Shipping not calculating correctlyUpdated 3 days ago

An issue with shipping miscalculation comes from how Shopify and carrier shipping integrations calculate package weights and dimensions.

For example, when ordering a single heavy item, the system can usually calculate the shipping correctly. However, when a second item of the same size and weight is added, the system often assumes both items can ship together in one package. The combined weight exceeds UPS’s single-package limit, but it may still not be heavy enough to trigger freight shipping.

Instead of recognizing the order as two separate packages, the system attempts to price it as one oversized shipment, which can result in unusually high shipping quotes.

Ideally, the system would automatically split the order into multiple packages and provide a shipping quote for two separate shipments, but Shopify’s shipping logic does not always handle this correctly for heavier products.

This is also why we advise our wholesale customers that when placing smaller orders that do not qualify for our flat-rate program, it is often more cost-effective to place them separately rather than combine them.

We explored using a flat shipping rate for all orders below the $1,000 freight threshold, but that led to unfair pricing in the opposite direction. For example, if we charged a flat $150 shipping fee for all orders between $1 and $999, a customer ordering a single 5-gallon container, which may normally cost around $33 to ship, would instead pay $150. That model would only benefit customers who place several heavy items together while staying under the $1000 flat-rate threshold.

In a case where the order total is not high enough to qualify for the $1000 flat-rate shipping, it is usually more economical to place smaller separate orders rather than combining them into one shipment.