Shipping Rates & Product Rules
Official guide · English · Version 9c253d0cf11816df
The Product Rules page lets you configure shipping rules on a per-product basis. Instead of applying a single shipping strategy to your entire catalog, you can fine-tune how each product is shipped -- choosing specific carriers, delivery speeds, protection levels, handover methods, and more.
Accessing the Product Rules Page
Navigate to Dashboard > Shipping > Product Rules (or go directly to /dashboard/shipping/rules).
Page Overview
The Product Rules page displays all your products in a table. For each product, you can configure shipping-specific settings. A counter in the header shows how many products have custom rules configured vs. the total number of products (e.g., "12 configured / 45 total").
Search and Test Tools
At the top of the page, two input fields help you work efficiently:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Product Search | Search for products by name or SKU to quickly find what you need. |
| Test Postcode | Enter a destination postcode to preview rate estimates for each product. This postcode is used when you click the rate preview button on any product. |
Product Rules Table
Each row in the table represents a product and its shipping configuration. Products with existing rules are highlighted with a subtle blue background.
Table Columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Product | Product image, name, weight, dimensions, SKU, and price. |
| Delivery | The preferred delivery speed for this product. |
| Carriers | Which carriers are allowed for this product, in priority order. |
| Handover | How the package is handed to the carrier (Drop-off or Pickup). |
| Protection | Insurance/protection level for the shipment. |
| Free | Whether this product ships for free. |
| Sign | Whether a signature is required on delivery. |
| Fragile | Whether the product needs fragile handling. |
| Auto | Whether to auto-fulfill the shipment when the order is placed. |
| Actions | Buttons to edit dimensions, preview rates, or reset the rule. |
Configuring Product Rules
All changes are saved automatically when you modify any field. There is no manual save button -- each change is persisted to the server immediately.
Delivery Type
Choose the preferred delivery speed for the product:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto | The system automatically selects the best delivery option based on carrier availability. |
| Express | Same-day or next-business-day delivery. |
| Next Day | Delivery within 1 business day. |
| Two Day | Delivery within 2 business days. |
| Standard | Standard delivery (typically 3-5 business days). |
| Economy | Budget delivery (typically 5-10 business days). |
When a specific delivery type is selected (not "Auto"), only carrier services matching that speed tier are shown in rate estimates.
Carrier Selection & Priority
You can select which carriers are allowed to ship each product and set their priority order.
How carrier selection works:
- By default (no carriers selected), the system uses all active carriers and auto-selects the best option.
- When you check one or more carriers, only those carriers are used for the product.
- The order of selected carriers matters -- the first carrier in the list has highest priority.
Reordering carriers:
- Use the up/down arrows next to each selected carrier to change their priority.
- The numbered list (1, 2, 3...) indicates the priority order.
- Higher-priority carriers are preferred when multiple carriers offer similar rates.
Removing a carrier:
- Click the X button that appears when you hover over a selected carrier.
- Or uncheck the carrier's checkbox.
Service Preferences
Within each carrier, you can mark specific services as preferred by clicking the star icon on rate estimate cards. Preferred services are prioritized over other services from the same carrier.
Info: Service preferences work together with carrier priority. The system first looks at your highest-priority carrier, then within that carrier, selects the preferred service (if set) or the cheapest available service.
Handover Method
Choose how the package is handed to the carrier:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Drop-off | You drop the package at a carrier drop-off point or post office. |
| Pickup | The carrier picks up the package from your location. |
This setting filters rate estimates to only show services that support the selected handover method.
Protection Level
Configure insurance/protection for the shipment:
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| None | No additional protection. Standard carrier liability applies. |
| Included | Use the carrier's included protection (if available). No extra cost. |
| Custom | Set a specific coverage amount. An additional field appears where you enter the protection amount in your store currency. The system automatically selects carrier services that offer matching coverage. |
When "Custom" is selected, rate estimates show the protection cost included in the final price, and a shield icon indicates which rates include the requested protection level.
Toggle Options
Four toggle switches provide quick on/off control:
| Toggle | Description |
|---|---|
| Free Shipping | When enabled, shipping for this product is free to the customer (you absorb the cost). |
| Signature Required | When enabled, only carrier services that offer signature-on-delivery are shown. |
| Fragile | When enabled, the product is flagged as fragile. This filters for services that support fragile handling. |
| Auto-Fulfill | When enabled, a shipment is automatically created when an order containing this product is placed. |
Editing Product Dimensions
Accurate weight and dimensions are essential for getting correct shipping rates. You can edit them directly from the Product Rules page.
How to Edit Dimensions
- Click the pencil icon in the Actions column for the product.
- An inline editor row appears below the product with fields for:
- Weight (kg) -- The product's weight in kilograms.
- Length (cm) -- Package length in centimeters.
- Width (cm) -- Package width in centimeters.
- Height (cm) -- Package height in centimeters.
- A volumetric weight is calculated automatically:
(L x W x H) / 5000. - Click "Save" to persist the changes.
- Click "Cancel" to discard.
Info: Carriers use the higher of actual weight and volumetric weight (dimensional weight) to calculate shipping costs. Setting accurate dimensions helps ensure your rate estimates are correct.
Rate Estimates / Preview
You can preview what shipping rates would be available for any product based on its current rules.
Viewing Rate Estimates
- Optionally enter a Test Postcode in the search bar at the top of the page.
- Click the dollar sign icon in the Actions column for the product you want to preview.
- A rate estimate panel appears below the product row.
Understanding Rate Estimate Cards
Each available shipping option is displayed as a card showing:
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Carrier Name | The carrier offering this service. |
| Service Name | The specific shipping service. |
| Price | The final price including any markup and protection costs. |
| Base Price | Shown below the final price if a markup was applied. |
| Delivery Time | Estimated delivery in days. |
| Tracked/Untracked | Whether the service includes tracking. |
| Badges | Visual indicators for special attributes. |
Rate Card Badges
| Badge | Color | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Select | Blue | This is the service that would be automatically selected based on your carrier priorities and service preferences. |
| Preferred | Yellow | This service has been marked as a preferred service for this carrier. |
| Cheapest | Green | This is the lowest-priced option available. |
| Sandbox | Orange | This rate comes from a carrier in sandbox/test mode. |
Protection Information
Rate cards also show available protection options:
- Free Cover Included -- Complimentary coverage included with the service (shown with a green shield icon).
- Basic Cover -- An affordable add-on protection tier with its price and coverage amount.
- Full Cover -- Comprehensive protection with its price and maximum coverage amount. Highlighted in blue when your Custom protection level matches.
Applied Filters
When you have specific rules set for a product, the rate estimate panel shows which filters are being applied (e.g., "Drop-off", "Fragile", "Signature", "Protection: custom"). It also indicates how many rates were filtered out by your rules.
Refreshing Rates
Click the "Refresh" button in the rate panel to re-fetch rates. Rates are also automatically refreshed when you change any rule setting that affects which rates are available (carrier selection, delivery type, handover method, protection, signature, or fragile settings).
Resetting a Product Rule
To remove all custom shipping rules from a product and return it to the default behavior:
- Click the red reset icon (circular arrow) in the Actions column.
- Confirm the reset in the dialog.
- The product will use the global shipping policy defaults.
How Auto-Selection Works
When a shipment is created (either manually or via auto-fulfill), the system selects a carrier and service using this logic:
- Check carrier priority -- If specific carriers are selected for the product, use them in priority order. Otherwise, use all active carriers.
- Apply filters -- Filter services based on delivery type, handover method, signature requirement, fragile flag, and protection level.
- Check service preferences -- For the highest-priority carrier that has available services, check if any services are marked as preferred.
- Select the service -- If preferred services exist and are available, use the first preferred service. Otherwise, use the cheapest available service from the highest-priority carrier.
Info: The "Auto-Select" badge on rate estimate cards shows you exactly which service would be chosen by this algorithm, helping you verify your configuration before any real shipments are created.
Best Practices
- Set weight and dimensions for all products to get accurate shipping rates. Without this data, rate estimates will be unreliable.
- Use the rate preview to verify your rules before going live. Check that the auto-selected service matches your expectations.
- Start with "Auto" delivery type and no specific carrier selection, then tighten rules only for products that need special handling.
- Mark fragile products to ensure they are shipped with appropriate services.
- Set protection levels for high-value items to reduce the risk of loss or damage claims.
- Use service preferences when you want a specific service from a carrier (e.g., always use "Next Day Tracked" from Royal Mail) rather than just the cheapest option.
- Test with different postcodes to see how rates vary by destination before setting fixed shipping costs.