Threshold-based
A price-based conditional rate at zero above your target subtotal. Choose the threshold from real order data: pitch it above the median order value so it lifts the average without eating margin on the median.
Shopify config
Setting up shipping rules in Shopify
Shopify's shipping engine has three moving parts: zones (the countries a shipping profile covers), rates (what each zone charges), and exceptions (thresholds and heavy-item overrides). Get those three right and checkout stops surprising customers. Rules and paths from Shopify Help Center, read 2026-08-11.
Zones: where you agree to ship
A zone is a group of countries or regions that share a rate. Every region you intend to sell to has to sit inside a zone somewhere, or the checkout returns a "shipping not available" message and the sale falls out.
- Open Settings > Shipping and delivery in your Shopify admin.
- Pick a shipping profile (start with General to cover the whole catalog, then add product-specific profiles for items that need their own rules).
- Under Shipping zones, click Add zone, name it, and select the countries or regions.
- A country or region can sit in only one zone inside a given shipping profile. Rebuilding zones means removing regions from one zone before adding them to another.
Wording drawn from the Shopify Help Center article "Setting up shipping zones", read 2026-08-11.
Rate types: what the zone charges
Shopify supports four rate types inside a zone. You can combine them - a flat rate for everyone, a free-shipping option above a threshold, and a carrier-calculated overnight - and let the customer pick.
| Rate type | How it prices | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat rate | One price for every order in the zone. Set as low as zero for a free-of-charge tier. | Small catalogs where every parcel prices out about the same. |
| Price-based conditional | Rate changes based on the order subtotal. Set a paid tier below your target subtotal and a zero tier above it. | No-charge thresholds without eating margin on tiny orders. |
| Weight-based conditional | Rate changes based on the total item weight. Set a low tier for parcels up to 1 lb and a higher tier for heavier ones. | Catalogs where item weight varies widely - hardware, coffee, books. |
| Carrier-calculated | Live rate pulled from a connected carrier (Shopify Shipping, UPS or FedEx) at checkout, based on order weight, dimensions and destination. | Stores selling heavy or oddly-shaped items where any flat rate would over- or under-charge. |
One trap Shopify calls out directly on the help page: on conditional rates, leave the Maximum field empty on the highest tier so it covers larger orders too. A capped top tier means an oversized order sees no rate at all, and checkout blocks.
Free-shipping strategy that survives Q4
Free shipping is a rate, not a discount. Configure it inside the zone as one of the rate options.
Weight-based cap
Weight-based conditional rate at zero up to a specific weight, then a paid rate above. Protects margin on heavy orders without pulling the no-charge tier off the table entirely.
Product-specific exclusions
Move heavy or bulky items into a separate shipping profile so they carry their own weight-based rates and are excluded from any free-shipping promise in the General profile.
Where SMKlog rates come in
Shopify's carrier-calculated rates require either the Shopify Shipping product or a paid Shopify plan that unlocks carrier accounts. A store that wants live parcel rates without either option can lift the rate from our calculator: paste the item description and the ship-from and ship-to ZIPs into the SMKlog calculator, and use the returned figure to set your zone rate for a month, then re-check monthly.
Our Shopify Shipping vs buying labels separately page walks the trade-off between Shopify's built-in rates and buying labels here after the sale.
Sources
- Shopify Help Center, Setting up shipping zones - zone definitions, one-country-one-zone rule, market interaction. Read 2026-08-11.
- Shopify Help Center, Setting up shipping zones and rates - flat, price-based, weight-based and carrier-calculated rate types; maximum-field warning. Read 2026-08-11.
- Shopify Help Center, Setting up shipping profiles - product-specific overrides. Read 2026-08-11.
Common questions
Where are Shopify shipping rules set up?
In the Shopify admin under Settings > Shipping and delivery, inside a shipping profile. General covers your whole catalog; add profiles for specific products with different rules.
What rate types does Shopify support?
Flat rate, price-based conditional, weight-based conditional and carrier-calculated. You can offer several inside one zone and let the customer choose.
How do I set a no-charge shipping threshold?
Add a price-based conditional rate at zero above your chosen subtotal. Leave the top-tier maximum blank so larger orders still see the rate.
Can I have different rules for different products?
Yes. Create a separate shipping profile and assign the products. That profile's zones and rates override the General profile for those items.
Do I need Shopify Shipping to use live carrier rates?
Yes, or a paid Shopify plan that unlocks connected carrier accounts. Otherwise use flat, price-based or weight-based rates, and price a real box in our calculator to set them.