How to Remove Shipping Charges in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide
So, you’re setting up your online store with WooCommerce and want to offer free shipping. Great choice! Free shipping is a powerful incentive that can significantly boost your sales. But how exactly do you remove those pesky shipping charges in WooCommerce? Don’t worry, this guide is here to walk you through it step-by-step. We’ll explore various options, from simple settings adjustments to more advanced code snippets, making sure even complete beginners can follow along.
Why Offer Free Shipping?
Before we dive in, let’s quickly recap why you might want to remove shipping charges in the first place. Think of it like this:
Imagine you’re shopping online for a cool new t-shirt. You find the perfect one for $20, but at checkout, you’re hit with a $7 shipping fee! Suddenly, that $20 shirt feels a lot less appealing. You might even abandon your cart and look for a cheaper alternative.
That’s the power of free shipping! It can:
- Reduce cart abandonment: As we saw in the example, unexpected shipping costs are a major reason why people abandon their online shopping carts.
- Increase sales: Free shipping can be a huge motivator for customers, encouraging them to complete their purchase.
- Improve customer satisfaction: Who doesn’t love free shipping? It creates a positive shopping experience.
- Give you a competitive edge: In a crowded online marketplace, free shipping can help you stand out from the competition.
- Zone name: Give your zone a descriptive name, like “Free Shipping – US” or “Free Shipping – Local Area”.
- Zone regions: Select the countries, states, or regions where you want to offer free shipping. For example, you could select “United States” if you want to offer free shipping across the entire country.
- Inside your newly created shipping zone, click the “Add shipping method” button.
- Select “Free Shipping” from the dropdown menu and click “Add shipping method” again.
- Click the “Edit” button next to the “Free Shipping” method you just added.
- Here, you can choose the conditions for free shipping:
- “A valid free shipping coupon”: Customers need to use a coupon to get free shipping.
- “A minimum order amount”: Free shipping is only available for orders above a certain value (e.g., $50).
- “A minimum order amount OR a coupon”: Either a coupon or reaching a minimum order amount will trigger free shipping.
- “A minimum order amount AND a coupon”: Customers need *both* a coupon and to reach a minimum order amount.
- “N/A”: Always offer free shipping in this zone, regardless of any conditions.
- Create a shipping zone named “Free Shipping – US”
- Set the zone region to “United States”
- Add a “Free Shipping” method to the zone.
- Configure the free shipping method to require “A minimum order amount” of $75.
- Advanced Free Shipping: This plugin allows you to set up free shipping based on various factors, such as product category, user role, and more.
- WooCommerce Table Rate Shipping: While primarily for calculating table rates, it can also be used to offer free shipping based on weight, price, or quantity.
Now, let’s get to the how-to!
Method 1: Setting Up a Free Shipping Zone
This is the most common and straightforward way to offer free shipping. It involves creating a “Free Shipping Zone” in WooCommerce.
1. Navigate to WooCommerce Settings: Go to your WordPress dashboard, then WooCommerce > Settings.
2. Click on the “Shipping” Tab: You’ll see a tab labeled “Shipping” at the top of the settings page. Click it.
3. Add a Shipping Zone: Click the “Add shipping zone” button. Think of a shipping zone as a region (e.g., United States, Europe, specific state/province).
4. Name and Configure Your Zone:
5. Add a “Free Shipping” Method:
6. Configure the Free Shipping Method:
7. Save your changes: Click the “Save changes” button.
Example: Let’s say you want to offer free shipping on all orders over $75 in the United States. You would:
Method 2: Flat Rate with Zero Cost
Another way to remove shipping charges is to set up a “Flat Rate” shipping method and then set its cost to zero. While this might seem counter-intuitive, it can be useful for specific scenarios.
1. Follow steps 1-4 from Discover insights on How To Customize My Account Page In Woocommerce Method 1 to create a Shipping Read more about How To Add Vendor In Woocommerce Zone.
2. Add a “Flat Rate” Shipping Method: In your zone, click “Add shipping method” and select “Flat Rate”.
3. Edit the Flat Rate: Click “Edit” next to the “Flat Rate” method.
4. Set the Cost to Zero: In the “Cost” field, enter “0”.
5. Save your changes.
Why use this method?
This method is often used when you need the shipping address information but don’t want to charge for shipping. For instance, if you’re offering local pickup but need the customer’s address for verification purposes, this approach works well.
Method 3: Using Plugins
Several WooCommerce plugins make managing free shipping much easier, especially if you have complex requirements. Here are a few examples:
Search the WordPress plugin repository for “WooCommerce free shipping” to find other options that suit your specific needs. Always read reviews and check compatibility before installing any plugin.
Method 4: Code Snippets (For Advanced Users)
If you’re comfortable with code, you can use code snippets to customize free shipping behavior. Be very careful when using code snippets, as errors can break your website. It’s always best to test on a staging site first.
Here’s an example snippet that always removes shipping costs:
add_filter( 'woocommerce_package_rates', 'remove_all_shipping_rates', 100 );
function remove_all_shipping_rates( $rates ) {
return array();
}
How this code works:
- `add_filter( ‘woocommerce_package_rates’, ‘remove_all_shipping_rates’, 100 );` This line hooks into the WooCommerce filter that determines which shipping rates are displayed.
- `function remove_all_shipping_rates( $rates ) { … }` This function takes the array of shipping rates (`$rates`) as input.
- `return array();` This line returns an empty array, effectively removing all shipping rates.
Where to put this code:
You can add this code to your theme’s `functions.php` file (child theme recommended!) or use a code snippets plugin.
Important Considerations:
- Use a child theme: Modifying the `functions.php` file of your main theme directly is risky. Use a child theme to avoid losing your Check out this post: How To Adjust Catalog Image In Woocommerce changes when your theme updates.
- Back up your website: Before making any code changes, back up your entire website (files and database) so you can easily restore it if something goes wrong.
- Test thoroughly: After adding the code, test your website to ensure it works as expected and doesn’t cause any other issues.
Choosing the Right Method
The best method for removing shipping charges in WooCommerce depends on your specific requirements:
- Simple Free Shipping: Use Method 1 (Free Shipping Zone) with “N/A” as the condition.
- Free Shipping Based on Order Amount: Use Method 1 with the “A minimum order amount” condition.
- Free Shipping with a Coupon: Use Method 1 with the “A valid free shipping coupon” condition.
- Complex Rules: Consider using a plugin (Method 3) like Advanced Free Shipping.
- Highly Customized Solutions: Use code snippets (Method 4) with caution.
Check out this post: How To Make Csv File For Woocommerce Product
By understanding these different methods, you can effectively remove shipping charges in WooCommerce and create a more appealing shopping experience for your customers! Remember to always test your changes thoroughly to ensure everything works as expected. Good luck!
