How to Change Flat Rate Shipping in WooCommerce: A Step-by-Step Guide
WooCommerce’s flat rate shipping option provides a simple way to charge a consistent shipping fee regardless of order weight or destination. However, you might need to modify your flat rate shipping settings from time to time – perhaps to adjust prices, add new zones, or introduce exceptions. This guide walks you through the process of changing flat rate shipping in your WooCommerce WordPress website.
Understanding WooCommerce Flat Rate Shipping
Before diving into the changes, let’s briefly recap how flat rate shipping works in WooCommerce. It allows you to define shipping zones (geographic areas) and assign a fixed price to each zone. You can also create multiple flat rate methods within a single zone for various scenarios (e.g., expedited shipping).
Method 1: Modifying Flat Rate Shipping Through the WooCommerce Dashboard (Recommended)
This is the easiest and most recommended approach for changing your flat rate shipping settings. No coding is required.
Steps:
1. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard: Access your website’s admin area.
2. Navigate to WooCommerce: Go to `WooCommerce` -> `Settings` -> `Shipping`.
3. Choose your Shipping Zone: Select the zone you want to modify. If you haven’t created zones yet, you’ll need to do so first by clicking “Add shipping zone”.
4. Find your Flat Rate Method: Locate the “Flat Rate” method within the chosen zone.
5. Edit the Settings: Click on the “Edit” button next to your flat rate method. You’ll then be able to adjust the following:
- Method Title: The name displayed to customers (e.g., “Standard Shipping,” “Express Delivery”).
- Cost: The flat rate shipping cost.
- Tax Class: Select the appropriate tax class.
- Classes: You can restrict this shipping method to specific product classes (e.g., only apply to “Clothing” products).
- Minimum Order Amount: Set a minimum order total to qualify for this shipping option.
- Maximum Order Amount: Set a maximum order total to activate this shipping option.
- Enable: Turn Read more about How To Change The Default Email Address In Woocommerce the method on or off.
Check out this post: How To Change Order Status In Woocommerce Programmatically
6. Save Changes: Click “Save changes” to apply your modifications.
Method 2: Modifying Flat Rate Shipping Using Code (Advanced Users)
For more advanced customizations, Read more about How To Access Sprocket From Woocommerce you can use code snippets within your `functions.php` file or a custom plugin. This method requires a good understanding of PHP and WooCommerce’s code structure. Proceed with caution, as incorrect code can break your website.
Example (Adding a new flat rate):
This code adds a new flat rate shipping method with a cost of $10 for a specific zone. Remember to replace `’zone_id’` with the actual ID of your shipping zone.
add_action( 'woocommerce_shipping_init', 'add_my_custom_flat_rate' ); function add_my_custom_flat_rate() { require_once WC_ABSPATH . 'includes/class-wc-shipping-method.php'; class WC_Shipping_Method_My_Custom_Flat_Rate extends WC_Shipping_Method { public function __construct( $instance_id = 0 ) { $this->id = 'my_custom_flat_rate'; $this->method_title = __( 'My Custom Flat Rate', 'woocommerce' ); $this->method_description = __( 'Custom flat rate shipping method.', 'woocommerce' ); $this->enabled = 'yes'; $this->title = __( 'My Custom Flat Rate', 'woocommerce' ); // This is what the customer sees $this->supports = array( 'shipping-zones', );
$this->__construct( $instance_id );
}
public function calculate_shipping( $package = array() ) {
$rate = array(
‘id’ => $this->id,
‘label’ => $this->title,
‘cost’ => 10, // Flat rate cost
‘taxes’ => false,
‘calc_tax’ => ‘per_order’
);
$this->add_rate( $rate );
}
}
}
add_filter( ‘woocommerce_shipping_methods’, ‘add_my_custom_flat_rate_method’ );
function add_my_custom_flat_rate_method( $methods ) {
$methods[‘my_custom_flat_rate’] = ‘WC_Shipping_Method_My_Custom_Flat_Rate’;
return $methods;
}
Important Note: Always back up your website before making any code changes.
Conclusion
Changing flat rate shipping in WooCommerce is straightforward using the dashboard interface. The code method offers greater flexibility but demands technical expertise. Choose the method that best suits your skill level and needs. Remember to always test your changes thoroughly after implementing them to ensure everything works correctly.
