WooCommerce Weight Based Shipping: A Step-by-Step Guide

WooCommerce offers a flexible and customizable shipping system that allows you to charge customers based on the weight of their orders.

To set up weight-based shipping in WooCommerce, you'll need to create shipping zones and rates that are tied to specific weight ranges.

First, navigate to the WooCommerce settings and click on the "Shipping" tab. From there, you can create new shipping zones and rates that are based on weight.

WooCommerce allows you to set up multiple shipping zones, which can be used to calculate shipping costs for different regions or countries.

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To set up weight based shipping in WooCommerce, you need to configure the default weight unit of products as well as actual product weights in your store.

You can choose from various weight units, and it's essential to select the one that suits your business needs. For visual learners, there's a video walkthrough available that explains the steps to set up weight based shipping in WooCommerce.

Grab the Advanced Flat Rate Shipping and Hide Shipping for WooCommerce plugins by DotStore to make the shipping process more streamlined and accurate.

Let's start by setting up the core WooCommerce shipping settings.

First, you'll need to set the default unit for product weights, which you can do by following the instructions in the next step.

To update the weight for each product in WooCommerce, you'll need to follow specific instructions, which are outlined in the example.

To set up WooCommerce shipping, you'll first need to install and activate the necessary plugin. Install the plugin by opening your Dashboard and clicking on Plugins > Add New.

Searching for the plugin in the top right search bar will give you the results you need. Click on WooCommerce Weight Based Shipping and then click Install Now on the plugin's tab.

You can also opt for the premium version of the plugin to unlock additional features, but you'll need to manually upload and install it. For more information on how to do this, check out our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin manually.

Next, head to your WooCommerce Checkout Manager settings by clicking on WooCommerce > Checkout.

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WooCommerce itself doesn't have built-in weight-based shipping functionality, but that doesn't mean you're out of luck. You can still achieve weight-based shipping through plugins specifically designed for WooCommerce Weight-Based Shipping.

These plugins allow you to configure various rules for calculating shipping costs based on weight ranges, specific weights, and even different shipping zones. By using a plugin like Flat Rate Shipping For WooCommerce, you can set up weight ranges for each shipping zone along with their corresponding shipping costs.

For example, you might charge $10 for shipping on orders weighing 0-5 kg, $15 for orders weighing 5-10 kg, and $25 for orders over 10 kg. This shipping method promotes customer satisfaction and reduces the cart abandonment rate by charging a shipping fee that is fully justified according to the product.

Shipping is a crucial aspect of e-commerce, and WooCommerce offers various options to manage it. WooCommerce itself doesn't have built-in weight-based shipping functionality.

Shipping costs can be calculated based on the weight of a customer's order, providing fairness and transparency to customers. This method reduces losses by accurately reflecting shipping costs and improves the customer experience by offering clear and accurate shipping costs upfront.

You can achieve weight-based shipping through plugins specifically designed for WooCommerce Weight-Based Shipping. These plugins allow you to configure various rules for calculating shipping costs based on weight ranges, specific weights, and even different shipping zones.

You can check out all the shipping settings walkthroughs in our complete guide on WooCommerce shipping setup.

So, you want to know how WooCommerce shipping works? Here's the lowdown. WooCommerce store owners set up weight ranges for each shipping zone along with their corresponding shipping costs.

For example, let's say you run a furniture store based in London that ships to customers throughout the UK, you can set the following weight based shipping rates:

The plugin will then calculate the total weight of all items, collect the customer's delivery address, check which weight range the total falls into, and apply the appropriate shipping cost for their order. This shipping method promotes customer satisfaction and reduces the cart abandonment rate by charging a shipping fee that is fully justified according to the product.

Creating shipping rules is a crucial step in setting up WooCommerce weight-based shipping. To start, you'll need to install and activate a weight-based shipping plugin, such as Flat Rate Shipping For WooCommerce.

Once activated, head to the plugin's settings and click on "Add New" to create a new shipping rule. You'll be taken to the Rule Settings window, where you can add a label and title for your weight-based shipping rule. You can also choose whether or not to make the shipping charges taxable.

To set up the conditions for the weight-based shipping rule, you'll need to specify the weight range and shipping cost. For example, you can set the minimum weight to 0.01 kg and the maximum weight to 5 kg, with a shipping cost of $10. You can also use the "Order subtotal" option to consider the total price of all items in the customer's shopping cart when applying shipping charges.

Here's a simple example of how to set up a weight-based shipping rule:

You can add as many rules as necessary to create a complex shipping calculation. For example, you can set up incremental shipping charges for a condition, such as charging $5 for every product between 4-10 KG with an additional fee of $0.5 per kg.

Package size is a crucial factor in calculating shipping costs. You can't just rely on weight, as a product might be lightweight but occupy a huge space in the delivery vehicle.

Different shipping zones have varying requirements for parcel sizes, which can affect the shipping cost. For accurate WooCommerce shipping calculation, store owners generally use a combination of weight and dimensional weight (volume) while calculating shipping charges.

A product weighing above 4 pounds and with a height above 15 inches will require special shipping handling. You can set up rules for such products using the Flat Rate Shipping plugin's settings.

To streamline shipping calculations, consider using the Table Rate Shipping Method for WooCommerce by Flexible Shipping. This plugin offers advanced features that allow you to calculate shipping costs based on factors like weight and cart total.

Here's a breakdown of the key features of the Table Rate Shipping Method for WooCommerce by Flexible Shipping:

Creating shipping rules is a crucial step in setting up a weight-based shipping system in WooCommerce. You can start by installing and activating the Flat Rate Shipping For WooCommerce plugin on your site.

To add weight-based shipping rules and conditions, head to Dotstore Plugins → Flat Rate Shipping → Settings → Manage Rules in your site’s admin menu, and click on “Add New”. You can then set the status of the shipping method to active and name it.

One of the key features of weight-based shipping is the ability to set conditions based on the weight of the products. You can specify the minimum and maximum weight for each rule, as well as the shipping cost.

For example, you can set a rule that charges a fixed rate of $5 for every product between 4-10 KG with an additional fee of $0.5 per kg. This is a common scenario in e-commerce where you need to charge customers based on the weight of their products.

To set up this rule, you can use the Advanced Shipping Price Rules section in the plugin settings. Here, you can add multiple cart weight rules and set the minimum and maximum weight for each rule, as well as the shipping cost.

It's also worth noting that you can use the Additional scenarios section to add more rules to your weight-based shipping method. This can include rules based on location, product category, and more.

In addition to setting conditions based on weight, you can also use the Order subtotal option to consider the total price of all the items in the customer’s shopping cart when applying shipping charges. This can be useful if you want to charge customers based on the total value of their order rather than just the weight of the products.

Here are some common scenarios where you can apply weight-based shipping rules:

By setting up these rules, you can create a weight-based shipping system that is fair and accurate for your customers.

Weight based shipping offers a fair and transparent way to match shipping costs with product weight. This method is particularly popular among WooCommerce store owners.

You can set up weight based shipping rules in WooCommerce using the Flat Rate Shipping plugin. This plugin allows you to add rules based on product weight and height, among other factors.

For instance, you can create a rule that charges extra for parcels weighing above 4 pounds and with a height above 15 inches.

The Table Rate Method is a robust solution for streamlining shipping calculations in your online store. It's a powerful tool that allows you to calculate shipping costs based on factors like weight and cart total.

Developed by Octolize, the Table Rate Shipping Method for WooCommerce by Flexible Shipping offers advanced features that cater to businesses of all sizes. Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, this plugin provides the flexibility and customization you need to manage shipping efficiently.

With this plugin, you can set up unlimited shipping methods and cost calculation rules tailored to your specific requirements. You can determine shipping costs based on cart total, weight, or a combination of both, with the ability to set minimum and maximum values.

Here are some key features of the Table Rate Shipping Method:

The Table Rate Method also allows you to unlock additional capabilities such as shipping cost based on product dimensions, user roles, and time of day, among others, with the PRO version.

To set up flat rates in WooCommerce, you need to create individual shipping rates based on weight conditions. You can add 3 different weight charges by clicking on WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping and then selecting your Shipping zone.

For our demo, we'll add 3 flat rate shipping options: Below 5 KG, Above 5 KG and below 10KG, and Above 10KG.

You can track your flat rate ID using the Inspect tool. Add an item to your cart and you should see all 3 flat rate shipping options on your checkout page. Right-click on the radio button for the shipping option and click on Inspect.

The value field should show you your flat_rate id. For example, for the Below 5 KG shipping option, it says flat_rate:3. That's the flat rate id for this shipping option.

Here are the flat rate ids for our demo:

To set up the flat rates, you'll need to add a PHP code snippet to your theme's functions.php file. This code works by checking the total weight of your cart using WC()->cart->cart_contents_weight hook.

Shipping classes allow you to set WooCommerce weight based shipping for specific product classes or categories. This is a pro-only feature that gives you more flexibility in setting up your shipping rules.

You can create as many shipping rules as you need to apply different conditions for your WooCommerce weight based shipping strategies. This means you can tailor your shipping costs to specific products or categories.

The maximum and minimum shipping costs can be set from Modifiers to prevent losing money or overcharging your customers. This is a useful feature to have when setting up your shipping rules.

Shipping classes can be used to set up different shipping rates for products within a certain weight range, such as 1-5 kg or over 10 kg. This is demonstrated in Example 2, where a product in the 1-5 kg shipping class adds $8 to the total shipping cost.

Shipping costs and pricing are crucial aspects of WooCommerce weight-based shipping. Product weight plays a great role in deciding shipping costs, as different shipping carriers have different pricing structures based on weight restrictions and advanced shipping rules.

Shipping carrier costs vary based on product weight, and different shipping zones may also influence shipping rates. Shipping heavier packages is likely to be more expensive compared to light packages.

To set different shipping charges for different product weights, you can use the Advanced Shipping Price Rules option in WooCommerce. This allows you to define weight ranges for your products and specify different costs for each range.

Here's a table summarizing the weight-based shipping rates:

You can also set conditions for weight-based shipping, such as setting a limit for the order subtotal or using the destination option to choose which shipping destinations to apply the weight-based shipping to.

Carrier costs play a significant role in determining the overall shipping cost of a shipment. Different shipping carriers have different pricing structures based on weight restrictions and advanced shipping rules.

Shipping carriers charge more for heavier packages because they require extra packaging, consume more fuel during transport, and are challenging to handle. This is a common practice across various shipping carriers.

The weight of a package greatly influences the shipping cost, with heavier packages typically costing more to ship. This is especially true for international shipping, where duties, taxes, and shipping fees vary based on the product's weight.

Here are some examples of how carrier costs can impact shipping costs:

Keep in mind that these rates are just examples and can vary depending on the specific carrier and shipping route.

Different shipping zones may also influence the shipping rates of the applicable shipping carrier. For instance, shipping to a rural area may cost more than shipping to a urban area.

The weight of a package is just one factor that determines carrier costs. Other factors, such as the shipping route and carrier, also play a significant role in determining the final shipping cost.

Setting up weight-based shipping without plugins can be a time-consuming and tedious process, especially for stores with a large product variety. Manually creating shipping classes for every weight range can be very tedious.

This method also has limited configurability, restricting you to using flat rates for each weight class. You can't account for factors like package dimensions or destination zones, which can impact shipping costs in reality.

Managing numerous weight classes and product assignments becomes cumbersome as your product range grows. Maintaining consistency and accuracy with manual setups can be challenging.

There's no automation for dynamically calculating shipping costs based on product weight and order quantity. This can lead to errors and frustration for both you and your customers.

Here are the specific drawbacks of using the built-in WooCommerce tools for weight-based shipping:

If you're looking for a reliable shipping plugin for WooCommerce, you might want to consider the Multi-Carrier Shipping Plugin for WooCommerce by PluginHive.

This plugin seamlessly integrates table rate shipping with real-time rates from major carriers like FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL Express, and Stamps.com.

With this plugin, you can access rates from multiple carriers within a single plugin, giving you the flexibility to choose the most cost-effective shipping option for each order.

You can also create custom rules based on customer location, product category, shipping class, and more, allowing you to tailor shipping rates to specific scenarios.

Here are some key features of the Multi-Carrier Shipping Plugin for WooCommerce: