WooCommerce Shipping & Tax, previously known as WooCommerce Services, helps to easily set up a WooCommerce store by taking care of tax calculation, payment processing setup, and shipping label printing. While the plugin offers many features, it usually falls short when the business expands and requires more flexibility.
This article aims to provide a clear understanding of how WooCommerce Shipping and Tax works, along with the best alternatives to consider when your business requires more flexible and scalable support.
What is WooCommerce Shipping & Tax?
Using the WooCommerce Shipping & Tax plugin, you can quickly set up your online store. It helps to take care of the payment processing setup, the tax payments and setup, and the label printing for shipping processes. The plugin helps to
- Accept PayPal Express checkout payments by providing just your email address.
- You can create automated tax options to ease the checkout process.
- Offer lower rates for shipping.
- Print shipping labels for DHL and USPS at a discount rate.
You can find more about setting up the plugin on the product page.
How to Set up Shipping Labels on your WooCommerce store with the WooCommerce Shipping & Tax plugin?
To set up the shipping labels is easier with the WooCommerce Shipping & Tax plugin. After installing the plugin go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > WooCommerce Shipping & Tax > Shipping Labels.
Here, you can set the paper size from the drop-down as per your choice.
The next thing you need to set is the payment options. You must add any one payment option for getting the labels printed.
You can choose the existing card if you have already used it or even opt to add another one.
You need to enable the email receipts options to allow the labels to be mailed to the merchant.
Set up WooCommerce Packages
The plugin allows you to select shipping carriers’ boxes or define custom boxes, envelopes, and other packaging that are used for shipping.
Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > WooCommerce Shipping & Tax > Packages.
You can click Add Package. Upon doing so, you can add the type of package, its name, dimensions, and weight, and then add the package.
You also have options to choose the carrier-provided packaging options.
Here, as you can see, the list of boxes provided by the shipping carriers is listed.
If you choose flat-rate packaging, then by default, the flat-rate services will be listed.
How to get your shipping labels printed?
WooCommerce Shipping supports printing USPS and DHL Express Worldwide labels. To print the shipping labels, you need to go to WooCommerce > Orders and choose the order to fulfill. On the order screen, you can find a meta box at the top, as shown in the image below:
Upon clicking the Create Shipping label button, you need to enter the full address of both origin and destination.
Click Verify Address. And confirm the package details by choosing from the drop-down.
Once the package is chosen, click Use these packages.
Once done, you need to choose the shipping rate and also whether an adult signature is required or not.
Once done, you can go for purchasing the shipping label, or sometimes, it might ask for adding the credit card (if you have not entered it earlier). If you choose to buy the shipping labels. You can move ahead and make the purchase. If you see Add Credit Card, you need to add the credit card details to proceed.
Once the shipping label is purchased, you can immediately see the shipping label, which you can print.
Printing label for International Shipments
If you are using the plugin for international shipments, then after you’ve selected the package size, you need to enter relevant information like the HS Tariff number for the items you are shipping.
Also, you need to ensure that you have the required customs documents for other shipping carriers like USPS and DHL.
Get tracking numbers for the packages
To get the tracking number, you need to click the Track Package button in the Shipping Label meta box.
Now that you know the WooCommerce Shipping and Tax works, let’s try and understand more about the different alternatives that you can easily replace the WooCommerce Shipping and Tax plugin with.
Best Alternatives for WooCommerce Shipping and Tax Plugin
If you’re dissatisfied with WooCommerce Shipping & Tax and find the processes time-consuming and tedious, explore simpler, more convenient alternatives.
Several plugins can automate the entire process and enable you to utilize a wide range of shipping services, including FedEx, USPS, DHL, UPS, and Canada Post. Let’s see how these plugins can simplify things.
- These plugins will help you fetch real-time shipping rates for all the shipping services.
- Print shipping labels right from the WooCommerce admin, where the details can be fetched automatically. With the plugin, you need not manually enter the details for printing shipping labels.
- You can also display the estimated delivery date on the Checkout page.
- Tracking information can be obtained from the order details themselves.
- Configure handling fees for each shipping service, in terms of amount or a percentage value.
- Based on the weights and dimensions of the products in the shopping cart, the shipping rate will be calculated and applied to the final price of the order.
- If you have multiple packages, you can also choose separate services for each package.
- The plugin will automatically choose the Flat Rate box for the package for USPS shipping.
- Scheduling pickup is also quick using the ideal add-on plugins.
- Also, the plugins help to print the documents for shipping. Like with DHL, you can get the commercial invoice printed for customs clearance purposes.
- With international shipping, you need not worry about the additional details like the HS Tariff number to be filled separately. You can provide these details in the individual product settings in the store. Then your shipping will be customized based on the chosen products and the details you entered.
There are several plugins you can find that will help you achieve these features. Here we are listing some popular WooCommerce plugins that are handy in terms of the features mentioned above.
- ELEX EasyPost (FedEx, UPS, Canada Post & USPS) Shipping & Label Printing Plugin for WooCommerce
- ReachShip Multi-Carrier & Conditional WooCommerce Shipping Plugin
- ELEX WooCommerce USPS Shipping Plugin with Shipment Tracking & Print Label
- ELEX WooCommerce DHL Express / eCommerce / Paket Shipping Plugin with Print Label
Each plugin has its features, which make it an ideal option to use for your WooCommerce store. These plugins can quickly automate the processes related to entering the details, eliminate adding the payment options for the label printing, and also tax calculations for each order.
ELEX EasyPost WooCommerce Shipping Plugin
Key Features:
- Elex has integrated with EasyPost to bring in the best multi-carrier solution for your business
- The plugin helps you fetch the right shipping rates based on product type, product weight, shipping destination, etc.
- Show the estimated delivery date to customers
- Easily set shipping insurance for your shipments
ReachShip Multi-Carrier & Conditional WooCommerce Shipping Plugin
Key Features:
- Creation and automation of shipments, and provides centralized shipment tracking
- Get real-time shipping rates all in one place from premium carriers without the need for switching tabs
- Excellent shipping label management process
- Seamlessly sync WooCommerce orders
ELEX WooCommerce USPS Shipping Plugin with Shipment Tracking & Print Label
Key Features:
- Helps with USPS WooCommerce Live Shipping Rates
- Printing shipping label with Postage
- USPS shipment tracking
- Effective shipping calculator for USPS shipping rates
ELEX WooCommerce DHL Express / eCommerce / Paket Shipping Plugin with Print Label
Key Features:
- Access the right DHL Shipping Rates
- Print DHL Shipping labels easily
- Multiple options in parcel packaging
- Add shipper tax registration details seamlessly
Conclusion
Although WooCommerce Shipping & Tax appears to be a handy plugin, you still need to perform several manual tasks, such as entering addresses for labels, managing the payment process for label generation, and providing packaging data, among others. With the ELEX shipping plugins, you can eliminate several tedious shipping processes in your WooCommerce store. Moreover, these plugins help to streamline several processes for making the store run successfully.
FAQs
- What is the WooCommerce Shipping & Tax plugin?
It’s an official WooCommerce plugin offering basic features like USPS/DHL label printing, tax calculations, and address validation. - Why should I consider an alternative to WooCommerce Shipping & Tax?
You might require more carrier options, advanced automation, more accurate rate calculations, or faster label generation compared to the default plugin. - Can I still print shipping labels without WooCommerce Shipping & Tax?
Yes, several plugins, such as ELEX USPS, EasyPost, offer direct label printing along with additional features. - Do alternative plugins support international shipping?
Yes, most premium shipping plugins support international carriers like DHL, FedEx, and UPS, along with customs forms and live tracking. - Are these shipping plugin alternatives easy to set up?
Yes, many include setup wizards, comprehensive documentation, and dedicated support to help you configure shipping in just a few steps.
