Setting up packages

You can add a custom package with custom dimensions and weight.

Steps:

The store default package is used to determine the shipping rate to charge your customers during checkout when using weight-based or carrier-calculated shipping rates. The store default package is used for products and variants that don't have a package assigned. In your Shipping and delivery settings, the store default package is indicated with the Store default label.

If you have weight-based rates, then the weight of this package is added to the weight of the products being shipped to determine which weight-based rate to charge.

The shipping box dimensions advertised by your shipping carrier might refer to the inside of the packaging. You need to measure and use the outside dimensions of your shipping boxes when creating packages because the outside dimensions are used to calculate the shipping cost.

For example, suppose you have a default package weight of .1825 kg and you have the following weight-based shipping rates:

• 0 to 4.99 kg = $3.00 USD shipping rate
• 5 to 9.99 kg = $5.00 USD shipping rate
• 10 to 19.99 kg = $10.00 USD shipping rate

Suppose a customer purchases products that weigh a total of 4.9 kg. When the customer reaches your checkout, the default package weight of .1825 kg is added to the weight of the products. Because the products and default package have a combined weight of 5.0825 kg, the customer would be charged the $5.00 USD shipping rate instead of the $3.00 USD shipping rate.

You can have only one store default package that's used to calculate shipping rates at checkout. The store default package is used for products and variants that don't have a package assigned. If you have only one package in your store, then it's used to calculate shipping rates. When you add a new package, you can change your store default package.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.

2. In the Shipping section, click Packages, and then click the icon.

3. For the package that you want to set as your default package, click and then click Set as default.

You can assign a package to your products and product variants. This can help you improve shipping rate accuracy at checkout and avoid excess shipping costs.

The package that you select for a product variant overrides your store default package for this specific product variant. This override works only for single item orders. If your order has multiple items, then your store default package is used to calculated rates at checkout.

You can assign an existing package or create a new package. You can also manage your existing packages.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products.

2. Click a product that you want to assign a package for.

3. Optional: If your product has variants, then in the Variants section click a variant that you want to assign a package for.

4. In the Shipping section, make sure that the Physical product setting is activated.

5. From the Package when shipped alone drop-down menu, select a package for your product.

6. Optional: To create a new package, from the Package when shipped alone drop-down menu, click Add new package.

7. Click Save.

You can add a packed product size to your products to get more accurate carrier-calculated shipping rates at checkout. The packed product size is the outer length, width, and height of a product after it's packed. When your products have a packed product size, the items in each shipment are packed into the smallest of your saved boxes that fits them. Customers then pay a shipping rate that's closer to what your carrier charges you for the label. If an order ships from more than one location, then the items from each location are packed into a separate box.

Considerations for adding a packed product size to a product

Review the following considerations before you add a packed product size to your products:

• Only packages with the Box package type are selected this way. Envelope, soft pack, flat rate, and carrier packages aren't.
• Your store default package is used instead for a shipment in the following cases:
  • Any product in the shipment is missing a packed product size.
  • Your default package isn't a box.
  • None of your boxes fit the items.
  • You have a large number of saved boxes.
  • The order has a large number of items that require shipping. The more saved boxes that you have, the fewer items the order can include before this happens.
• A package that you assign to a product variant still takes priority for a single-item order.
• Fixed product bundles don't have their own packed product size. Instead, the individual products in the bundle are packed based on their own packed product sizes.

Add a packed product size to a product

You must enter the length, width, and height, or leave all three blank. If you enter only one or two of them, then the packed product size isn't saved.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products.

2. Click a product that you want to add a packed product size for.

3. Optional: If your product has variants, then in the Variants section click a variant that you want to add a packed product size for.

4. In the Shipping section, make sure that the Physical product setting is activated.

5. In the Packed product size fields, enter the length, width, and height of the packed product, and then select the unit of measurement.

6. Click Save.

You can add a carrier package from USPS, or UPS. Carrier packages have predetermined dimensions. Learn more about carrier packages.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.

2. In the Shipping section, click Packages, and then click Add package.

3. Click Carrier package.

4. Select USPS package or UPS package.

5. Select a package type.

6. Optional: To change the store default package to this package, select Use as default package.

7. Click Add package.

When you buy shipping labels, a Suggested package might be automatically selected. The Suggested package is based on the package that you've selected for similar orders previously. A Suggested package is available for more orders after you purchase more shipping labels.

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.

2. In the Shipping section, click Packages, and then click the icon.

3. For the package that you want to edit, click and then click Edit.

4. Make any adjustments to your package's type, size, or weight.

5. Click Save.

If you no longer need a package in your shipping settings, then you can delete it. You can't delete your store default package.

To delete your store default package, you first need to set another package as your store default package.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.

2. In the Shipping section, click Packages, and then click the icon.

3. For the package that you want to edit, click and then click Delete.

4. Click Delete package.