free shipping on Shopify.
  6. How to pick the proper packaging for orders.
  7. The best shipping tactics you can use to boost your business.
  8. Useful shipping apps you can download off Shopify.
  9. Use our Shipping on Shopify checklist to get started.

Let’s dive in.

Why You Need a Shipping Strategy

Your shipping strategy is what could make or break your online sales.

Don’t believe us? Check out these statistics:

One thing to note is that your shipping strategy will change over time. For example, you might change your shipping carriers, price, unboxing material, etc.

What’s important is defining a game plan now and continuing to adjust as you grow.

Understanding the Different Default Shipping Options on Shopify

When you sign up with Shopify, the platform offers three different plans: BasicShopify, and Advanced.

Each plan you choose has different options and discounts when it comes to shipping. Depending on your Shopify plan, you might be eligible for reduced shipping rates from these three carriers:

Let’s take a look at how each Shopify plan differs from each other:

 Basic PlanShopify PlanAdvanced Plan
Monthly Price$29/Mo$79/Mo$299/Mo
What does the plan consist of?All the basics for starting a new businessEverything you need for a growing businessAdvanced features for scaling your business
Shipping Discountup to 64%up to 72%up to 74%
Print Shipping LabelsYesYesYes
USPS Priority Mail Cubic pricing YesYes

As you can see from the table above, the higher you upgrade, the more discounts you’ll get on shipping and labels. While each plan offers the possibility to print shipping labels, the basic plan doesn’t come with USPS Priority Mail Cubic pricing.

While Shopify offers reasonable rates, you’ll still gain more value using a shipping app. With Essential Hub, we connect all your eCommerce operations so you can get the best discounts and save up to 35% on shipping.

Shopify Shipping – How to Set up Zones and Rates

Once you decide which plan is the right fit for your business, it’s time to get started on your shipping strategy. The first thing you’ll have to do is set up your zones from the Shopify admin.

What Is a Shipping Zone?

On Shopify, a shipping zone is a specific location based on region or country. It defines where your package is shipping from and to which destination.

Your shipping zones play a vital role in setting up your rates. Typically, the farther you ship the item, the higher shipping costs will be.

Here’s how you can define your shipping zone from the Shopify admin:

Step 1: Go to the Shipping Section From Your Admin

From your admin dashboard, click on “Settings” at the bottom left on your screen. Click on “Shipping” to start setting your zones and rates.

Step 2: Click on “Manage Rates”

Once you land on the shipping section, hover over the “General shipping rates” section and click on “manage rates.”

Step 3: Scroll Down and Click on “Create Shipping Zones”

On the “manage rates” section, You’ll get to see all of the products that you added to your store. Scroll down underneath to get access to your shipping zones.

In the example above, we already defined some specific rules for shipping in the US. We’re offering shipping for product orders of $25 and up.

To create a new shipping zone, click on “create shipping zones”.

Step 4: Name Your Shipping Zone and Add Countries

In the textbox, add a name to your shipping zone to differentiate it from others.

When you create your zone, you can search and select countries where you want to ship. Once you choose them, click Done.

Step 5: Add Any Rates You Want for the Shipping Zone

Once you create your shipping zone, you can start adding rates that apply to it. You can set your own prices and let the shipping carrier do it.

Should You Offer Free Shipping?

As you set up your shipping zones and rates, you may ask yourself — should I offer free shipping or not?

You already know that customers love it. 91% of online customers will leave an eCommerce store if they don’t offer free shipping.

As practical as it may be for customers, free shipping might not be appropriate for your business. There are many different factors to consider before offering free shipping.

Here are a couple of things to consider before you make the jump and offer free shipping on your store:

You’ve Calculated Your Profit Margins

First, you’ll have to do some math to determine if free shipping is right for your business.

Keep in mind that you’re the one who’s going to have to cover the shipping costs. That often means you’ll have to increase the price of your product to cover costs.

You also have to be careful when raising the price of your item — you want the price to cover shipping and marketing costs but not high enough that it scares away customers from buying from you.

A good strategy on Shopify is to offer free shipping when a specific amount of items are ordered, which we’ll get into later.

Your Supplier Offers Free Shipping

Whether or not you should offer free shipping also depends on your supplier.

If the supplier you choose offers free shipping, then it’s ideal to offer free shipping to your customers. In this case, it won’t be fair to charge them for shipping costs.

If they don’t offer free shipping, however, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to cover the shipping costs and make your customers pay for them.

The Competition Is Offering Free Shipping

If competitors in your niche are offering free shipping as part of their strategy, then it’s best that you do the same.

You don’t want your store to be falling behind everyone. However, even if the competition isn’t offering free shipping, it could still be a way to make your business stand out from the crowd.

Online customers value free shipping during their purchase. If they explore their options and see that you’re the only one who offers free shipping, they’re most likely to pick you.

Your Customers’ Location

Ask yourself: where are your customers located? Are you only shipping to the United States, or do you have customers overseas as well?

The customer’s location has a significant influence on your shipping costs. That’s why it might be better for your store to offer free shipping only to specific locations.

How to Offer Free Shipping on Shopify

Once you’ve considered all these things and decided if your business will offer free shipping, it’s time to set it up on Shopify.

There are various ways you can set up your free shipping options from the Shopify admin. You can offer free shipping based on the following criteria:

Let’s take a look at the different steps and ways you can set up your free shipping:

Step 1: Go to the Shipping Section From Your Admin

Similarly to setting your shipping zones, click “Settings” at the bottom left of the Shopify admin. After that, click on
“shipping.”

Step 2: Click on “Manage Rates”

Once you land on the page for “Manage Rates,” you want to scroll down and click the specific zone where you want to offer free shipping.

Step 3: Click on “Add Rate”

To set up your free shipping, click on “add rate.” It’s where you can create specific conditions for free shipping to apply.

Step 4: Type in Free Shipping and Click on “Add Conditions”

When you click on “add rate,” you’ll receive this popup on your Shopify admin:

In the text box, type “Free Shipping” to differentiate the rate from others. Next, click on the “add conditions” button to define the conditions of your free shipping.

Step 5: Offer Free Shipping Based on Product Weight or Order Price

When you click on “add conditions,” Shopify offers you two choices: either provide free shipping based on weight or product price.

If you want free shipping based on order price, check the “Based on order price” box. You’ll be able to provide a minimum order amount for customers to qualify for free shipping.

However, to offer free shipping based on item weight, check the “Based on item weight” box. Here’s what will pop up on your Shopify admin:

From there, type in the minimum item weight, and you’re good to go.

Choosing the Right Kind of Packaging for Your Orders

Packing is one of the most significant factors of a successful shipping strategy. You don’t want to make the mistake of spending more than you have on packaging or choosing the wrong material to transport your product.

Here’s how your store can select the proper packaging to fulfill your orders:

Determine Your Packaging Budget

First, you’ll need to assess your current budget for packaging.

How much money you’re willing to invest determines the packaging material you’ll use. For example, a popular brand option is corrugated cardboard, which ranges from around $.075 to $0.95.

It’s also possible to get free packaging from Shopify’s three leading carriers: DHL ExpressUPS, and USPS. You can order your free shipping supplies online or pick them up. Check out free shipping supplies from the USPS here.

Pick the Appropriate Packaging Weight and Material

Since the shipping cost relies on the size and weight of your products, you want the packaging to be light. Your box should be big enough to transport your product but not heavy to the point it inflates your shipping costs.

For the best delivery, your order must be protected with suitable material. Here are examples of different types of packaging material you can choose from:

Paper and Cardboard

Cardboard is one of the best packaging materials for shipping. It’s low-cost, durable, and is easy to customize to reflect the look and feel of your brand. It’s particularly useful when it comes to shipping heavy products.

Poly Mailer

Poly mailers are lightweight and adjust to different product weights. They’re ideal if you’re shipping products that don’t need much cushioning, such as socks or shirts.

Plastic

What makes plastic practical for shipping is that it’s lightweight and flexible. As a result, you’ll be able to ship more items with less packaging material.

Airbags

Airbags are handy when filling up empty spaces in your packaging box. It’s something you want to consider if you sell items with sharp edges. They also act as cushioning for fragile objects.

Glass and Jars

The glass looks great aesthetically, and its transparent material makes your product visible. The obvious disadvantage, of course, is that it’s pretty fragile and can break during transportation.

To pick suitable packaging for your product, find and assemble different materials. From there, select the best fit for the product you plan to ship. While the outside might be plain, you can still create an incredible unboxing experience with a few simple additions inside the packaging.

Make Sure the Packaging Gets From Point A to Point B

It doesn’t matter how fancy your packaging looks. If your packaging can’t travel without being damaged, it will be useless.

It all goes back to picking the suitable material for packaging. If your packaging material isn’t strong enough, customers will receive broken or damaged products.

It will cost you less to invest in adequate packaging design than replacing damaged products.

Tactics You Can Use to Boost Your Shipping Strategy

As you can see from the above, Shopify makes it easy to set up and manage your shipping. If you want the best results, however, you also need some strategy.

Use Third-Party Shipping Software

If you’re handling one or two orders a day, then you won’t mind using the Shopify platform to print shipping labels. Once your volume rises, however, you’ll want to use a software program to help. Effective shipping software provides better rates, automation (always selecting the best price for the desired service level), and the ability to print labels either all at once or one at a time.

Essential Hub integrates with different software solutions to provide our clients with the best system for what they need. If you have any questions about the software, please reach out using the contact form at the end of this post.

Offer Free Shipping Without Hurting Your Profits

As mentioned earlier, free shipping is an effective way to capture customers’ attention and stand out from competitors. It’s a marketing tactic that can skyrocket your sales and continually drive new customers.

There’s a catch; however, remember that you need to think about how free shipping could potentially affect your profit margin. While free shipping can boost sales, you’ll have to cover all shipping costs as well.

One way to effectively do this is to offer free shipping when customers pay a certain amount in your store. It could help you squeeze in some cash to pay for shipping.

Let’s say, for example, that your average order cost is $22. To invite customers to pay more in your store without feeling like they’re being tricked into buying more, you can offer free shipping for orders above $25.

Alternatively, you can offer free shipping on any order with a particular product. You can choose those that you know have higher margins and can cover the cost of free shipping.

Another option is to offer a membership program for customers who seek free shipping. Customers are charged a yearly or monthly fee in exchange for free shipping on items.

It’s all about testing what works and making changes from there.

Make Your Order Fulfillment and Return Policies Clear

Your store needs a concise order policy that sets clear expectations between you and your customers. Setting clear expectations is a simple tip when getting started in shipping.

Online shoppers want access to all relevant information about shipping. They need to know where you ship to and when they can expect the item to arrive.

One thing that matters to them, in particular, is your shipping cost.

For example, if part of your strategy is to offer free shipping, you need to mention this the second visitors land on your home page. Doing so could completely transform your conversions.

When announcing free shipping on your website theme, make sure you make it work in the Shopify backend by setting it as a rule. This can be done by making an announcement under your theme settings.

If you’re delivering overseas, customers need to know exactly how much they’ll pay to cover shipping. Nobody likes nasty surprises.

Here are some questions that your shipping policy should cover:

Charge by Flat Rate

Flat rate shipping consists of offering a single rate for shipping an item, regardless of weight or size.

It means that the value or size of products doesn’t get taken into account. For many eCommerce brands, this simplifies the shipping process and encourages buyers to spend more.

For example, for each order, you could offer a flat rate of $5.

Setting up a flat rate is a good strategy if you’re starting out and don’t know how much your shipping costs will be. However, you can still offer different rates based on how fast the customer wants to receive the item.

For example, if customers really want to get your product in two days, you can set up a special rate for two-day shipping on Shopify. They’ll receive the item faster, expecting that they’ll have to pay a higher flat rate.

Get Insurance for High-Value or Fragile Items

If you’re selling an expensive or fragile item, you want to ensure you get insurance to protect it in case issues arise.

Insurance is handy if your product gets lost, stolen, or broken during shipping. When something goes wrong, you’ll need to prove the item’s value, and the insurer will pay you back the total amount.

While insurance is helpful, remember that you might have to raise your shipping rates to cover it. Logistical services such as USPS, UPS, and DHL only offer free insurance for items up to $100.

Alternatively, there are some really great services out there, like Route, an app we will review below. They let the customer add insurance at checkout and manage any issues with lost, stolen, or damaged packages.

Actively Engage With Customers During Ship”
ing With Email Marketing

Once the item gets shipped out, it’s an excellent time to engage with customers and improve their experience with your brand.

A good tactic is to send email updates to your customers once the item ships. You can also feature sales and promotions for other products that could interest them.

Check out this perfect example from The Dollar Shave Club. Each time a customer buys from their store, they receive an order confirmation email with the shipping date and items they can buy before the product ships:

Offer Same-Day Delivery

Offering same-day delivery can boost your sales and make you stand out from other stores. 61% of customers will pay extra bucks to get their products shipped the same day.

Same-day delivery is a great way to boost customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Best Buy, for example, has rolled out same-day delivery since 2015:

To take advantage of same-day delivery, customers must order with Best Buy Before 3 p.m. local time. It’s available seven days a week, and shipping costs depend on the product.

When offering same-day delivery, you need to measure how it’s impacting your sales. If more transactions are driven thanks to it, and it’s enough to pay for shipping, then it’s a good strategy.

To set up same-day delivery on Shopify, take advantage of their same-day app – you can find it on the app store. To set up local delivery, you’ll need to turn on one of your locations as available. You can do this through the Admin panel settings Shipping and Delivery button Local Delivery section (click manage next to a location).

Create An Incredible Unboxing Experience

Your goal as an online store should always be to stand out from the crowd. One excellent way you can do this is to ensure customers remember to open your packages every time.

A unique unboxing experience makes your business memorable and leaves customers hungry for more. As a result, you’ll create a loyal customer base that will repeatedly return to your site.

Here are some ideas of how you can do this:

The best part is that you don’t have to spend much money creating custom packages for all the different sizes you ship. With stickers on the outside and cool stuff inside, you can make any package stand out!

Useful Apps That Will Up Your Shipping on Shopify

Before we conclude, there are many apps you can use on Shopify that make the shipping process so much easier for you and your customers.

Here are the best apps you can integrate on your Shopify store to better manage shipping at each stage of the product delivery:

1. Free Shipping Bar

Free Shipping Bar is a tool that displays your free shipping offer in a bar on your website that you can easily customize. Its goal is to encourage customers to add to their carts and buy more.

As customers add more to their cart, the Free Shipping Bar will show them progressive messages on how much they have left before they get free shipping.

You can congratulate customers once they have landed on a free shipping offer and measure the results of each bar to see which free shipping goals create more sales.

As a bonus, its currency detection features make it easy to auto-detect the local currencies of visitors. The platform then converts the free shipping amount with real-time exchange rates.

Pricing:
 

2. Parcelify

Parcelify makes it simple to create custom rates for your Shopify store.

With Parcelify, you control the shipping pricing and options that customers see during checkout. Customers can get live, accurate rates of what they’re actually paying for shipping.

Parcefily also comes with local delivery and in-store pickup. With cheaper options to receive their product, you’ll satisfy customers and drive more repeat purchases.

Pricing:
 

3. AfterShip

Tracking and managing each customer shipment can be a time-consuming headache. Aftership cuts the work in half by tracking all shipments across 600+ carriers in one place.

AfterShip is currently being used by more than 30,000 Shopify stores worldwide. You’ll be able to keep customers updated on the placement of their orders and when they can expect delivery.

As a result, your store will see a drastic decrease in customer inquiries and complaints.

Pricing:

4. Tracktor

The modern customer has higher expectations than before. One of those expectations is expedited shipping and being able to track down exactly when their item arrives.

That’s where Tracktor comes in.

Tracktor makes it easy for customers and store owners to track down the delivery of a shipped item. The platform integrates with hundreds of carriers across the globe, so you can track exactly where the package is going.

The best part? You can do all of this from a single app. Customers won’t have to come to you and ask, “Where’s my order?” anymore. As a result, you’ll boost customer satisfaction and reduce support costs.

Pricing:

5. Route – Shipping Insurance

Route

No one can predict what can happen to your product during shipping, which is why getting insurance is so important.

Route is a tool that offers insurance on any item that gets lost broken or stolen during delivery. Customers gain peace of mind knowing that their purchases are guaranteed, and you get to keep more of your revenue.

Since Route covers the cost of refunds, you won’t be losing any money. The app is also 100% free for merchants and only takes a few minutes to set up on your store.

Pricing:
 

6. Aftership Returns Center

As frustrating as custom returns can be, there’s software you can use to handle returns more efficiently. Aftership Returns Center uses automation to track and manage your returns like child’s play.

When you integrate Aftership into your online store, you’ll be able to:

Pricing:

7. Sales Box

Sales Box offers an exciting way to manage shipping and personalize offers for your customers.

Your store can set up different shipping fees and promotions for individual products or countries. Right under the “add to cart” button, customers will have all the shipping information.

Each sales box is fully customizable and easy to edit. No coding knowledge is necessary — you get instant access to templates that make your offer stand out.

Pricing:

Next Steps

There you have it! By following our tips and tricks above, you should have a solid roadmap of where to go with your shipping strategy. It might require some testing, but soon enough, you’ll be able to blow customers away with your fantastic service and delivery.

It can be a headache figuring out your exact shipping rates. There are many factors involved, and if you’re relying on third-party software or a marketplace, then you can be reliant on the rates they give you.

One mistake to avoid is overcharging your customers for shipping. If shipping rates are too high, customers will abandon their carts.

At the same time, you don’t want your shipping rates to be too low. Scaling a business while eating high shipping costs is a recipe for disaster.

So what’s the solution? As a business owner, you likely have other priorities than calculating your shipping costs. It’s the reason why you need to have real-time carrier shipping that helps do the job for you.

What is Real-Time Carrier Shipping?

Real-time carrier shipping consists of software that automatically calculates the shipping rates for buyers during checkout. It considers factors such as product weight and shipping destination to charge the proper rates.

Here are some of the benefits that come with adding real-time carrier shipping to your store:

Avoid Calculating Shipping Rates Yourself

Real-time carrier shipping helps take the guesswork out of calculating shipping costs. Just as buyers are about to checkout, they instantly get access to rates without you manually calculating it yourself.

As a result, you’ll gain extra time to focus on what truly matters the most — running your business. You gain peace of mind knowing you’re charging the correct shipping rates each time.

Charge Customers the Right Amount for Shipping

There are many things to take into account when charging your shipping rates. If you’re not setting up your rates correctly, you risk losing potential sales and revenue over shipping costs.

Real-time carrier shipping ensures you charge the correct amount each time, even if you’re shipping your items overseas.

Provide Transparency to Customers

Any friction during the buying process will cause customers to drop their shopping carts, so you want to ensure they don’t get nasty surprises.

Real-time shipping gives customers an idea of how much exactly they’ll be paying for shipping. As a result, they’ll be more likely to follow through with their purchase.

It’s important to note on the product page that shipping charges will be calculated at checkout—that way, they know exactly what to expect.

Your Carrier Options on Shopify

Shopify has three leading shipping carriers: USPSUPS, and FedEx. At checkout, customers will get to see the negotiated rates based on the carrier that you selected.

The carrier-calculated shipping feature typically comes with the Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus Plans. However, you can add it for $20/month, no matter which plan you’re currently on.

Let’s dive into the requirements for each carrier and how you can connect them on Shopify:

USPS

To start with USPS, you must register for a USPS User ID by signing up on their web tools registration form. The ID will give you access to package tracking and shipping rates.

From there, here’s how you can connect your shipping rates to USPS from the Shopify admin:

  1. Go to Settings > Shipping and delivery
  2. Go to the accounts and integration section and click on Manage Integrations.
  3. Add USPS as the shipping carrier you want to connect
  4. Enter your USPS User ID in the Connect USPS dialog
  5. At this point, you can add USPS rates to your current shipping zones, even those that don’t currently use USPS rates.

UPS

To calculate your shipping rates with UPS, you must create an account on their official website. Setting up your account is going to be free of charge.

The next step is to find your custom shipping number to connect with UPS. If your UPS account doesn’t have a shipping number yet, you will have to register for one as well.

Here are the different steps to follow when connecting your UPS account on Shopify:

  1. Go to Settings > Shipping and delivery
  2. Go to the accounts and integration section and click on Manage Integrations.
  3. Add UPS as a shipping carrier
  4. Enter your UPS credentials in the Connect UPS dialog
  5. Click Submit and continue
  6. Add your account and invoice details on the Verify your UPS® account dialog.
  7. Click submit

FedEx

FedEx is a popular carrier option for many stores. To set it up on Shopify, you must first create a FedEx account on their official website. The different types of shipping rates you can offer customers with FedEx include:

Here’s how to connect to FedEx as a shipping carrier from the Shopify admin:

  1. Go to Settings > Shipping and delivery
  2. Go to the accounts and integration section and click on Manage Integrations.
  3. Add FedEx as a carrier.
  4. Enter your FedEx credentials in the Connect FedEx dialog
  5. Select whether you want to add FedEx rates to your existing shipping zones
  6. Click Save

As a business owner, you likely have other priorities than calculating your shipping costs. It’s the reason why you need to have real-time carrier shipping that helps do the job for you.

Learn How to Get the Best Shipping Rates Today

Connecting a carrier to your Shopify store is one of the best ways to estimate shipping rates. By charging customers the exact price, you won’t have to worry about overcharging them or losing money.

When selecting a carrier, you should understand some of the benefits and negatives associated with each carrier. Not everyone can offer free shipping, at least not immediately, but you should review these tips to see how to do it.

Getting reasonable rates involves negotiating with each carrier to get the best rates. Another method is using third-party software that has previously negotiated rates plugged into their software.

Essential Hub works with all our customers to ensure they’re getting the best rates and are taking advantage of a multi-carrier shipping approach. Find out how we can get you up and shipping with better rates immediately!