How should I handle varying shipping costs for multiple items?

[Magicmargie]

Hi. My shop sells numerous products and my wholesaler charges differing shipping amounts based on size. The first item is 1 particular price and subsequent items in the same order are a lower price each.

I'm not sure whether to charge for shipping in the same way, add the shipping charges to my prices and offer free shipping or have a flat rate cost. If a customer buys one item I'm fine with flat rate but I'll start to lose money on multiple items in the same order so I don't know what to do.

Any ideas welcome please!

[ShipAntdotcom]

The shipping rates mainly related with product weight and volume if you dropship from China. Let's take sweater for example, the weight is usually around 0.7kg, however, if you ship via courier its volume is usually 1.2 to 1.5 times of the weight. Then you should be careful about the shipping rates listed in your store.

Thus it takes a little more time for you to divide the items which weight equal or bigger than volume size and the volume size bigger than weight, and confirm the weight volume on supplier product page which usually listed there and adjust the shipping rates.

Whether charge for shipping or provide free shipping is very easy decision to make, if the product cost you sold have high profits you can cover the shipping cost to provide free shipping, else you can add a flat shipping fee. Or if you sell light weight volume products you can go with free shipping as the shipping cost usually low which can be easily accounted in the product price. 

[Magicmargie]

My products are cheap so adding the shipping cost to their prices would make them too expensive.  Ok, so this means charging for shipping. I would prefer a flat rate but I'll be out of pocket as soon as they buy 3+ products. Solution? (Thank you 😊)