How do I set up free shipping?

Learn how to set up a free shipping option.

Free shipping can be based on cart price and/or weight using a Price tier or Weight tier, or for specific countries based on the zone you add the rule to.

Video walkthrough

Add free shipping

Create a rule to make a free shipping option.

1. Log in to Zonos Dashboard.
2. Go to Settings on the left sidebar.
3. Select Shipping rates → Shipping zones.
4. Select the zone for which you would like to create your new shipping rate.
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page until you see Rules.
6. Click on Add new rule.
7. Enter your Display name, e.g. Free shipping.
   • This will be the name of your shipping option as displayed to your customers when they select shipping options upon checkout. You can call it whatever you would like, but a descriptive name is always good.
8. Estimate or collect duties and taxes - By default, this new shipping option will quote and require prepayment of duties and taxes when selected.
   • If you do not want to allow your customers to prepay duties and taxes and only want to show them the estimated duties and taxes that will be due upon delivery, select the check box next to [ ] Only estimate duties and taxes for this rule.
9. Set carrier fees (dropdown) - Select the carrier you will use for this shipping option.
   • My carrier is not on the list; what should I do? If you are integrating your carrier account, you will need to do that first in order for your carrier to show up in this list. If you are not integrating carriers you can select Custom, which will use a default set of carrier fees that can be adjusted here. If you have fees waived or negotiated at a lower rate, reach out to Zonos support to get them adjusted.
   • What are carrier fees? Carrier fees are often a surprise to online retailers just starting to calculate and collect landed cost because they are usually only seen and paid for by your customers when they receive their international shipments. Carrier fees are an important part of landed cost calculations. If you don’t set them up correctly and you are allowing prepayment of duties and taxes, you will lose money because you will end up paying the carrier fees on behalf of your customers. You may need to find out from your carrier what your fees are, but typically, unless you have negotiated to get them lowered or waived, selecting the carrier you will use for this shipping option will automatically add the correct carrier fees to your orders. Learn more about carrier fees.
10. Display shipping transit time Optional - Check this box to display transit time, then select your delivery window by filling in Minimum and Maximum transit times in days. Zonos adds transit times based on calendar days, not business days.
    • For example, using 2 for Minimum transit time and 7 for Maximum transit time will display something like “Transit time 2-7 days” next to your new shipping option, giving your customers an estimated time for delivery. This message will vary depending on the platform you are using.
11. Under Price tiers, you will find the rule builder where you can choose whether your new free shipping option will be offered based on price or weight by selecting Cart subtotal for Price tiers or Cart weight for Weight tiers - Free shipping is typically based on price.
    • If Cart subtotal is selected, then you will also need to choose the currency being used.
    • If Cart weight is selected, then you will need to choose the currency and the weight units.
12. Set up your rule using the dropdowns greater than, less than, or between, then entering the cart price or cart weight ranges based on the fields that appear and your specifications.
13. Enter the price for your shipping option to be shown at checkout. In this case, it will be $0.00 because we are setting up free shipping. See the general guide for using the custom shipping rule builder below.
    • NOTE: The price shown here will be the final price shown at checkout. Any buffers will not be added.
14. Click Save to finish adding your new free shipping option.

Still have questions?

View our additional documentation on how to set up free shipping.