What is Carrier Shipping, why is it required, and which Shopify plan has it?
Carrier Shipping or Carrier Calculated Shipping is a module within your Shopify store which facilitates your store's ability to retrieve rates from an external shipping app.
This module is often confused with traditional carriers such as TNT, FedEx, Australia Post and many more. These are traditional shipping carriers but they are not what Shopify calls 'Carrier Shipping'.
Shopify limits which stores have access to this feature. Below you'll identify which plans can support it, and which can't.
Stores on the Shopify Advanced and Plus plans have access to the Carrier Service API. This means that if you install Postcode Shipping, it'll run smoothly.
Stores on the 'Shopify' won't have the Carrier Service feature, but you can request access by contacting Shopify support.
Before January 1, 2023, Shopify was flexible enough to include this feature by transitioning to annual billing or paying an additional monthly fee.
However, Shopify decided that starting January 1, 2023, stores on the Shopify 'Starter' and 'Basic' plans would not be able to request access to the Carrier Service API, unfortunately. The good news is that if your store had previously been granted access to the Carrier Service, it won't be impacted by this change and will keep its access to the Carrier Service API.
ⓘ You can read further information on the topic of Carrier Service over in the Shopify knowledge base.
This module is often confused with traditional carriers such as TNT, FedEx, Australia Post and many more. These are traditional shipping carriers but they are not what Shopify calls 'Carrier Shipping'.
Shopify limits which stores have access to this feature. Below you'll identify which plans can support it, and which can't.
Stores on the Shopify 'Advanced' and 'Plus'
Stores on the Shopify Advanced and Plus plans have access to the Carrier Service API. This means that if you install Postcode Shipping, it'll run smoothly.
Stores on the 'Shopify' plan
Stores on the 'Shopify' won't have the Carrier Service feature, but you can request access by contacting Shopify support.
Shopify 'Starter' and 'Basic' plans
Before January 1, 2023, Shopify was flexible enough to include this feature by transitioning to annual billing or paying an additional monthly fee.
However, Shopify decided that starting January 1, 2023, stores on the Shopify 'Starter' and 'Basic' plans would not be able to request access to the Carrier Service API, unfortunately. The good news is that if your store had previously been granted access to the Carrier Service, it won't be impacted by this change and will keep its access to the Carrier Service API.
ⓘ You can read further information on the topic of Carrier Service over in the Shopify knowledge base.
Updated on: 22/02/2023
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