Offering ‘Free shipping on orders over $50!’ is an enticing promotion that can greatly increase your sales, but implementing it correctly in WooCommerce requires some expertise.
After experimenting with various shipping discount strategies in our testing environment, we have identified the most effective methods for setting them up.
We have dedicated significant time to exploring WooCommerce’s shipping capabilities, testing everything from simple free shipping options to more intricate discount arrangements.
In this guide, we will show you how to provide shipping discounts in WooCommerce.
You will discover how to effectively implement these promotions, steer clear of common mistakes, and create enticing offers that motivate customers to finalize their purchases.
Why Should You Offer Shipping Discounts in WooCommerce?
One of the most effective strategies to increase sales in your online store is by providing shipping discounts. Free shipping incentivizes customers to choose your store over competitors.
In fact, eCommerce research shows that free shipping is a significant factor influencing online buying decisions.
Shipping discounts can also aid in recovering sales from abandoned carts. For instance, if a customer attempts to leave your website without completing their purchase, you can display an exit-intent popup offering free shipping.
You can also provide various types of shipping discounts.
For instance, you might offer a fixed amount or a percentage-based discount on shipping depending on the total order value, or provide special shipping offers for customers who sign up for your membership.
WooCommerce includes features that allow you to offer free shipping when customers meet a minimum order threshold, which is an excellent starting point.
For more advanced and customizable options, such as Buy One Get One (BOGO) deals or discounts on specific shipping methods, you will need to use a specialized coupon plugin.
Now, let’s explore how to implement shipping discounts in WooCommerce.
- Guide to Offering Shipping Discounts in WooCommerce
- Step 1: Install and Activate the Advanced Coupons Plugin
- Step 2: Create a New Shipping Zone
- Step 3: Add a Shipping Method to Your Zone
- Step 4: Create a Basic Coupon
- Step 5: Set Up the Shipping Discount Override
- Step 6: Establish Coupon Usage Rules (Optional)
- Step 7: Test Your Shipping Discount
- Bonus: Promote Your Free Shipping Offer in WooCommerce
- Common Questions About Offering Shipping Discounts
Guide to Offering a Shipping Discount in WooCommerce
The simplest way to implement shipping discounts in WooCommerce is by utilizing the Advanced Coupons plugin. This plugin is highly regarded for its ability to create a variety of shipping discounts.
During our testing, we discovered that you can also offer buy one get one (BOGO) promotions, establish a loyalty program, automatically apply discount coupons, and much more.
For additional details about the features of the plugin, please check out our review of Advanced Coupons.
Step 1: Install and Activate the Advanced Coupons Plugin
To begin, you need to install and activate both the premium version of the Advanced Coupons plugin and the free version. If you require assistance, refer to our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Note:This guide will focus on using the premium version of Advanced Coupons, as it includes advanced features such as shipping overrides.
There is also a free version of Advanced Coupons available, which is ideal for beginners or those on a tighter budget.
Once both plugins are activated, navigate toCoupons » Licensein your WordPress dashboard.
Next, input your license key in the ‘License Key’ field. You can locate this key in your account on the Advanced Coupons website.
Enter the ‘Activation Email,’ which is the email address you used to purchase Advanced Coupons. Then, click on ‘Activate Key.’
Step 2: Create a New Shipping Zone
Next, create shipping zones in WooCommerce to define the regions where you want to provide shipping discounts.
To begin, navigate to WooCommerce » Settings.
Select the ‘Shipping’ tab.
Now, click the ‘Add shipping zone’ button.
On the next screen, enter a name for the zone and select one or more regions from the dropdown menu.
Step 3: Add a Shipping Method to Your Zone
After creating the zone, click the ‘Add shipping method’ button.
You will see various shipping methods in the dropdown menu. You can choose from flat rate, free shipping, or local pickup.
If you want to provide free shipping to all customers within this shipping zone, click on ‘Free shipping.’
If you’re looking to offer a shipping discount, it’s best to choose the ‘Flat rate’ option. This allows you to create a discount code that customers can use to receive a discount on the flat rate shipping. This approach gives you greater control over how discounts are applied and enables you to set up various free shipping promotions.
Select your desired shipping method and then click on ‘Add shipping method.’
WooCommerce will add the selected shipping method to your designated shipping zone.
To adjust the shipping method settings, hover over it and click the ‘Edit’ button.
A popup window will appear, providing additional settings. In this example, we’re using the ‘Flat rate’ method to offer both standard and express shipping options for an online store.
The available settings will differ based on the shipping method you select. For instance, when you choose ‘Flat rate’, you can modify the method title, set a tax status, and enter the total shipping fee.
Once you’ve filled in this information, click the ‘Save changes’ button. Then, navigate to the ‘Shipping zone’ tab.
You will see that you’ve successfully added a shipping zone to your online store.
You can create multiple shipping zones by repeating these steps as needed.
Step 4: Create a Basic Coupon
Now that you’ve set up a shipping zone, it’s time to create a coupon code that provides customers with free or discounted shipping.
Begin by navigating to Marketing » Coupons.
You can now come up with a name for your shipping coupon.
This name will serve as the coupon code that customers will enter, so it’s advisable to choose something memorable and easy to type. Consider using names that reflect the promotion, like ‘FREESHIPPING’ or ‘SHIPPING20%OFF.’
Alternatively, you can click the ‘Generate coupon code’ button to create a random mix of letters and numbers. However, this may result in a complicated code that’s hard to remember, so it’s not the best option.
After that, scroll down to the ‘Coupon data’ section. Here, open the ‘Discount type’ dropdown menu and select the type of offer you wish to create.
You can create various types of offers, such as percentage discounts, buy one get one free promotions, free gift coupons, and more. You can also specify the discount amount.
To ensure that the discount applies only to shipping costs and does not affect product prices, make sure to set it up correctly.
To initiate this process, choose ‘Fixed cart discount’ from the dropdown menu and enter ‘0’ in the ‘Coupon amount’ field.
This instructs WooCommerce to disregard the cart total and apply the discount exclusively to the shipping fees that will be set up next.
Step 5: Set Up the Shipping Discount Override
After that, click on the ‘Shipping Overrides’ tab.
Here, select the ‘+ Add Shipping Override’ option.
Next, open the ‘Shipping Zone’ dropdown and select the zone where customers can apply this coupon.
If the selected zone has multiple shipping methods, you can open the ‘Shipping Methods’ dropdown and choose the method applicable for this coupon.
Then, you can select from three types of discounts using the dropdown under the ‘Discount’ heading.
Advanced Coupons offers a percentage discount that deducts a certain percentage from the total shipping cost, such as 50% off.
You can also create a fixed discount, for example, $5 off shipping.
The final option is ‘Override price,’ which allows you to set a new, fixed shipping cost that applies only when the coupon is redeemed.
If you wish to provide completely free shipping, select ‘Override price’ from the dropdown and enter ‘0’ in the adjacent box.
In the image below, we are providing a 50% discount on the Express Shipping option.
Once you are satisfied with the information you’ve entered, simply click the ‘Add’ button.
After entering this information, remember to click on ‘Save Shipping Overrides.’
Step 6: Configure Coupon Usage Rules (Optional)
You can personalize the shipping discount coupon in various ways.
For instance, you can select the ‘Usage Restriction’ tab and enter a minimum purchase amount that customers must meet to use the shipping coupon.
You can also prevent customers from using the shipping coupon if other product coupons are applied.
Additionally, you can limit the number of times a customer can use the coupon, schedule it for future use, enable role restrictions, and more.
By default, customers must enter the coupon code to receive discounted shipping.
However, you might want to apply the coupon automatically when customers qualify for discounted shipping, eliminating the need for them to enter the code. This enhances the shopping experience by making it easier for customers to benefit from your free shipping offers.
To enable automatic coupon application, locate the ‘Auto Apply Coupon’ section and check the ‘Enable auto apply for this coupon’ box.
Once you are satisfied with the setup of your shipping coupon code, click the ‘Publish’ button to make it live.
Step 7: Verify Your Shipping Discount
Visit your WooCommerce store to check if the shipping discounts are functioning correctly. Add one or more products to your cart and proceed to the cart page.
If you have enabled auto-apply, Advanced Coupons will automatically apply the discount, provided you meet any conditions like a minimum purchase amount.
If auto-apply is not enabled, enter the shipping discount code in the ‘Coupon code’ field and click ‘Apply coupon.’
You should now see the shipping discount reflected in your cart total.
The image below illustrates a 50% discount on Express Shipping.
Bonus: Advertise Your WooCommerce Free Shipping Discount
Now that you have created a free shipping coupon, the next step is to promote it throughout your online store so that customers can easily discover and utilize it.
The simplest way to achieve this is by using OptinMonster, the leading lead generation tool available, which helps you convert website visitors into paying customers effortlessly.
At CanadaCreate, we’ve successfully utilized this tool multiple times to enhance our newsletter and partner plugin promotions, consistently achieving great results. For further information, check out our OptinMonster review.
It features stunning lightbox popups that display your coupon codes. Additionally, you can leverage OptinMonster’s sophisticated display rules to showcase various shipping discount coupons tailored to the shopper’s location or seasonal trends.
For more information, please refer to our tutorial on creating a coupon popup in WordPress.
It’s beneficial to track how visitors are utilizing your WooCommerce free shipping discount coupons to identify what strategies are effective and what needs improvement.
You can use this data to optimize your future coupon codes and marketing efforts for even greater success. For instance, offering customers free shipping on orders that exceed a certain amount may generate more sales compared to providing a flat 50% off shipping on every order.
For additional information, check out our guide on setting up WooCommerce conversion tracking.
Common Questions About Providing Shipping Discounts
Here are some common inquiries our readers have before implementing shipping discounts in their WooCommerce store:
Is it possible to provide these shipping discounts without using a premium plugin?
WooCommerce includes a feature that allows you to provide free shipping once a customer’s order total reaches a specified minimum amount.
For more intricate discount rules, such as offering a percentage off (like 50% off) or applying a discount to a specific shipping method (such as Express Shipping), you will need to use a plugin like Advanced Coupons.
Why is my shipping discount coupon not functioning at checkout?
There are several common reasons why this may occur. First, verify that the customer’s address falls within the Shipping Zone associated with the coupon.
Next, review any ‘Usage restrictions’ you’ve set, such as a minimum spending requirement, to confirm that the cart meets the criteria.
Lastly, ensure that the coupon code was entered correctly if you have not activated the auto-apply feature.
Can I provide a discount on just one shipping method, such as Express Shipping?
Yes, you can. In the ‘Shipping Overrides’ section of the coupon settings, you can choose the specific shipping method to which the discount will apply.
This enables you to keep other options, like Standard Shipping, at their regular price.
Is it more effective to have customers enter a code or to automatically apply the discount?
For an optimal customer experience, we suggest utilizing the ‘Auto Apply Coupon’ feature.
When a customer meets the criteria for a discount, such as spending over $100, automatically applying the discount simplifies the process and allows them to enjoy the savings without needing to search for a promo code. This approach can significantly decrease cart abandonment rates.
We hope this guide has helped you understand how to implement shipping discounts in WooCommerce. Additionally, you might find our tutorial on creating WooCommerce popups for boosting sales and our recommendations for the best WooCommerce WordPress themes useful.
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