How to Set Up Free Shipping on Shopify: The Ultimate Guide

Merchants often seek to offer free shipping on Shopify, and this comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process. Whether you're looking to set up automatic free shipping, create product-specific shipping rates, offer discount codes, or remove free shipping when needed, we’ve got you covered.

Why Offer Free Shipping on Shopify?

Free shipping is highly attractive to consumers. It's a key factor in encouraging purchases, reducing cart abandonment rates, and building trust with first-time buyers. It also provides a competitive edge for store owners. For shoppers, free shipping is an opportunity to save money, often making them return to stores that offer this benefit. In addition, many consumers prefer having multiple shipping options, especially if one of those options is free.

Things to Consider When Using Free Shipping on Shopify

While free shipping is a great incentive, there are a few considerations for growing stores. First, make sure free shipping is financially feasible for your business. If not, you might have to raise product prices to offset shipping costs. Also, factor in additional fees from carriers, especially for large or heavy items. It’s important to set conditions to protect your margins. Additionally, ensure that transaction fees and other costs are covered by the product price.

Setting Up Automatic Free Shipping on Shopify

If you'd like to set up automatic free shipping across all products in your store, follow these steps:

1. Log In to Shopify and navigate to the Shipping and delivery settings under Settings.
2. In the General shipping rates, click Manage.
3. Add a shipping zone, such as the United States, where free shipping will apply.
4. Click Add rate, name the shipping rate, and set the price to 0.
5. Save the changes.

Automatic free shipping will now be applied to the chosen shipping zone.

Setting Free Shipping Based on Purchase Value or Weight

Free Shipping Based on Purchase Value:

1. Log in to Shopify and go to Shipping and delivery.
2. Click Manage under General shipping rates.
3. Add a new rate, name it, and set the price to 0.
4. Click Add conditions, select Based on order price, and set the minimum amount required for free shipping.
5. Save your changes.

Free Shipping Based on Weight:

1. Navigate to Shipping and delivery and click Manage.
2. Add a new rate, set the price to 0, and click Add conditions.
3. Choose Based on item weight, set the minimum weight for free shipping, and save.

Offering Free Shipping Discount Codes

You can also offer free shipping through discount codes, which require customers to enter the code at checkout. To create a free shipping discount code:

1. Log in to Shopify and go to Discounts.
2. Click Create discount, then select Free shipping.
3. Generate a discount code, set conditions like minimum purchase, and set a usage limit if necessary.
4. Save the discount code, and it will be available for customers to use.

Adding Free Shipping to Specific Products

To offer free shipping on specific products, create a custom shipping profile:

1. Navigate to Shipping and delivery under Settings.
2. Under Custom shipping rates, click Create new profile and select the products you want to offer free shipping for.
3. Create a shipping zone for these products, then add the free shipping rate by setting the price to 0 and adding any necessary conditions.
4. Save your changes.

Turning Off Free Shipping on Shopify

To disable or edit free shipping:

1. Go to Shipping and delivery in Settings.
2. Select the profile or shipping rate you want to edit or delete.
3. Click Manage and choose Edit rate to make changes or Delete to remove the rate.
4. Save the changes.

FAQs About Free Shipping on Shopify

• Can I combine free shipping with discounts?
  Yes, but you can only use one discount code at a time. Free shipping can be combined with store-set shipping options, not discount codes.

• Who pays for shipping on Shopify?
  Merchants are responsible for covering shipping costs, though Shopify's shipping partners (like FedEx, DHL, UPS) can help compare rates.

Conclusion

Free shipping is a powerful tool to boost sales and improve the shopping experience on Shopify. With this guide, you can easily set up automatic free shipping, create product-specific shipping rates, offer discount codes, or remove free shipping when necessary. If you need more customization, consider partnering with a professional Shopify developer to enhance your store even further.