Shopping is one of the activities that people enjoy doing in their spare time, and more so as the market has changed to technological devices. We prefer online stores for anything we wish to buy, such as groceries, appliances, and gadgets. We can buy products online and have them delivered to our homes without going to stores.
For many business owners, WooCommerce has become one of the most popular destinations to create an online store. Shipping is one of the most crucial variables influencing people’s purchasing decisions regarding online stores. You are not alone if you are having trouble estimating the actual shipping cost. You, like many others, must have been puzzled by the numerous shipping carrier possibilities. It demands special attention because it has a direct impact on the entire cost of purchasing the product.
The cost of shipping can make or break a potential sale. Customers are uninformed of the exact shipping charges, which can come as a surprise after checkout, resulting in potential purchases being lost. You risk losing a lot of money if you don’t show your customers the shipping rates upfront, or worse, turning away potential customers by confusing them with tons of shipping details. That is why a Shipping Calculator on your company’s website is essential.
A shipping calculator is especially helpful for companies that require customers to ship things regularly to their warehouse or office. By evaluating different shipping options and rates depending on package weight, volume, and distance, a shipping calculator is vital in assisting your consumers with shipping items to your business.
Factors that have an impact on shipping rates
Dimensions and Weight
Setting a fixed shipping strategy is easier when you’re working with products that are of the same size and weight. However, if your products come in a variety of sizes and weights, you’ll have to charge a variable shipping fee. Products with a heavier weight but equivalent size may not be more expensive than those with a larger size but lighter weight.
The cost of resources
You can’t send packages to the shipping carrier without first labeling and putting them together. Someone must arrange the product correctly, pack each box, label each section, and prepare the package. This takes time, effort, and resources, which is why many businesses choose to charge a handling fee to make a profit cut.
Packaging Costs
The type of packaging you use is based on the type of your product. Perishable goods and sensitive things, for example, require different packaging materials. As a result, the shipping cost is significantly higher.
Best Free WooCommerce Shipping Calculator Plugins
Here we present a list of the best free WooCommerce shipping calculator plugins that you can use on your WooCommerce store without spending a dime.
Product page shipping calculator for WooCommerce
This plugin allows you to provide customers the option of looking up available shipping choices in their location and making an informed decision. The plugin will display updated delivery methods and charges based on the customer’s address. The best feature is that the shipping calculator can be included on the product page.
Key features
- Allow customers to determine shipping costs before adding items to their shopping cart.
- Customers can explore the delivery options available in their area.
- Customers may see whether or not a product can be delivered to their location, so they don’t have to proceed to the checkout page only to discover that you don’t deliver to their area.
- The plugin displays the various shipping options. Even if the client hasn’t entered his address, the plugin will display the delivery method based on the WooCommerce shipping zone.
ELEX EasyPost (FedEx, UPS & USPS) Shipping Plugin
The ELEX EasyPost (FedEx, UPS, and USPS) Shipping Method Plugin for WooCommerce (Free Version) simplifies EasyPost shipping integration by displaying real-time shipping rates to WooCommerce shops. All accessible shipping options, as well as their rates, are offered for customers to choose from based on postal codes and other parameters.
Key features
- Get real-time shipping quotes from FedEx, UPS, and USPS.
- Set Fallback Rate
- As the real-time rate type, choose either Residential or Commercial.
- Create a custom title for each shipping method.
WooCommerce Shipping Plugin for FedEx
The FedEx API is used to get information about FedEx services and rates. This is one of the most popular free WooCommerce shipping plugins on the market. FedEx shipping prices will be provided to your consumers when you install this plugin, and they will be dependent on the order weight, delivery destination, and other factors. The customer has the option of choosing a FedEx shipping service based on their delivery needs and budget concerns. With this plugin, you’ll be able to show both domestic and international FedEx services.
Key features
- For accurate shipping rates, display Real-Time FedEx Shipping Rates on your website.
- Both domestic and international shipping services are supported by the plugin.
- In the premium version, you can automatically Print FedEx Shipping Labels from within your WooCommerce store.
WooCommerce Weight Based Shipping
Weight Based Shipping is a basic yet versatile shipping method for WooCommerce that calculates shipping costs based on (but not limited to) order weight. You can use the plugin to add multiple rules based on various conditions.
Key features
- Generate as many shipping rules as you need for different order destinations, weight ranges, and subtotals.
- Flexible Price Calculation
- Conditional Free Shipping
ELEX WooCommerce USPS Shipping Plugin
The ELEX WooCommerce USPS Shipping Plugin with Print Label makes USPS shipping integration easier for WooCommerce stores. This plugin allows you to obtain shipping prices from USPS APIs based on the shipment address and contents of the shopping cart. All accessible shipping options, as well as their rates, are offered for customers to choose from based on their postal codes and other factors.
Key features
- For both local and international shipping services, the plugin retrieves USPS postage rates.
- You can pick between Click-N-Ship (online) and Post Office charges (Offline rates)
- The fallback rate will be used if the USPS API fails to return any rates.
- At the Checkout, you have the option of seeing all returning rates or just the cheapest ones.
- Option to provide USPS shipping services worldwide or to select countries.
These free WooCommerce Shipping Calculator Plugins should hopefully assist you to increase your store’s shipping efficiency and customer experience. If you have any questions, please leave a comment.
Further reading
