Best WooCommerce Shipping Strategies to Keep Customers Happy [While Maintaining Profits]

As an online store owner, you know that shipping can make or break your business.

It’s not just about getting products from point A to point B – it’s about keeping your customers happy while also protecting your profit margin.

And It’s QUITE CHALLENGING!

Because on the one hand, your customers don’t want expensive shipping fees.

On the other hand, you have to choose a good carrier [which is expensive] to deliver the package on time and in good condition.

Shipping was cited by over one-third of business owners as the greatest unexpected expense of a business.

You can strategically plan how you will ship your products and keep your customers super happy every time.

And guess what? You can do this without losing any money too.

All you need is to plan strategically and choose strategies wisely.

In this guide, I’ll discuss 5 WooCommerce shipping ideas that will help you achieve both customer happiness and a high-profit margin.

So let’s begin.

The Impact of Shipping on Your Business

Before we dive into specific strategies, let’s talk about :

Why and how shipping is related to your business growth and conversion.

63% of online customers abandon their purchases because they don’t want to pay for shipping

That’s a significant chunk of potential sales you could be losing.

On the flip side,

93% of shoppers are more likely to buy more products if free shipping is available.

These statistics show just how much your shipping strategy can influence your customer’s buying decisions. And how shipping affects business greatly.

You might be thinking that free shipping is the solution then but it’s not :

Businesses in the US lose over $1 billion annually due to shipping damage.

So if you choose a low-quality carrier, to give your customer a free shipping offer chances are high that your product will get damaged.

Hence, your customer won’t receive a damaged product which will create delivery returning expenses.

Let’s understand factors that increase your shipping costs and how you need to consider these while picking a shipping strategy that will be the right fit for you.

Factors Affecting Your Shipping Costs

To choose an effective shipping strategy that perfectly aligns with your business, you need to understand the reasons behind your WooCommerce shipping cost.

Here are the factors that affect Woocommerce shipping costs:

• Weight And Dimensions

The size and weight of your products play a significant role in determining shipping costs.

Heavier or larger items generally cost more to ship.

If you sell products of various sizes and weights, your shipping strategy will need to be more [FLEXIBLE] than if all your products were similar.

• Packaging Materials

Some products require special packaging to ensure they arrive safely.

For example, if you sell fragile items like glassware or electronics, you’ll need to invest in protective materials.

• Distance And Zones

The further your package has to travel, the more it will cost to ship.

Most carriers divide their service areas into shipping zones, with prices increasing as the package moves through more zones.

• Handling And Processing Time

Don’t forget about the manpower of shipping.

You’ll need to account for the time and labor required to package and prepare orders for shipment. This includes creating labels, packing boxes, and coordinating with carriers. So, you have to keep this cost in your mind.

Now that you understand the factors affecting shipping costs, you might be worried about how you can offer an affordable shipping shipping fee without any profit loss.

The answer is applying effective shipping strategies to your WooCommerce store.

5 WooCommerce Shipping Strategies to Keep Customers Happy

Below, I’ve jotted down five WooCommerce shipping tips that you can apply in your WooCommerce store to keep your customers happy while maintaining your profits.

Let’s start with shipping options :

1. Offer Multiple Shipping Options

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to shipping

So if you offer multiple options, you can give your customers the flexibility to choose what works best for them.

Also, you can handle WooCommerce shipping costs more wisely.

Here are some options to consider:

• Live Shipping Rates

With live rates, also known as real-time shipping calculations, you can offer shipping rates at the carrier’s exact cost for various sizes, weights, and distances.

In this example, you can see that you can charge your customers for only for physical products but not for virtual products.

This method syncs in real-time with your carrier’s rates, which ensures accuracy and transparency for your customers.

Also, this will show package options like a list.

Even if your customer chooses the lowest amount the shipping cost will not come down to your pocket.

• Flat Rate Shipping

Flat rate shipping is simple – you charge the same amount regardless of order weight or size.

Among all other WooCommerce shipping ideas this one works well if your products are similar in size and weight, or if most customers order similar quantities.

This will create an impression that you are offering low shipping as you don’t change when the product size, or weight changes.

Customers find this kind of shipping easy since it eliminates the need for them to calculate the cost of shipping each time they make a purchase.

On the other hand, if your products are close in size and weight the carrier will cost you less.

So, It’s a Win-Win.

• Table Rate Shipping

Table rate shipping uses a set of rules to calculate shipping rates based on factors like weight, size, shipping class, order total, destination, and number of items purchased.

This option provides the most customization and is especially helpful if you sell products that vary in weight, size, or volume.

For example,

If a product in an order weighs up to 10 pounds then an additional $10 will be added with a basic shipping charge.

You can set the conditions as per your need like :

If products weigh between 1 and 3,999 pounds, they will incur an additional $1 in shipping costs.

If an order contains items weighing between 4 and 6,999 pounds, the shipping fee will be increased by $2.

In this way, you will not be charged for the extra size or location.

Here’s an example of Setting Up Size-Based Shipping :

For stores with diverse product ranges, consider factoring in weight, size, and quantity when calculating shipping costs. Display buttons for weight, size, and quantity at your checkout page.

And set up the checkout in a way, so that the shipping cost change accordingly.

This way, your customers will know the exact reason for the increased shipping cost, making them more likely to pay.

• Free Shipping (Conditional)

Your customer loves free shipping!

If you offer it conditionally, such as you add the condition “Orders Over A 2000 Amount And Get Free Shipping”

This can encourage customers to add more items to their cart to qualify for free shipping.

In this way, even if free shipping costs your pocket, you can replace it with the high-profit margin you will get as your AOV increases.

• Add Price-Based Shipping Costs

For stores with a wide range of products and varying price points, this solution allows flexible shipping costs.

You can set lower shipping fees for higher-priced items and adjust shipping costs for lower-priced products accordingly.

The benefit of this flexibility is that it helps store owners offer more competitive shipping rates that improve customer satisfaction.

By reducing shipping costs for high-value items and adjusting rates for lower-cost products, stores keep the option to balance profitability while offering different shipping costs to different customer segments.

This also encourages purchases of higher-priced items due to the lower shipping costs.

• Offer Shipping Costs Based On Specific Products/Categories/Tags

You can offer your shipping rates to specific products, categories, or tags.

This will deliver precise shipping calculations, especially if you have products with vastly different shipping requirements.

2. Apply Smart Pricing Techniques

Clever pricing strategies can help you offset shipping costs while keeping your customers happy.

Here are some techniques to consider:

• Incorporating Shipping Costs Into Product Prices

Instead of charging shipping separately, you could increase your product prices slightly to cover shipping costs.

In this way, you can offer “free shipping” without losing any money.

• Setting Minimum Order Values For Free Shipping

You can get larger orders by offering free shipping when customers reach a certain order total. This can increase your average order value while providing value to your customers.

• Using Psychological Pricing

Small tweaks in pricing can make a big difference.

For example, pricing an item at $9.99 instead of $10 can make it seem more affordable, even though the difference is minimal. This technique is called Charm Pricing.

This triggers a special psychological phenomenon in people that’s called “left digit bias,” in which consumers focus attention on a number’s leftmost digit (in this example, the price of a product).

3. Optimize the Checkout Process

A smooth checkout process can reduce cart abandonment and improve customer satisfaction.

Here’s how you can optimize it:

• Add A Location Picker At Checkout

This strategy is to allow your customers to select their location early in the checkout process.

Then provide accurate shipping estimates upfront. And after that, you will reduce the shipping price at the final step.

Your customers will feel like they are getting a surprise and as a result, you will not charged for the shipping.

• Simplify The Shipping Information Form

You should make it as easy as possible for your customers to enter their shipping information.

Use autofill where possible and only ask for essential information.

In this way, the checkout process will be done quickly and your customer will be happy.

You can easily create a checkout page with fewer fields using the Checkoutify plugin :

This tool helps to create a more efficient and user-friendly experience by:

1. Eliminating unnecessary form fields
2. Minimizing distractions during the purchase flow
3. Reducing the amount of effort customers need to expend

As a result, you will get a more focused checkout that can potentially increase your conversion rates.

Also, you should provide clear shipping cost estimates early in the process

Don’t wait until the last step to reveal shipping costs. Provide estimates as early as possible to avoid surprises that might lead to cart abandonment.

4. Offer Time-Based Shipping Options [Special]

Time-based shipping options can create urgency and encourage purchases among your potential buyers.

Here are some ideas:

• Daily Limited-Time Shipping Offer [Hour Based]

You can create a sense of urgency by offering special shipping rates during certain hours of the day.

For example, you can offer “Free shipping on all orders placed between 2 PM and 4 PM!“

• Special Shipping Offers On Fixed Days

You can boost your sales on slower days by offering special shipping rates.

Suppose, you can offer “Free shipping on all orders placed on Tuesdays!”

Use Advanced Shipping for WooCommerce

Applying these strategies manually is quite time-consuming as the shipping options WooCommerce by default are cluttered.

To apply these shipping strategies or more easily, consider using the Advanced Shipping for WooCommerce plugin.

It will allow you to set up complex shipping rules based on various conditions, including time and day.

5. Deliver Better Customer Experience

Shipping isn’t just about rates – it’s about the entire experience.

Here’s how you can improve it:

• User Role-Based Shipping Discounts

You can reward your loyal customers by offering shipping discounts based on user roles.

For example, you can offer your regular members or frequent buyers preferential shipping rates.

• Offer Delivery Date And Time Schedule

You can give your customers more control over their deliveries by allowing them to choose a preferred delivery date and time.

This is especially valuable if you are selling perishable goods or items that require the customer to be present for delivery.

• Provide Order Tracking Information

You can keep your customers informed about their package’s journey.

Try to provide tracking numbers and consider integrating with your shipping carriers to offer real-time tracking updates directly on your site.

• Send Automated Shipping Notifications

Keep customers in the loop with automated emails or SMS messages at key points in the shipping process.

For example, you can integrate with your shipping carrier and send your customer messages on when the order is packed, when it’s shipped, and when it’s out for delivery.

Why Customer Feedback Is Important

Getting Customer feedback and giving value to their opinion is important.

PwC reports that 17% of customers will leave a company by 1 unfavorable experience, and 59% of customers leave their even favorite company after a series unfavorable experiences.

Having a listening ear for consumers leads to better customer service and experience.

Also, it saves you from losing your customers.

When you value your customer feedback and improve your shipping process accordingly, you show that you appreciate your current clientele and prioritize them!

86% of customers are willing to spend extra for an improved customer experience, according to CX statistics.

Not just these, ever heard the proverb?

Happy consumers refer three friends, whereas dissatisfied ones refer ten.

If your current customers are happy with your business, they will recommend your products or services to others. So, that’s a free branding you will get by prioritizing your customer’s feelings.

Final Thoughts

Creating an effective shipping strategy for your WooCommerce store is all about balance – keeping your customers happy while not losing your profits.

If you apply strategies like the ones mentioned in this article while focusing on customer experience, you can maintain both.

Your ideal shipping strategy will depend on your specific products, customer base, and business goals.

Keep adjusting your strategy as you learn more about what works best for your store.

Apply these WooCommerce shipping strategies, these are well thought out and highly effective.

So, why wait? Start applying these strategies and you’ll be well on your way to happier customers and a good profit margin.

To utilize these strategies, try out the best plugins in WordPress from the following guide,