Shipping across borders sounds scary and expensive. Here's how small stores set up zones, pick carriers, and price delivery without losing money.
Shipping is where many new stores quietly lose money. Get your zones and rates right from the start and delivery becomes a competitive advantage instead of a margin leak.
Start with zones
A shipping zone is a group of destinations that share a rate, for example "domestic", "neighbouring countries", and "rest of world". Most small stores need just two or three. Define them clearly before you set prices.
Pick a pricing model
- Flat rate: one simple price per zone. Easiest to understand and the best place to start.
- Free over a threshold: "free shipping over $50" lifts average order value.
- Carrier-calculated: live rates from the courier, accurate but more setup.
Choose carriers
Compare your national postal service (usually cheapest for light parcels) against private couriers (faster, with tracking). For international orders, tracking and clear delivery estimates reduce "where is my order?" support tickets dramatically.
Be honest about duties
For cross-border orders, make it clear who pays import duties and taxes. Surprise charges on delivery are a top cause of refused parcels and bad reviews.
Stores Lift lets you set a flat shipping fee per store and a free-shipping threshold, so you can launch with simple, predictable rates today.