Nick uses Postcode Shipping for complex shipping rates based on order weight, order value and location
Nick runs a Shopify store and is based in the UK, where he offers his customers complex shipping rates that are based on order weight, the total value of the customer's order and the delivery address postcode. While Nick could set these rates up in Shopify, the checkout process becomes confusing for the customer, with all rate options displayed when they only need to see the rate options for their specific order.
Nick uses Postcode Shipping to make the process much simpler by only displaying the shipping rates the customer needs to see. We'll step you through the process.
Nick's delivery areas & rates:
STANDARD SHIPPING [All of UK, Order weight 0-2kg]: £3.95 shipping
EXPRESS SHIPPING [Northern Ireland and Scottish highlands and islands, Order value £0.00-£74.99]: £9.95 shipping
EXPRESS SHIPPING [All other UK postcodes, Order value £0.00-£74.99]: £5.95 shipping
EXPRESS SHIPPING [Northern Ireland and Scottish highlands and islands, Order value is £75 or more]: £3.95 shipping
EXPRESS SHIPPING [All other UK postcodes, Order value is £75 or more]: Free shipping
Nick has already:
Installed Postcode Shipping to his Shopify store & connected Carrier Shipping.
Navigated to his Postcode Shipping dashboard .
Create a Shipping Zone for the UK:
The first thing Nick needs to do is create a Shipping Zone for the UK. A Shipping Zone is a country or a group of countries. Since Nick is only offering shipping within the UK, he needs to make one Shipping Zone, which includes only the countries which make up the United Kingdom.
From the Postcode Shipping dashboard, click Shipping Zones , then add Zone .
Name the Shipping Zone and choose the appropriate country/countries from the list.
Click Save .
Create Regions:
Next, Nick needs to define the exact areas he wishes to provide delivery to in the Shipping Zone 'UK'. He can do this by creating Regions and specifying the postcodes that make up each Region. Nick should read up on Region Rule Types, so he knows how to quickly make sets of postcodes and doesn't have to type in every postcode individually. Since Nick is based in the UK where they use alpha-numeric postcodes, he'll make use of ' wildcard ' and ' wildcard range ' rule types.
Within the Shipping Zone (eg 'UK') click the option to Add a Region .
Give the Region a title. In this example Nick uses 'Northern Ireland and Scottish highlands and islands' and keeps all of the default settings.
In the 'Rule Matches' and 'Rule Exclusions' sections define a region by entering postcodes in these fields. Nick's 'Northern Ireland and Scottish highlands and islands' Region includes the postcodes below. He's used 'wildcard' and 'wildcard range' rules to target Northern Ireland, and UK islands quickly.
BT*
HS*
IV*
KA27 *-KA28 *
KW*
PA20 *-PA80 *
PH19*-PH50 *
ZE*Click Save
Create a 'Catchall' Region:
Next Nick needs to add a second Region which acts as a 'catchall' for all of the postcodes that fall outside of the Region he just created.
Navigate back to the Shipping Zone (eg 'UK') and click Add new Region.
Give the Region a name (eg 'Mainland UK Postcodes'), and set the 'Catchall' status to Yes. Notice that the 'Rule Matches' and 'Rule Exclusion' fields disappear, as no postcodes are needed for this Region.
Click Save .
Add weight-based Rates & Rate Rules:
Once Nick has created his Regions, he's ready to add Rates and some Rules for those Rates. He starts with the Region 'Northern Ireland and Scottish highlands'.
Navigate back to the 'Northern Ireland and Scottish highlands' Region screen click Add a Rate .
Fill in the Rate details. Nick calls the Rate 'Standard' and charges a flat rate of £3.95.
He wants this Rate to be applied to orders weighing between 0-2kg, so had adds a Rate Rule. In the 'Rate rule' section below he clicks Add new rule group and enters the details: Use this rate when... Total order weight ... is less than or equal to ... 2kg .
Click Save rate .
Add price-based Rates & Rate Rules:
Now Nick needs to create his express shipping options, which are based off order value rather than weight. He starts with the express shipping option for orders valued at £0.00-£74.99 for the 'Northern Ireland and Scottish islands' Region.
Navigate back to the 'Northern Ireland and Scottish highlands' Region and click Add a rate for this region.
Fill in the rate details. Nick names the rate 'Express Shipping' and charges a flat rate of £9.95
He wants the Rate to be applied to orders with a total of £0.00-£74.99, so in the 'Rate rule' section below he clicks Add new rule group and enters the details: Use this rate when... Total order value ... is less than or equal to ... £74.99 .
Click Save .
Add another price-based Rate:
Now Nick needs to create his other express shipping option for 'Northern Ireland and Scottish highlands' Region, for orders valued at £75 or more.
Navigate back to the Region 'Northern Ireland and Scottish highlands' click Add a rate for this Region .
He names the Region 'Express Shipping' also, but charges £3.95, and applies the rule: Use this rate when... Total order value ... is more than or equal to ... £75 .
Click Save rate .
Add Rates & Rules to the remaining Region:
Nick now sets up very similar Rates for his 'catchall' Region 'Mainland UK Postcodes'.
He navigates to the Region 'Mainland UK Postcodes' and adds the same three Rates with the same Rate Rules, but they have different price points. The Rates & Rules he sets up for 'Mainland UK Postcodes' Region are:
- Standard: Flat Rate of £3.95 when total order weight is less than or equal to 2kg.
- Express Shipping: Flat Rate of £5.95 when total order value is less than or equal to £74.99.
- Express Shipping: Free Rate when the total order value is more than or equal to £75.
Now, when Nick's customers checkout in his store they will only see shipping Rates available to them, based on their order weight, order value and the postcode of their delivery address.
You can use this setup for your country too! Even though this example is based in the UK, you can setup your rates in a similar way no matter which country you are shipping from or shipping to.
Updated on: 01/08/2023
Thank you!