How to Add Shipping Class in WooCommerce?

Last updated - November 29, 2022

Product shipping classes are an excellent method to send identical items together. It helps to manage the challenges of selling a range of product categories at the same time. As an illustration, if your shop offers a few particularly large, bulky products, you might wish to place them in their own shipping class with a separate delivery fee. 

You can specify distinct delivery prices for things by grouping these products in a manner akin to post or product categories. You may utilize shipping classes to figure out the rates of WooCommerce shipping options like Flat Rate Shipping and Table Rate Shipping.  

A very helpful feature of WooCommerce is the ability to assign different shipping criteria to different items using shipping classes. The following are some instances of shipping classes in WooCommerce:

  • Heavy items:  If you sell furniture, certain products like a couch or chair can come with an additional delivery fee.
  • Lightweight items:  On the other hand, certain things could fit in an envelope and not need a box, allowing for a special shipping class and less expensive postage.
  • Fragile items:  Pottery is one example of a product that could be fragile and require bubble wrap and an extra-large box to be sent safely.
  • Specific packaging: Items that require specific containment, like poster tubes. Some artwork or posters you sell might have to be shipped in a poster tube.

Uses of Shipping Class 

Some uses of adding shipping class to your WooCommerce include – 

  • Varied product categories can be managed with ease. 
  • Different approaches in shipping can be used for a range of products, especially helpful in cases where the nature or size of the product can vary. 
  • Delivery prices can be specified based on the product groups or categories.  

Setting Up Shipping Class 

Shipping class settings may be accessed as follows – 

WordPress Dashboard > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Classes

Shipping settings

Here you will find a list of all your current shipping classifications. Click Add Shipping Class to create a new shipping class. 

Shipping class settings

Four fields and a column for Product Count are editable when you click the Add Shipping Class button, as follows:  

  • Shipping Class Name – As the name suggests, this allows you to set a name for your shipping class. 
  • Slug – WooCommerce uses your shipping class name as its default slug by default, but you may set an alternative name here. 
  • Description – You can add this content for your own reference. 
  • Product Count – This shows how many items have been added to this shipping class. When you attach a product to this shipping class, it will appear here. 

You may change the information for the new shipping class in a new row that appears.  

Editing Shipping Classes 

You may select the class you wish to change by going to the list of shipping classes and moving the pointer over it.

editing a shipping class

There will be buttons that say “Edit” and “Remove”. To proceed, simply click one of the buttons.  

Adding Products to a Shipping Class 

You can add items to these shipping classes once you’ve finished generating all the necessary shipping classes. 

From the admin dashboard on the left side of your screen, you may access the product settings. Click Edit after moving the cursor over the product you wish to change. 

Edit product

A page for the product will appear. Click Shipping on the left side of the Product Data metabox after scrolling down. 

Shipping details under product data metabox
Adding  a shipping class to a single product

The Shipping class drop-down field is visible. Choose the shipping class for the package that the product will be included in. 

Adding Bulk Items to a Shipping Class  

You don’t need to access the product editing page for each product you wish to add to a specific shipping class if you have a huge number. Instead, you may combine them together by going to the Products list, as follows: 

  • Click on Products. Check off every item you want to have a shipping class for. 
Selecting products to bulk edit
  • Select “Edit” from the “Bulk Action” drop-down menu after clicking the Apply button. 
Bulk edit products
  • There are options for bulk-editing on a new screen that appears. Select the shipping class you wish to include the chosen items in by scrolling down to that section. 
Bulk editing product shipping

Verifying Operation of Each Shipping Class 

When configuring Product shipping classes, WooCommerce advises adding one more step.  

After making changes to the shipping parameters, you can momentarily engage Shipping Debug Mode.  

You may check that all of your shipping prices and classes have been accurately updated after shipping debug mode has been enabled.  

After you have checked your settings, don’t forget to turn off the debug mode. 

As stated below, you may activate and disable Shipping debug mode. 

  • Go to Dashboard > WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Options.  
Enable debug mode
  • To activate debug mode, scroll down and click and deselect it to deactivate. 

Now that debug mode is active, you may go ahead and verify if the respective shipping classes are functioning properly.  

Demonstration 

For the sake of demonstration, we have set up a new shipping class called “specific packaging”. 

Adding shipping classes

After the shipping class has been set, go to Shipping Zones > Shipping Methods and add or edit shipping methods. Once you click on “edit”, a popup opens where you can set the cost for the new shipping class you created. We have set the price of the shipping class to $10 and the flat rate charge to $10. 

Adding a Shipping method
Setting the shipping class rate

Now, let’s go ahead and associate this shipping class with a product. In our case, the product will be a poster. 

Adding a shipping class to a specific product

Below, you can see the screenshot of the frontend view. 

Checkout page with shipping class price

Additional Plugins 

Let’s talk a bit about some of the best WooCommerce shipping plugins that you can choose from.  

ELEX Hide WooCommerce Shipping Methods 

ELEX Hide WooCommerce Shipping Methods

In your WordPress store, you may hide shipping methods with the ELEX Hide WooCommerce Shipping Method plugin. Additionally, you may hide shipping by third-party shipping services like DHL, USPS, Stamps.com, UPS, FedEx, EasyPost, Australia Post, and others.

To conceal WooCommerce shipping methods on your cart and checkout pages, use simple filters like WooCommerce Shipping class, One or more Product categories, Order Weight, Destination nations and states, and other shipping methods.

Key Features: 

  • When free shipping is offered, hide the WooCommerce shipping options.
  • Use filters to hide the shipping methods.
  • Based on shipping classes, hide shipping methods.
  • Keep some services hidden from shipping companies.
  • Create and control numerous rules.
  • Consolidate several advanced rules into one.
  • Based on shipping options, hide shipping methods.

WooCommerce Conditional Shipping 

WooCommerce Conditional Shipping

Almost any shipment situation may be set up with WooCommerce Conditional Shipping. Create an infinite number of shipping zones and delivery options, specify prices per order, per weight unit, or per item, and create a variety of conditions that must be satisfied in order for each method to be used. You can add extra fees for non-standard products or establish different delivery rates for different shipping classes. With the help of our WooCommerce Delivery plugin, you can reward your repeat customers with free (or discounted) shipping depending on their past purchases. 

Key Features: 

  • Create any number of delivery options
  • Make as many shipping zones as you like depending on a nation, state, or postcode.
  • Create as many extra fees as you like for each product or delivery category.
  • Order weight, delivery class, product, or quantity-based fees.
  • Charge a certain sum or a portion of the total for the cart.
  • Set up requirements for delivery options and surcharges
  • There are more than 20 customizable conditions.
  • Automatically choose a shipping method or let consumers make their own selection
  • Calculations should be based on pricing with or without tax
  • Set the taxable or nontaxable status of the shipping tax.
  • Simple, comfortable, and straightforward user interface.
  • It can be used as a marketing strategy, such as offering loyal consumers free shipments.

Shipping Restrictions Plugin for WooCommerce 

Shipping Restrictions Plugin for WooCommerce

The  Shipping Restriction Plugin for WooCommerce enables the admin to set up numerous restrictions for the various shipping options offered in the store. The shipping methods will be permitted and shown to the consumer once the shipping restriction rules have been enabled and all the rules set forth are only applicable within the shopping cart.

The admin will also have the option of choosing which goods, categories, product measures, and shipping options should be subject to the limitation in the basket.

Key Features: 

  • Create limitations on shipping by products, categories, and measurement
  • Restrictions and regulations can be imposed by operators. Include Less Than/Less Than Equal to and Greater Than/Greater Than Equal to.
  • The consumer will have access to the predetermined shipping options after all of the established rules are relevant to the basket.
  • The administrator may easily look up which shipping options to prohibit.
  • Limit the delivery options for the Simple, Variable, External, and Downloadable product categories.

Conclusion 

Have difficulties setting up shipping options for your WooCommerce store? It is quite simple to create a shipping class and shipping charges. With the information being presented in a way that is extremely simple to comprehend, we hope that this post has been helpful. Visit the links below for more articles. 

Further Reading 

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