Assigning a package to a specific product?

[tsavo78]

When will we be able to perform the VERY BASIC e-com function of assigning a package to a specific product? Some of my items are fragile and require a box, some are not and require a bubble mailer. Obviously shipping costs vary and it is extremely frustrating that I cannot assign a default for each product or at the very least each shipping profile. PLEASE HELP. Signed, literally everyone who uses your platform.

[Gift-o-the-Jab]

Hey @tsavo78 

Shopify doesn't have a built-in feature that lets you assign default packaging for each product or shipping profile directly but you can use weight-based rates and rules, or third-party apps like Boxify, Better Shipping or Advanced Shipping Roolz. Create a shipping rule for products that need a box or bubble mailer based on product tags. For instance, you can add a tag "Box" to fragile items and "Bubble Mailer" to non-fragile items. Then, create shipping rules based on these tags.

Or assign a specific weight to each product to have more control over the rates and the packaging. For example, you can add extra weight to fragile items to account for the box. Then, create weight-based shipping rates for each packaging type. This way, the shipping cost will automatically adjust based on the total weight of the order, which includes the packaging weight.

[Momsstitchetti]

The lack of simple functionality is so frustrating! how is this not built in? People have been asking for this for YEARS. 

I personally am debating going back to Etsy because the fees are almost worth it at this rate. 

[Gift-o-the-Jab]

@Momsstitchetti 

Frustrating? What you are demanding requires a very complex logic that goes way beyond the scope of the shipping engine of any cloud platform. That's why the plugins offer that and it needs to be outsourced

[UMagic]

What? It's a feature they have had on eBay for 20+ years. Like, I can't even OFFER cheaper rates to customers, which is beyond incompetence. I have items that I COULD ship in a small flat rate, I have others that would ship in a large flat rate. OBVIOUSLY the customer would always pick the cheaper and then I would have to pay the extra $ on my end. 

They have us create BOX sizes in settings. An option of "what boxes would fit this product" is like a day 1 QOL, let alone YEARS of asking with no response.

[Ben310]

Just did some googling on this and reading through the help docs/community threads.

Shopify is no Etsy or eBay. These are completely different (marketplace) platforms and so there's no native/built-in feature to assign default packaging for each product or shipping profile in Shopify as it would require a complex logic built into the shopify checkout which could potentially destabilize the checkout as Shopify caters for individual online retail stores and not marketplaces.

You can manipulate the weight of products to reflect the type of packaging they require. For example, assign a higher weight to fragile items that need a box, which will increase the shipping cost automatically and help to differentiate between different packaging types. If you are seeing a large discrepancy between shipping fees paid by customers and label costs, you should check which package is being used as the default package in your Shipping and Delivery settings. An algorithm is used for suggesting packages and it uses historical package selection in your store, rather than a product’s dimensions, to suggest the best package for your orders. The idea behind it is to increase the accuracy of package suggestions when compared to the dimensions.

The default package is the package used at checkout to also calculate live shipping rates when using either Carrier Calculated Shipping (CCS) or Shopify Shipping to calculate rates because the carrier provides rates based on the package dimensions and the order's total weight (product(s) weight + package weight). The weight of the default package is actually still taken into account when calculating which flat rates are presented at checkout.

The default package cannot be fully removed as it is needed for checkout rate calculations. You can edit the package name, type, dimensions and weight.

Use product tags to categorize items by their packaging needs (e.g., "Fragile" or "Non-Fragile") and then set up shipping rules based on these tags. This method requires a bit of initial setup but can be effective in ensuring that each product is shipped with the appropriate packaging.

Shopify allows you to set a default package where you can adjust the dimensional weight of this default package to better reflect what your products need. There's no individual packaging specifications for each product but can be used as a workaround for general shipping calculations.

You can add a handling fee to your shipping rates to cover additional costs like packaging. This fee can be a fixed amount or a percentage of the total shipping rate. This doesn't solve the issue of assigning specific packaging but can help offset the cost differences between using a box or a bubble mailer.

[Blayr]

This doesn't help when Shopify uses that package to calculate rates. For instance, our box holds roughly 25 lbs. of product, but our customers can add 75 lbs of product at checkout and only get charged for one box that holds 25lbs. So we have to foot the bill for 2 extra boxes and extra shipping for that extra 50lbs. Shopify offers different packages in settings, why can't they have a SIMPLE function, if over X weight or X size, use THIS box instead or add an additional package. 

[wonderlandflora]

As mentioned by @FishinGirl  below, allowing your clients to assign packages to desirable products needs very simple algorithm. Why make the simple thing so complicated? Product weights vary in a very side range. You cannot off set the shipping cost for 100 LB by using a default package template for a product of 1 LB and the vice versa way would cost too much for the customers.

[Momsstitchetti]

Yes, it’s frustrating when it’s available on most other platforms. It’s also frustrating because every. Little. Thing. Requires an app for Shopify. The only reason i stay with them is because their fees are lower. I’m allowed to be frustrated that the platform doesn’t offer something that others do, and it in turn costs me money/sales. 

[SoCalMacGuy]

I'm sorry, how is "apply this box size to this product tag" complex?

[UllrsWoodshop]

All it would require is them adding a drop-down menu when creating or editing a listing, and allow you to select a pre-created package template. It is not at all complicated.

[FishinGirl]

Hey Shopify, can you PLEASE work on adding this simple option of letting us assign a certain package to a product, or even a flat rate shipping if a certain product is added to the cart? We are adding sputnik sinkers to our fishing store, which are heavy (3-5 oz each) and have wire legs sticking out, which means I need to ship them in flat-rate priority mail boxes to get the best price on shipping is a customer buys several of them (which they always do). Not only do you not have the correct flat rate box form USPS as an option for me to add as a package option, I may have to instruct customers to choose a certain shipping option if they purchasing sinkers with their order. I can see us losing a lot of money, and I am currently going to start looking for a different platform that has the basic functions I need built into it.

If you haven't added this simple option to let us assign a certain package if a particular product is ordered, then that tells me you don't care about your customers and what we really need to be successful. I've been on a few of these threads and it's been years since we have asked for this basic thing without having to pay yet another monthly fee for an app (that may or may not work the way we need it to).

[DavidNZSSI]

Hey Tsavo. Yeah I've seen this come up time and again here. This may not be a perfect solution (as it's a third party app), but you can assign packages using our app Starshipit. Again, it might be a slightly more comprehensive solution than you need but just leaving it here in case it's a helpful avenue. Best of luck!

[Tyler_Roos]

Spoke to an account rep today who calims this is possible...I can't seem to find the feature? 

[SoCalMacGuy]

Very interested in how this account rep thinks it can be done.

[hholetz]

Check this out. I am working on the same thing and may have found the module to help. 

[UllrsWoodshop]

I tried this and it just brings you back to the original shipping menu (at least that's what it did for me).