WooCommerce Shipping Setup – Guide To Follow [2024]

As a Woocommerce owner, you might often be scared that your potential customer will abandon their almost-buying cart.

One of the reasons for abandoning your cart may be unclear shipping methods and payment sections.

WooCommerce Shipping settings are often confusing because there are plenty of options in the WooCommerce Dashboard.

So, in this article, I focused on making things as simple as possible for you when setting up the WooCommerce Shipping.

I gave proper directions for every step and used several pictures to let you follow the steps with your dashboard [EASILY].

Follow all the steps properly and your WooCommerce shipping settings will be ready.

Fangen wir also an.

WooCommerce Shipping Setup (Basic Steps)

WooCommerce Shipping is a feature that allows you to control shipping options.

WooCommerce Shipping consists of basic three options. You can say these are the foundation-setting options that you must set.

Here are these 3 options :

• Schiffsklasse
• Versandzone
• Versandart

I’ll go over them one by one :

Create WooCommerce Shipping Classes

In this section, you will learn how to create shipping classes :

Schritt 1

First, Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping

You’ll see four options: Shipping Zones, Shipping Settings, Classes, and Local Pickup.

Notice the blue line under the panel, you will find the option “Classes“

Schritt 2

After clicking on Add Shipping Classes, you will see a page as follows :

Sie müssen die folgenden Details eingeben:

• Shipping Class: what kind of shipping approach do you want? For example: if you want free shipping, you must write free shipping. (This is mandatory).

• Slug: A slug is created based on your shipping classes in your database. In most cases, you won’t need them unless you are working with several shipping classes. If you don’t provide a slug name, it will be created automatically.

• Description: It is a good practice to provide a brief description of your shipping classes; the specific nature of products that put them under the same class, etc. This is completely optional.

Step 3

Once you provide the information, click on Save.

In my case, the shipping class looks like this:

Sie können so viele Versandklassen anlegen, wie Sie möchten.

Then assign products to your shipping classes. The next step is to create your desired shipping zone.

Create WooCommerce Shipping Zones

Ihre Versandzone gibt an, in welche Regionen Sie Ihre Produkte versenden möchten.

You can set multiple shipping regions based on the name, country/province, postal codes, etc.

Sie können auch unterschiedliche Versandtarife für verschiedene Regionen auf der Grundlage der innerhalb dieser Option verfügbaren Versandmethoden festlegen.

P.S.: Wenn Sie Regionen festlegen, sehen nur Benutzer aus diesen Regionen Ihre Versandoptionen.

Now let’s learn how to create a new shipping zone :

Schritt 1

On your dashboard go to WooCommerce > Settings and on the page, click on Shipping

Schritt 2

Under Shipping, you will get 3 options. Click on the Shipping Zones option.

Schritt 3

As you can see, To create one, click on Add zone.

Schritt 4

In the first option, you will see the zone name. Fill the box accordingly.

When you select a zone region on the box, all the regions under that zone will be previewed in the list. You will be able to select multiple regions among them.

In my case, the box looks like this.

Klicken Sie auf Änderungen speichern, um Ihre neu erstellte Versandzone zu speichern.

You are done with creating a Shipping Zone.

Then you need to select “Add Shipping Method” to Free Shipping or Flat Rate.

Which I am now going to discuss elaborately on how you can set up shipping methods :

Set Up A WooCommerce Shipping Method [Manual]

So, There are 3 types of shipping methods you can go for :

• i. Free Shipping
• ii. Flat Shipping
• iii. Local shipping

First I will guide you with free shipping.

Then I will give you an overview of the other two WooCommerce shipping methods.

So let’s go ahead :

i. Free Shipping Method

If you want to give your customers shipping free of charge then you need to set up a free shipping method.

So, now go to the WooCommerce settings option. Then select the button Shipping< Add Zone

As you scroll down you will see the option shipping methods on the left side :

On the right panel, you will see a blue button labeled “Add shipping Method”

As you click on the button this list will come up :

Here, you will see a 2 option. select Free Shipping and click on the Continue button.

This is what the Free shipping Settings look like:

As you can see, first you have to put a name on it and then fill out the requirements.

Sie müssen die folgenden Informationen eingeben:

1. Title:

This is the name of your shipping method. The name you set here is what users will see while checking out.

You can set the title from Free shipping to anything you want (for example, ‘No shipping fee’) but the method of shipment will remain the same.

2. Free shipping requirements :

You can either choose to give free shipping without any condition, or you can choose from 4 conditions to make free shipping applicable:

• A valid free shipping coupon: The customer has to have a coupon to get free shipping
• A minimum order amount: The customer has to order that’s worth a certain amount or more to get free shipping
• A minimum order amount or a coupon: Customer can have either a free shipping coupon or a certain target amount worth of the order; any one of them will avail of free shipping
• A minimum order amount AND a coupon: The customer needs to have a free shipping coupon and order a certain amount worth of order; both have to be achieved to avail of the free shipping option
• Minimum order amount: In case you set the condition above to have a minimum order amount (i.e. you chose one of the last three options for “Free shipping requires“.

I will select the “No requirement” option.

Now, in the shipping method box, free shipping has been added. Now, look at the right side of the dashboard, you will find the option to edit.

Click on Edit and it will take you to the free shipping settings. Update any changes you want.

Your Free shipping method is set up.

The next shipping method is flat rate shipping :

ii. Flat Rate Shipping Method

Flat-rate shipping charges a fixed rate for shipping.

To set this method up, follow the steps below :

To access Flat Rate Settings, Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Zones > Shipping method.

Then choose the option flat rate and click on the button Continue.

It will take you to the flat rate settings.

In the Flat Rate Settings, you have to enter your estimated cost, shipping class cost, and some other relevant information accordingly.

Terms you need to know :

• Methode Titel: Dies ist der Name Ihrer Versandmethode. Der Name, den Sie hier einstellen, ist das, was Benutzer beim Auschecken sehen werden. Sie können den Titel von "Flat Rate" (Pauschale) bis zu allem, was Sie wünschen (z.B. "Pauschale Versandgebühr") einstellen, aber die Versandart bleibt dieselbe.

• Steuerstatus: Wählen Sie, ob Versandprodukte steuerpflichtig sind oder nicht.

• Kosten: Es sind die von Ihnen festgelegten Basiskosten, die sich als anfängliche Pauschalkosten summieren. Sie wird für alle Produkte berechnet, auch wenn sie nicht in eine bestimmte Klasse fallen.

• Shipping Class Cost: Set an additional cost you want to imply on your products that fall under certain shipping classes. For example, I have set my shipping class cost to 5 for the class ‘Heavy’. Anyone who is buying an item that falls under the class ‘Heavy’, will be charged an additional $5, along with the flat rate cost.

• No Shipping Class Cost: Set up your shipping rates for the products that fall under no specific classes. I set it up as 2. Anyone who is buying an item that falls into no shipping classes will get an extra charge of $2 along with the flat rate cost.

• Calculation Type: When you have multiple shipping classes, you can choose the types of calculation you want to imply with your shipping classes cost. In the Flat rate method, you will have two ways to do that: Per Class & Per Order

After you fill up all box, click on the button “Create & Save“

Now let’s look at the Local pickup shipping method.

iii. Versandmethode für lokale Abholung

Go to Shipping zone> shipping method> add shipping method> local shipping

This is what the Local pickup Settings look like :

Now click on the option “Enable local pickup”.

Scroll down and tick on the label line “Add a price for customers who choose local pickup”.

By default, the local pickup shipping method is free. but if you can charge an extra fee for local pickup you can assign it here. Usually, store owners do not charge anything extra, but it is an option you can use.

Tax status: Here, you have the option to choose between Taxable or None.

It is by default assigned as Taxable, which means when using a local pickup, store base taxes will apply regardless of customer address.

This is the ideal choice for most store owners, however, you can choose not to charge for taxes and select Non-Taxable instead.

Now, scroll down and you will see the option to pick locations. On the left side, you will see the button “Add pickup location“

As you click, you see this page with these options :

Once these are inputted, click on the Save Changes button, and your Local pickup shipping method is set up.

How to Calculate Shipping Rates & fees

There are two calculation types available :

• Pro Klasse

For any order that will include products in multiple classes, the shipping class cost for each of those classes will be added on top of the flat rates.

Also if the order includes products with no particular class, then the cost for no shipping class will be present as well.

For instance, let’s assume that I have another shipping class named ‘Light’ and I assigned a shipping class cost of $3 to it.

Now, let’s say a buyer ordered 4 products, out of which two products fall under the class ‘Heavy’, one product falls under the class ‘Light’ and another falls under the no shipping class.

Then the total shipping cost will include a $2 charge for no shipping class cost, a $5 charge for the shipping class cost of ‘Heavy’, and a $3 charge for the shipping class cost of ‘Light’, on top of the flat rate cost of $5. So the total shipping cost will add up to $15.

• Pro Bestellung

In this case, for any orders that will include products from multiple classes, the shipping class cost that is the highest among these classes will be added on top of the flat rate cost. Suppose, I have another shipping class named ‘Light’ and I assigned a shipping class cost of $3 to it.

Now, let’s say a buyer ordered 4 products, out of which two products fall under the class ‘Heavy’, one product falls under the class ‘Light’ and another falls under the no shipping class.

Here, among the three, the highest shipping class cost is $5. Hence, only $5 will be added on top of the flat rate cost, the other two shipping class costs will be ignored. Therefore, the total shipping cost will add up to $10.

Once these are inputted, click on the Save changes button, and your Flat rate shipping method is set up.

Set Up Payment Methods

In the WordPress dashboard, navigate to and click on the Payments tab within the WooCommerce > Settings menu.

You can choose from these options :

Direct bank transfer: Take payments in person via BACS. More commonly known as direct bank/wire transfer.

Check payments: Take payments in person via checks. This offline gateway can also be useful to test purchases.

Cash on delivery: Have your customers pay with cash (or by other means) upon delivery.

Click on the button manage, you will get the settings page of any option :

As you can see here the setting page of cash on delivery. Fill up accordingly with your credentials. Clock on save changes. Your payment setup is done.

Set Up Weight-based Shipping [Additional]

Some might think configuring WooCommerce shipping based on weight would be a hard task.

When you know the RIGHT process, it’s very simple.

Let us walk you through all the steps.

How to Turn On WooCommerce weight-based shipping class

Jump to WooCommerce >> Settings >> Shipping and add a shipping class.

I will name this WooCommerce weight-based shipping class:

Now, in the same way, create other classes for other weight ranges.

Next, you have to assign the classes to the products according to their weight categories.

For example, I have a product that is under kg, so I would send it to under the Up to kg class.

Looks like a time-consuming task, right? You can also bulk assign WooCommerce weight-based shipping classes.

Go to All Products and filter your products according to your requirements. Select all of them and click the Quick Edit button.

On the Quick Edit window, assign the appropriate class and update.

Finally, you need to create or edit a flat shipping method. Go to your designated shipping zone and add/edit the flat rate method.

Scroll down the flat rate window, and you will find all the classes you created.

Finally, set your rates for every class.

Integrate shipping with An Advanced Shipping Plugin

As you see in WooCommerce, you might not get every option you need.

You can integrate a shipping plugin into your WooCommerce. I am showing you a plugin named “Advanced Shipping”

First, install and activate the plugin.

Now go to the Shipping zone > Shipping method>Advanced shipping.

And now see how easy it is now to set up your shipping process. You will get all the options under one panel.

You don’t have to go back and forth to different pages to set up separately.

Schlussbemerkungen

A well-defined shipping strategy can make your shipping process smooth.

In this guide, I provided a step-by-step guide for setting up shipping in WooCommerce.

I added how you can make the process easy with the Advanced shipping plugin.

By following the steps outlined and carefully considering your customer’s need, you can establish both a user-friendly and sale-focused shipping system.

Comment below any question you have on your mind! I’d love to answer and solve your queries.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQ 1: Which of the following shipping methods is commonly available in WordPress?

-Common shipping methods available in WooCommerce include:

1. Flat Rate shipping
2. Kostenloser Versand
3. Abholung vor Ort
4. Table Rate Shipping (with plugin)
5. Live rates from carriers (with extensions)

FAQ 2: What are the shipping variations in WooCommerce?

– Configuring shipping in WooCommerce is a straightforward process that begins in the WooCommerce Settings under the Shipping tab.

Here, you’ll set up shipping zones, which are geographical areas you ship to, and add appropriate shipping methods for each zone.

These methods can include options like flat rate, free shipping, or local pickup. For each method, you’ll need to configure specific settings such as costs and conditions.

FAQ 3: How to offer multiple shipping options in WooCommerce?

– WooCommerce offers several shipping variations to help tailor the shipping process to your business model. Shipping zones allow you to define different rates for different geographical areas. Shipping classes help you group products with similar shipping requirements.

Various shipping methods provide different ways to calculate shipping costs. You can base shipping calculations on factors like weight, dimensions, or cart total.