How to Remove Shipping Calculated at Checkout (Full Guide) (2024)

Learning how to remove shipping calculated at checkout can be essential for Shopify store owners. Depending on your shipping settings, Shopify may automatically add a shipping rate to customers’ orders during checkout. This can often lead to higher order values and, as a result, increased shipping costs.

Posted 2 years ago by Jonathan Kennedy

In this comprehensive article, we are going to discuss everything you need to know about shipping calculated at checkout on Shopify, including why it may be happening and how you can remove it. By the end of this article, your customers will no longer be seeing any unexpected shipping fees during checkout.

What is shipping calculated at checkout?

When shipping is calculated at checkout, Shopify automatically adds a shipping rate to customers’ orders during the checkout process. This often happens when store owners have their shipping settings configured incorrectly. As a result, customers may see unexpected shipping fees during checkout, which can lead to higher order values and increased shipping costs.

Why is shipping being calculated at checkout?

There are a few reasons why shipping may be calculated at checkout on your Shopify store:

You may have accidentally changed a setting

One of the main reasons why shipping may be calculated at checkout is that you (or someone on your team) accidentally changed a setting in your Shopify admin. If you’re not sure how to check or change this setting, don’t worry! We’ll show you how to do it in just a few steps.

There may be an issue with your shipping zones

If you’re using Shopify’s built-in shipping zones feature, it’s possible that there may be an issue with your shipping zones. For example, if you’ve accidentally deleted a shipping zone or made a change that is no longer valid, this could cause shipping to be calculated at checkout.

Your Theme May Be Causing the Issue

In some cases, shipping may be calculated at checkout because of an issue with your Shopify theme. There are many Shopify themes out there, and not all of them are created equal. Some themes are known to cause issues with shipping, so if you’re using a theme known to be problematic, this could be the root cause of your shipping issue. The good news is, fixing the problem is easy, as we will later discuss in this article.

Note: In case you want your current theme to match your brand but you don’t know where to start, we can help. We have a track record of helping Shopify businesses with their branding. Simply submit a task and let our experts know how they can help.

You may have forgotten to set up shipping

Another possibility is that you forgot to set up shipping on your Shopify store. This is a common mistake made by new store owners, as they may not realize that they need to configure their shipping settings before launch.

You may have incorrectly set up shipping

If you have set up shipping but it’s not working correctly, this could also cause shipping to be calculated at checkout. For example, if you’ve set the wrong shipping rates or your shipping zones are not correctly configured, this could lead to unexpected shipping fees during checkout.

How to remove shipping calculated at checkout

Now that you know the benefits of removing shipping calculated at checkout let’s take a look at how you can do it.

• Log in to your Shopify Admin panel.
• Go to Online Store > Themes> Actions> Edit Languages.
• In the Langauge Editor, search for “Checkout” and click on it.
• In the Checkout section, find the “Shipping” tab and click on it.
• In the Shipping tab, find the “Calculated at checkout.”
• Edit the “Calculated at checkout” setting and change it to. You can change it to “Free shipping”, “Flat rate shipping”, or “Off”.
• Once you’ve made your changes, click on the “Save” button.

That’s it! You’ve successfully removed shipping calculated at checkout on your Shopify store.

If you’re still seeing shipping charges during checkout, ensure you’ve updated your products’ shipping rates. To do this, go to your Shopify Admin panel and navigate Settings > Shipping. From here, you can add, edit, or delete shipping rates for your products.

Benefits of removing shipping calculated at checkout

There are a few benefits of removing shipping calculated at checkout on your Shopify store:

Customers will be more likely to complete their orders

Customers who see unexpected shipping fees during checkout are less likely to complete their orders. This is because they will perceive the fees as being too high. By removing shipping calculated at checkout or setting up free shipping on Shopify, you can increase the likelihood that customers will complete their orders.

Builds trust with customers

When customers see unexpected shipping fees during checkout, they may not trust your store. This is because they may think that you’re trying to hide the true cost of shipping. By removing shipping calculated at checkout, you can build trust with your customers and show them that you’re transparent about the cost of shipping. They will be more likely to come back and shop with you again in the future.

Enhances customer satisfaction

In addition to increasing the likelihood that customers will complete their orders, removing shipping calculated at checkout, and complementing it with discounts Shopify can also enhance customer satisfaction. This is because customers will no longer be surprised by unexpected shipping fees during checkout. As a result, they will be more likely to shop with your store again in the future.

Boosts your sales

Removing shipping calculated at checkout is a surefire way of increasing your sales. As we previously discussed, this is because customers will be more likely to complete their orders when they don’t see any unexpected shipping fees during checkout. But they will also be more likely to shop with your store again, leading to increased sales over time.

To further boost sales, you can set up gift cards on Shopify by creating Shopify gift cards or adding a gift wrap option on Shopify. These two features are known to increase the average order value and, as a result, sales.

Activating third-party carrier-calculated shipping

Another good way to remove the automatic shipping calculated at checkout is to activate third-party carrier-calculated shipping. This is because it allows you to use the shipping rates of popular carriers, such as UPS, FedEx, and USPS. As a result, you can offer your customers more accurate shipping rates during checkout.

There are many benefits of using third-party carrier-calculated shipping. They include:

Offers customers more accurate shipping rates

There is nothing as frustrating as seeing an unexpectedly high shipping fee during checkout. When you use third-party carrier-calculated shipping, you can offer your customers more accurate shipping rates. This is because the shipping rates are pulled directly from the carriers.

Enhances your brand image

When you offer your customers accurate shipping rates, it can enhance your brand image. This is because customers will associate your brand with being customer-friendly and transparent. As a result, they will be more likely to shop with your store again and recommend your store to their friends.

Saves time on shipping rate updates

Another benefit of using third-party carrier-calculated shipping is that it can save you time on shipping rate updates. This is because the shipping rates are automatically updated when the carriers update their rates. As a result, you don’t have to worry about manually updating your shipping rates every time the carriers update their rates.

Boosts customer confidence

Once your customers see that you’re using the shipping rates of popular carriers, it will boost their confidence in your store. This is because they will know that you’re using reliable shipping rates. Eventually, this can lead to more sales and conversions.

How to use third-party carrier-calculated shipping

Now that you know the benefits of using third-party carrier-calculated shipping, let’s take a look at how you can do it. However, you need to know that each carrier has its own process for calculating shipping. As a result, you’ll need to follow the specific process for the carrier you’re using.

Below is a general overview of how to use third-party carrier-calculated shipping:

• The first thing you need to do is sign up for a UPS, FedEx, USPS, or any other account you are using. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to get started with third-party carrier shipping.
• Set up payment options for the carriers you are using.
• Configure your shipping settings in your Shopify admin. To do this, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
• In the Shipping and delivery section, select the carrier you’re using from the Carrier calculated shipping drop-down menu. Once you’ve done that, enter the required information for that carrier.
• After you’ve configured your shipping settings, you next need to set up the carrier’s commercial and retail rates. To do this, go to your Shopify admin and navigate to Settings > Shipping. From here, you can add, edit, or delete shipping rates for your products.
• Once you’ve set up the carrier commercial and retail rates, the shipping charges will be automatically calculated at checkout.

Make sure you test the checkout process to ensure everything is working as it should. If you find that the shipping charges are not being calculated correctly, you can contact the carrier for help. Shopify customer support can also assist you with troubleshooting any issues.

Remember, not all plans come with access to third-party carrier-calculated shipping. You need to have an advanced Shopify plan to use this shipping method. It is, therefore, important to upgrade your plan if you want to use this shipping method. To do this:

• From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Account.
• Under Store plans, click Upgrade.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the upgrade process.

Shipping best practices

There are a few shipping best practices you should follow to ensure a positive customer experience. They include:

Ensure shipping costs are accurate

If you cannot offer free shipping, you need to make sure that your shipping costs are accurate. This is because customers will be put off if they’re unexpectedly charged more for shipping than what was stated at checkout. As a result, they may not shop with your store again.

To avoid this, you need to figure out the cost of shipping your products before you start selling them. This way, you can ensure that the shipping costs are accurate and that your customers are not surprised by the final cost at checkout.

Offer free shipping where possible

Free shipping is a great way to encourage customers to shop with your store. In fact, studies have shown that free shipping is one of the most important factors when it comes to online shopping. As a result, you should consider offering free shipping orders over a certain amount.

You could also offer free shipping for specific products or product categories. This is a great way to encourage customers to buy more from your store.

Never underestimate the importance of packaging

Your packaging is the first thing your customers will see when they receive their order. As a result, it’s important to ensure that your packaging is up to scratch. Your packaging should be protective, well-designed, and branded.

Final Thoughts

Shipping calculated at checkout Shopify can be frustrating for customers. Use these tips to help you streamline the process and make it more efficient. By doing so, you can ensure that your customers have a positive experience with your store and are more likely to return in the future.

Did you find our blog helpful? Then consider checking other guides:

• Does Shopify collect sales tax? (Full guide)
• Shopify: Backup your store in 6 easy steps
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• Shopify redirects: creation guide
• Shopify sitemaps (ultimate guide)
• Ultimate guide to the Shopify Variant Limit
• Shopify: upload files in 9 easy steps
• How to change Shopify store name
• How to create a landing page on Shopify
• Complete Shopify launch checklist
• How to make your Shopify store live
• How to publish your Shopify store (complete guide)
• Add a domain to Shopify in a few easy steps
• Does Shopify give you an email?