Has this been resolved?
Topic summary
Merchants need accurate shipping based on box size and item count, but Shopify only allows a single default package at checkout, causing undercharges for medium/large boxes. Users want automatic box selection (e.g., 1–4 items box A, 5–7 box B) and per‑product packaging.
Shopify support suggested two workarounds: use a paid app (e.g., Boxify) or set default package weight to 0 and add packaging weight to products via the bulk editor. Support says the feature request is logged but provides no ETA.
Third‑party apps (not free) like PluginHive’s Multi Carrier Shipping Label can auto-pack by weight/dimensions, print labels, and track; trials (14–15 days) are mentioned, with prices cited by users around $9–$30/month. One user ships USPS Priority.
Other workarounds: create shipping profiles with added fees based on test rates to distant zones, inflate product weights to approximate dimensional charges, or use ShipStation (some report malfunctions).
Requested features include:
- Per‑product package dimensions and weight
- If/then rules (e.g., add packaging by product type)
- Auto box selection and multi-box splitting for mixed carts
Status: Ongoing, no native solution as of 2023; several merchants consider switching platforms.
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Hi @anahuat ,
Currently, there is no solution to handle this directly within Shopify. The only workaround for this is to use a shipping app that allows you to charge based on dimensional weight of your products and choose the right box based on what your customers order.
May I know what do you sell and how you handle your shipping process currently?
@PluginHive is there a specific app you recommend to take care of this issue? I sell care packages and custom gifts, each gift is built in a square box shipper 10x10x4 inches and weights about 3lbs. When the customer orders more than 2 sets the cost for shipping doesn’t adjust and I end up eating the cost. In need to fix this ASAP.
Hi @anahuat ,
Yes, you can use the Multi Carrier Shipping Label app that helps you handle this. May I know which carrier you are using for handling the shipping process?
With the box packing method in the app, you can set up different packages for your products based on the weight & dimensions.
So, whenever your customer places an order, the app automatically chooses the right box and calculates the rates accordingly. Also, with the app, you can print labels, and also automate the tracking process. You can try the app with a 14-day free trial and contact the support for any assistance required to set this up.
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I use USPS Priority Mail to ship all my packages
Hi @anahuat ,
Thanks. You can easily use the Multi Carrier Shipping Label app by PluginHive to handle this.
I had to log into my account again to turn off the emails for this thread so I thought I would provide an update before leaving for good.
I hadn’t launched my store yet so I decided to jump ship before investing any more time in Shopify. Almost all my questions were met with something like: “buy this app that costs more than the plan…” and when I read this forum all the users that had the same questions I did on various issues all noted that nothing ever gets fixed or improved. From Shopify’s perspective, it’s genius. They don’t have to employ programmers to make their platform work, and instead, get paid by third-party developers to put their software on their app store. I wish I thought of a business where my employees paid me…
I am sure this will get my post deleted, but I switched to Shift4Shop (formerly 3dcart). Their top tier plan is “free”, as long as you use their payment provider exclusively, giving them ~3% revenue on all your sales. You are probably already doing that now here on Shopify (+apps +your monthly sub fees). I had to drop Amazon Pay but oh well. The templates on Shift4Shop leave a lot to be desired at this point but can be customized and will hopefully get better over time. They let you add as many box sizes as you want and specify a % fill (how much of the box that can hold product to account for padding. If you add the dimensions of your products in as well, it will calculate what box(es) you need to use. Integrations for all the major shipping providers are provided with the free plan and it provides real time shipping rates (I have only set up UPS so far and it works). For me, Shift4Shop was superior package at a much lower price point (basically free). Switching platforms was my solution to all the problems and limitations I encountered on Shopify.
Shopify: You aren’t going to be able to profit from both your users and app developers forever. You should address this obvious conflict of interest. Given that you won’t exist without the users, it’s seems obvious who you should pick. Maybe watch Tron and get the lesson…
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I just ran into this issue and after trying to resolve it on my own for hours within the platform, then with agents that only give me the runaround for another hour, I found this thread. I am absolutely amazed that such a smooth and easy to use platform does not offer something so basic to its customers…I am actually saddened because I just started using shopify and I was doing so well that I ended up adding a different product that is of a much different size, which is why I ran into this problem. I am now stuck because I genuinely do not know how to fix this nor what extra app add-on to purchase for it (which is insane, shopify already charges me $30 just to use it then takes almost 3% of every one of my sales!) This is theft! I would really hate to start over fresh on a different platform but does anyone have any recommendations for which one to use that is as “seamless” and simple as shopify? I really like how I was able to build a really nice site with streamlined payments and even tax paying.
Yup, so many questions are met with “download apps to spend more money.” There are many wonderful things about Shopify, but it is crazy how there are not simple solutions for the most basic things. Anyway, I am only responding in this thread to boost it. Hopefully Shopify will see how many people want/need this packaging feature.
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As much as I salute that, sadly from what I have seen I can trace threads just like this one back to as far as 2015-2017. Its pretty clear that shopify is NOT going to do anything about this lmao. Genius money making move on their part ngl.
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I just found this thread after spending half an entire day trying to figure out package sizing and how it relates to products. This seems like it would be an easy fix for Shopify to implement:
-
Allow different package types to be added - Just like you can do now
-
Remove this ‘default’ package size type requirement - this is really counter-intuitive - as everyone knows that all products and packages come in different weights and sizes and this ONE SIZE FITS ALL approach is just the most ridiculous thing i’ve encountered on Shopify
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On PRODUCT Pages, have a DROP-DOWN menu with the various Package Size types that were specified earlier.
This way the seller would have the choice to choose the box size, and since the weight is already a field available - those two things (weight + box size) will allow for accurate shipping rates if using calculated rates.
This does not address however a situation where a customer purchases multiple products that have different box size types. A workaround would be to create custom packages with multiple items and specific boxes sizes for those ‘combined’ packages. This however would take away from the customer’s freedom to pick and choose individual items and have everything added up and sized correctly.
For starters though, I really think that giving a drop-down to select a package size for every product would be a no-brainer!
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I figured out a way around this which requires background knowledge of your product weights and package sizes. Don’t bother with carrier-calculated rates, just bypass them and do everything with custom rates only. Yes it’s more work, but gives the control needed for the seller to more accurately charge the correct rates. It’s not a perfect solution, nor is it an easy one as it takes a lot of extra work, but I think it’s better than using calculated rates with only a single box size possible (thanks Shopify).
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To add to this - I actually kept the ‘default’ box and package size for use with Carrier-Calculated shipping, but only on the MAIN product I sell as I know the dimensions and weight will roughly always be the same.
For other items that don’t fit the ‘default’ settings, I am going with Custom Flat Rates that I am setting up manually - This avoids problems where the system tries to apply rates based on the default package size when it doesn’t match.
I know this is off topic, but from one frustrated QuickBooks user to another. We just changed to Wave Accounting. Free, unless you use their payroll and invoicing and even that is inexpensive. So far it is so much easier to use.
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This is actually really helpful to know because I have absolutely HATED
using Quickbooks since I started last year. Completely confusing, overly
complicated, and really dumb design necessitating hours of combing through
forums to find workarounds (much like Shopify).
Thanks for the tip!
Ok, I think I understand what you’ve done as a work around (isn’t it crazy that we are trying to invent workarounds to quote customers accurate shipping rates, while also not losing our asses on under charging for shipping or adding endless monthly fees in third-party apps?).
Anyway, what you are doing is basically eliminating the default package size altogether (mostly anyway) by setting it as a very small package with little to no weight. Then you are creating shipping profiles and grouping products together that closely match the same package dimensions (all skateboards go in one shipping profile, all hats in another, etc.). Lastly, you are adding an extra fee to each of the shipping profiles that contain larger items (like skateboards). You’ve figured out that shipping a skateboard from Florida to Oregon is one of your most costly shipments, so you’ve based your extra fee on that destination (added $18). This probably brings your shipping rate to around $25 or so on shipments to Oregon. That said, shouldn’t it cost your Florida customers less than your Oregon customers? How do you account for that? How do you lower your rates for your next door neighbors?
How does your app handle multiple different products, all with different package sizes, and all on one order? Meaning, let’s say a customer places an order containing 3 different products - produce one is packed in a 33x11x9 box, product two needs a 9x11x2 poly bag, and product 3 needs an 8x8x8 box. What package size gets quoted for this order? Does your app determine that our 34x12x10 box is the best box to fit all of these items? If and when a customer orders items that cannot be shipped together in one box, and must ship in separate boxes, will your app let them know, and also create two different shipping estimates/options for them?
Are you lucky. 
Better yet, Shopify, allow us to enter dimensions (LxWxH) and weights for our products. Then do the math for us once a customer needs shipping rates (meaning, calculate the box size needed, and match it up to a package size that we have saved in our shipping settings). If we don’t have one single box that will fit all of the products in the order, split the order into two shipments and quote the customer. Easy, right?
I mean, we know the boxes that we need. We buy them. Why doesn’t Shopify just require product dimensions for users that want to use dimensional shipping weight, and get busy?! Could it be that they are too busy counting their money and investing it elsewhere, instead of focusing on the Golden Rule - “Customer First”?
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Better yet, allow us to enter dimensions (LxWxH) and weights for our products. Then do the math for us once a customer needs shipping rates (meaning, calculate the box size needed, and match it up to a package size that we have saved in our shipping settings). If we don’t have one single box that will fit all of the products in the order, split the order into two shipments and quote the customer. Amazon does it. Easy, right? Don’t you want your Shopify stock price up at $3,000 a share too? You are half where there, but you don’t realize that you are only HALF WAY THERE. Fixing this one issue will not only make your current customers happy, but who knows how many new customers you’ve lost because you do not handle dimension weight - the cornerstone of all shipping carriers. Crazy really.
I mean, we know the boxes that we need. We buy them. Why doesn’t Shopify just require product dimensions for users that want to use dimensional shipping weight, and get busy?! Could it be that they are too busy counting their money and investing it elsewhere, instead of focusing on the Golden Rule - “Customer First”?
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