New stores usually pick a carrier first and a shipping policy second. Reversing that order produces better economics, because the policy determines which carrier behaviour you actually need.
Pick a charging model first
- Live rates at checkout: accurate, transparent, and it exposes surcharges to the customer at the worst moment.
- Flat rate: simple and predictable, but you lose on distant zones and win on nearby ones — only viable if your parcels are consistent.
- Free over a threshold: strong conversion tool, provided the threshold genuinely covers the average shipping cost.
- Built into the price: clean, but uncompetitive on price comparison for local customers.
Then design around it
- Standardise on a few box sizes that match your real products, and check them against dimensional weight.
- Choose two carriers: one for small light parcels, one for heavy or bulky ones.
- Validate addresses at checkout to avoid correction fees.
- Write a returns policy that states who pays for the return leg before your first return happens.
- Track cost per shipment monthly and revisit the setup when the mix changes.
Do not promise delivery dates you cannot control. Promise dispatch times, which you can.