Among those who have opened a store on Shopify and are now ready to take on cross-border e-commerce, some may be wondering, "How do I set up shipping rates for overseas customers?" Many also struggle with "How much should I charge for shipping?"
This article introduces the key points for setting shipping rates when doing cross-border e-commerce on Shopify, along with concrete setup steps. It's explained in a beginner-friendly way with images, so be sure to use it as a reference.
If you'd like to understand the big picture of cross-border e-commerce on Shopify, also check out the article below.
Key Points for Setting Shipping Rates in Shopify Cross-Border E-Commerce
Here are the key points to keep in mind first when setting shipping rates for cross-border e-commerce on Shopify.
Work Backward from Actual Shipping Costs
The most important thing when setting shipping rates for cross-border e-commerce is to work backward from actual shipping costs rather than deciding by feel. Shipping rates vary widely depending on the country or region, the weight of the product, and the shipping method, so a careless pricing decision can lead to losses.
First, check the rate table of the carrier you use, and accurately determine actual costs based on the weight and size after packaging. On top of that, factoring in costs like packaging materials and setting a shipping rate that ensures a profit margin is essential for keeping your business sustainable.
We Recommend Setting Shipping Rates on a "Weight Basis"
In addition to setting a fixed shipping price, Shopify allows you to set prices that vary based on order amount or weight. Among these, for cross-border e-commerce, setting shipping rates on a "weight basis" — which tends to correlate more closely with actual shipping costs — is the most recommended approach.
With a "fixed amount," there's a risk of losses on shipments to distant countries, and with an "order amount basis," shipping for lightweight, expensive products may end up looking overpriced. By using weight as the basis, you can build a pricing structure that feels fair and reasonable to customers. It also allows the store to accurately reflect its costs, minimizing the risk of losses.
Use "Free Shipping" Strategically
"Free shipping," commonly seen in Japanese e-commerce, is also a powerful promotional tool in cross-border e-commerce. However, since cross-border e-commerce tends to involve higher shipping costs and currency exchange risk, more careful management is required.
That's why "conditional free shipping" is recommended. For example, by setting "free shipping on purchases of 30,000 yen or more," you can encourage customers to make "add-on purchases," which leads to an increase in average order value.
Simply offering free shipping across the board can significantly squeeze your profits, so use "free shipping" strategically.
If you'd like to implement free shipping promotions with complex conditions that aren't possible with native features, use the Shopify app "RuffRuff Order Bonus."
Clearly State Duty Payment Rules to Prevent Trouble
Although not shipping cost itself, "duties" are an additional cost that can easily be perceived similarly to shipping. If a customer is charged an unexpected duty upon receiving their product, it will cause dissatisfaction. In the worst case, they may refuse delivery, and the store may end up bearing the cost, including return shipping.
To prevent this, establish rules such as "duties and import taxes are the customer's responsibility" and be sure to state them clearly on product pages and policy pages. Providing clear guidance in advance not only reassures customers when making a purchase but also helps prevent trouble before it happens.
The blog article below explains in detail how to set up duties on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
Steps for Setting Up Shipping Rates for Shopify Cross-Border E-Commerce
Here are the steps for setting up shipping rates for cross-border e-commerce on Shopify.
Step 1. Add the Countries/Regions You Sell To in Markets
First, add the countries or regions you sell to in Markets. Markets is a standard feature available on every Shopify plan that enables you to sell products to the countries or regions you've configured. Conversely, you cannot sell to countries or regions that haven't been added to Markets.
Image source: Shopify admin
Markets is available for free, but the number of markets you can set up and the available features are limited depending on your plan. For details, refer to the article below.
Step 2. Create a Shipping Zone
From the Shopify admin, open the "Settings" screen. Select "Shipping and delivery," then click "General shipping rates" under the "Shipping" section.
Click "Add shipping zone."
Create a new shipping zone. Enter the country or region in "Zone name." In "Shipping zone," select the countries or regions for which you want to set shipping rates.
Click "Done."
Step 3. Add and Set Shipping Rates
Set shipping rates for the newly created shipping zone. Click "Add rate."
For "Rate type," select "Use flat rate," and for "Shipping rate," select custom. Set a clear name in "Custom rate name." Enter the shipping rate in "Price."
※If you set the local currency in Markets, even if you enter a price in yen, it will be automatically converted to the local currency.
If you want the shipping rate to vary based on order amount or weight, click "Add conditional pricing."
This time, since we're setting it up on a weight basis, select "Based on item weight" and enter "Minimum weight" and "Maximum weight." In this example, we charge 4,500 yen for a weight range of 0kg to 1kg.
Click "Done" to complete the setup.
If you want to set up multiple shipping rates, click "Add rate" again. This time, we set it up to charge 7,000 yen for a weight range of 1.1kg to 2kg.
With a weight-based setup, the product and packaging weight is automatically calculated at checkout to determine the shipping rate. Be sure not to forget to set a weight for each product.
Step 4. Verify the Setup Is Correct
Finally, let's verify that everything is set up correctly.
From Markets in the admin, select the relevant market. Click "Shipping" under "Other settings."
As shown in the image below, check whether shipping rates are set for the country or region in the market.
Let's also verify on the checkout screen. Specify an address in the market's area as the shipping destination. When the weight is under 1kg, the shipping rate is displayed as 4,500 yen, as configured.
Changing the weight to be between 1.1kg and 2kg displays a shipping rate of 7,000 yen, confirming that the setup is correct.
That completes the steps for setting up shipping rates for cross-border e-commerce.
Major International Shipping Services
When considering shipping rates for international delivery, prices, delivery times, and insurance coverage vary significantly by service. Here's an introduction to representative international shipping services to help you choose.
EMS (Japan Post)
"EMS (Express Mail Service)," offered by Japan Post, covers more than 120 countries and regions worldwide and is given top priority among airmail shipments, enabling reliable and speedy delivery.
Rates are relatively affordable compared to courier services, and it comes standard with a tracking service and compensation coverage of up to 2 million yen, allowing you to use it with peace of mind.
With an excellent balance of speed and cost, it's one of the most standard and popular choices for cross-border e-commerce.
Courier (International Parcel Delivery)
These are services provided by private companies specializing in international shipping, such as DHL and FedEx. Their biggest strength is overwhelming delivery speed and reliability. Since they handle customs clearance in-house end-to-end, deliveries go smoothly, and a detailed tracking system lets you monitor the status of your package in real time.
Rates are high, but the service level is correspondingly excellent, with generous compensation coverage as an appealing feature. This is the ideal shipping method for high-value products or business use cases where prompt delivery to customers is a priority.
International Parcel Post (Japan Post)
A basic shipping service offered by Japan Post for those who prioritize cost. Its biggest advantage is low pricing, and it offers the flexibility to choose from "airmail," the cheaper "Economy Air (SAL)" (suspended as of June 2025), or the cheapest "surface mail."
However, delivery times are longer compared to EMS, and surface mail in particular can take several months. It's a suitable choice when you want to keep shipping costs as low as possible, or for shipping products to customers who aren't in a hurry to receive them.
Set Shipping Rates That Protect Your Profits and Get Your Cross-Border E-Commerce on Track
This article explained shipping rate setup for starting cross-border e-commerce on Shopify.
Shipping rate settings for cross-border e-commerce have a major impact on your store's revenue. Accurately understand shipping costs for each country or region, and be careful not to squeeze your profits with careless pricing decisions.
That said, effectively leveraging "free shipping" promotions can also be expected to increase average customer spend.
Find the right balance between shipping costs and marketing strategy, and set up the shipping rates that are optimal for your business.
