Expanding your Shopify store beyond the U.S. into international markets like Canada can seem intimidating. How will you handle duties, taxes, customs clearance, and finding affordable shipping rates?
Luckily, Shopify makes cross-border ecommerce much easier with its built-in support for carrier-calculated shipping. This allows you to tap into major carriers like UPS, FedEx, and DHL to instantly get real-time rate estimates at checkout.
In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about activating carrier-calculated shipping on Shopify, including:
- Pricing to add carrier rates on different plans
- Steps to enable carrier calculated shipping
- Turning on rates for additional stores
- Getting support when you need it
Let’s dive in!
Pricing to Add Carrier Rates on Shopify Plan
On the basic Shopify plan, carrier-calculated rates from third parties like UPS are not enabled by default. However, you can add this capability for an additional $20 per month by upgrading your subscription.
The Advanced and Plus Shopify plans include activating carrier rates for free without any extra fees needed. So upgrading to one of these upper tiers is another route to enabling the feature.
If selling internationally to markets like Canada is a core part of your ecommerce strategy, the slightly higher cost of an Advanced plan can pay for itself quickly through the benefits of calculated shipping.
How to Activate Carrier Rates on Shopify
Once you’ve added carrier calculated shipping to your Shopify subscription, it’s straightforward to toggle it on:
- Navigate to Settings > Shipping and Delivery in your Shopify admin.
- Under “Carrier shipping”, click on “Enable” or “Upgrade your plan” if needed.
- Select the shipping zone you want to add rates for. Often this will be a “Rest of World” zone for international orders.
- Click “Add rate” and choose “Use carrier or app to calculate rates” when prompted.
- Search for and select the carrier accounts you wish to use, like UPS, FedEx, or USPS.
- Connect your carrier accounts by entering your account credentials when prompted.
That’s it! Shopify will now pull in live shipping rates from those carriers at checkout anytime an international customer views shipping options to their destination. No more having to manually update static shipping prices.
Turning On Carrier Rates for New Stores
If you want to activate carrier calculated shipping for additional new Shopify stores later on, you’ll need to follow a slightly different process. It’s worth noting that this applies not only to new stores but to all stores below the Advanced Plan threshold.
Rather than enabling it directly from your store’s shipping settings, which notably lacks the toggle for the $20 option, you will have to get in touch with Shopify support. This can be done either through chat or email. Inform them that you wish to enable carrier rates for your store subscription, and they will assist in activating the feature swiftly.
This extra step is due to how carrier rate permissions function across store accounts.
Reaching out to Shopify support via a chat is often the quickest way to get carrier rates switched on for a new store. Usually you’ll be connected with an advisor within minutes who can enable it while you wait.
Getting Support When You Need It
Speaking of Shopify support, chatting with advisors is the best way to get assistance if you run into any hiccups setting up calculated shipping.
Here are some key benefits of using Shopify’s chat-based customer support:
- Instant 1-on-1 connection with knowledgeable shipping experts
- Ability to share screenshots to tackle configuration issues
- Guidance specific to your store’s setup and subscription tier
- No need to refresh email repeatedly awaiting replies
Of course, you can also reach Shopify support via email or phone if preferred. But chat is often the fastest, most effective option for solving time-sensitive issues.
Make Cross-Border Shipping to Canada a Breeze
Selling beyond U.S. borders can seem intimidating for Shopify merchants at first. But tools like carrier-calculated shipping rates make the process smooth and painless.
With just a few clicks, you can tap into discounted shipping prices from top carriers optimized for international delivery. No more uncertainty or manual rate estimations needed.
Follow this guide to start activating carrier-calculated shipping on your Shopify store today. The additional global revenue it unlocks will quickly offset any extra monthly costs.
So don’t let cross-border complexity stop you from expanding your ecommerce business north of the border. With the right tools and support, you can confidently ship worldwide and watch your international sales grow.
Making Cross-Border Shipping Easier with BorderBuddy
While Shopify’s carrier-calculated shipping rates are a powerful tool for simplifying international sales, there’s still the hurdle of duties, taxes, and customs clearance when selling to countries like Canada. This is where BorderBuddy comes in.
BorderBuddy is a third-party app designed to handle all the complexities of cross-border shipping, from calculating duties and taxes to taking care of customs clearance. You can even offer your Canadian customers a complete, landed cost at checkout, so there are no surprise fees upon delivery. It’s the ideal complement to Shopify’s carrier-calculated rates, especially for merchants who are focused on expanding into the Canadian market.
Why Choose BorderBuddy?
- Certified Customs Brokers: BorderBuddy has certified customs brokers who submit any and all duties and taxes to the government for your customers.
- Exclusive Carrier Partnerships: As of now, BorderBuddy exclusively uses UPS for shipping, with plans to add FedEx to the list. USPS is not an option because they don’t allow any other customs brokers other than Canada Post to handle their shipments.
- Canadian Sales Optimization: If you’re already making sales to Canada but want to improve the customer experience, BorderBuddy’s shipping rates include brokerage costs, making it easier to win over Canadian consumers.
- Cost-Effective: With BorderBuddy, you only pay per order, not per product. They pass along deeply discounted shipping rates, leveraging the massive buying power of their partners.
- Flexible for U.S.-Based Suppliers: Even if your business is based in Canada but your supplier is in the U.S., you can still utilize BorderBuddy by entering your supplier’s U.S. address as the ship-from location.
Adding BorderBuddy to your Shopify store can make a significant difference in customer satisfaction and your bottom line when shipping to Canada. It’s a must-have for any Shopify merchant serious about making their mark in the Canadian ecommerce space.
You’ve got the tools and the know-how, so what’s holding you back? Whether it’s unlocking new carrier-calculated shipping options with Shopify or optimizing for the Canadian market with BorderBuddy, the world is literally your marketplace.
So why wait? Take the leap and expand your Shopify store beyond U.S. borders today—you might just find your next loyal customer in the Great White North!
Reach out today or go to the Shopify App store to know more.
Start your global ecommerce journey now, and watch your international sales grow. You’ve got this!