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Free Plus Shipping on Shopify: Ultimate Guide for 2023

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One of the biggest challenges facing Shopify stores is getting customers through the door. After all, increasing sales conversions and driving revenue is not an easy task. But there is a great way to help boost your Shopify store’s sales: free plus shipping Shopify promotions.

These promotions can help customers discover your products and brands, allowing you to increase sales conversions and build a long-term client base. In this article, we’re going to discuss how you can increase your sales and boost profitability by using free plus shipping deals.

So, don’t go anywhere because this article contains the answer you have been looking for!

What Is Free Plus Shipping Shopify?

Free plus shipping Shopify is a marketing strategy some Shopify merchants use to offer a product for free while charging customers only for the shipping and handling costs.

The idea is to attract customers with a seemingly irresistible offer of a free product while still generating revenue by charging for the shipping costs. This approach can be particularly effective for low-cost, relatively easy, and inexpensive items to ship.

For example, a merchant might offer a book or a small physical product, such as a phone case or a piece of jewelry, for free while charging a flat fee of, say, $4.99 for shipping and handling.

This strategy works well for Shopify merchants willing to use certain products as loss leaders to entice customers to their e-commerce site. Loss leaders can help Shopify stores bring customers on board in hopes of turning potential loss leaders into regular customers.

What Is the Purpose of Free Plus Shipping Shopify?

The purpose of offering free plus shipping Shopify deals is to attract potential customers with a low-risk, high-value offer. The main idea is to give away a product for free and only charge customers for the shipping and handling costs, creating a sense of value for the customer.

Shopify merchants can use this strategy to achieve several business objectives, including:

#1: Building brand awareness

Offering a free plus shipping Shopify deal can effectively introduce your brand and products to a wider audience, increasing brand awareness and visibility.

#2: Increasing customer acquisition

By offering free plus shipping Shopify products, your Shopify store can entice potential customers to make a purchase, leading to increased customer acquisition and a larger customer base.

#3: Generating sales

While the product may be free, merchants can still generate revenue by charging for shipping and handling costs. This approach can help to increase sales and generate more revenue for the business.

#4: Encouraging repeat purchases

By offering a high-value product for free (but not necessarily expensive), merchants can encourage customers to make a purchase and hopefully become repeat customers in the future.

#5: Time Saving

Please bear in mind that not all products may work with a free plus shipping promotion. Some products have higher acquisition costs, such as those imported from other countries, making their costs higher than other products. Thus, you must carefully consider what products can work well with your free product plus shipping Shopify promotions to ensure you don’t lose money, negatively impacting your Shopify store’s profitability.

Free Plus Shipping Shopify Examples

The following examples highlight effective free plus shipping Shopify deals:

#1: Free book

A merchant might offer a free book on a popular topic related to their niche, such as cooking, fitness, or personal finance. Customers can order the book for free but must pay a small fee for shipping and handling. Popular books may include manuals, handbooks, how-to guides, and short stories. Authors and publishers often use free books to entice customers to purchase other publications.

Here’s a great example:

Free Plus Shipping Shopify Example Free Book
Source: https://funnelkit.com/free-plus-shipping-funnel-woocommerce/

Renowned author Grant Cardone is no stranger to offering free books to entice customers to sign up. Ultimately, a free book can become the gateway to a broader subscription-based service. Above all, Cardone uses the perceived value of his wealth secrets to entice customers to check out his products and services.

#2: Free jewelry

A merchant might offer a free piece of jewelry, such as a bracelet or necklace, and charge a small fee for shipping and handling. This strategy can effectively introduce new customers to their jewelry line and encourage them to purchase in the future.

Check out this example:

Free Plus Shipping Shopify Example Free Jewelry
Source: https://funnelxpert.com/build-free-plus-shipping-funnel/

This great free plus shipping Shopify example shows how you can use free jewelry to entice customers to try your products. This bracelet aims to give customers a taste of what the brand offers, hopefully leading to more sales down the road.

#3: Free skincare products

A merchant might offer a free item of a new skincare line, such as a moisturizer or serum, and charge a small fee for shipping and handling. This approach can effectively generate interest in a new product line and encourage customers to purchase in the future.

Here’s an interesting idea:

Free Plus Shipping Shopify Example Free Skincare
Source: https://funnelkit.com/free-plus-shipping-funnel-woocommerce/

This great free plus shipping Shopify deal allows customers to try the product free, helping build brand awareness. Best of all, customers have nothing to lose by trying the product. Ultimately, this free plus shipping promotion example is like getting a free sample at the local supermarket. The only difference is the promotion is online, not at the grocery store.

#4: Free promotional item

A merchant might offer a free promotional item with a minimum purchase amount and charge a small fee for shipping and handling. This tactic can be an effective way to encourage customers to make a larger purchase while offering a value-added bonus.

Take a look at this example:

Free Plus Shipping Shopify Example Free Promotional
Source: https://funnelkit.com/free-plus-shipping-funnel-woocommerce/

This free plus shipping Shopify example shows how this brand uses a promotional item, such as a waterproof lighter, to showcase its brand’s value proposition. Often, promotional products’ cost is already factored into the main products’ sale price. So, your Shopify store can recoup some of the marketing costs involved in promotional items by charging a symbolic shipping fee.

#5: Free trial period

A merchant might offer a free trial period for a subscription-based product or service and charge a small fee for shipping and handling any physical products included in the trial. This approach can be an effective way to generate interest in a subscription-based product or service while encouraging customers to try it out risk-free. For instance, subscription-based food products, publications, or services work very well with free plus shipping Shopify promotions.

Consider this idea:

Free Plus Shipping Shopify Example Free Trial
Source: https://www.convertflow.com/campaigns/email-subscription-popups

This free plus shipping Shopify example shows how a subscription-based food service brand can offer a limited-time offer to entice customers to try its products. Once customers get on board with the free offer, the brand can hopefully convert free subscribers into long-term customers.

Grow your sales with high-performing deals.

How to Set Up Free Plus Shipping Shopify Deals

Setting up free plus shipping Shopify deals is quite straightforward. Here’s one easy way to do it using a discount code:

#1: Choose a product

Choose a product that you want to offer for free. This item could be a product you’re looking to promote or one that has been popular.

#2: Create a shipping rate

Create a new shipping rate that only charges for shipping and handling. To do this, go to your Shopify admin panel, click on “Settings,” then “Shipping and delivery,” and then click on “Manage rates.”

#3: Set up the shipping rate

In the shipping rates section, click on “Add rate” and create a new shipping rate. Set the shipping cost to cover the cost of shipping and handling, but don’t charge for the product itself. Make sure to exclude any other products from this shipping rate.

#4: Create a discount code

Create a discount code that customers can use to get the product for free. To do this, go to your Shopify admin panel, click “Discounts,” and then click “Create discount.”

#5: Set up the discount

In the discount section, set the discount code to provide a percentage or dollar amount off the product price, making the product free. Set the discount code to apply only to the product you want to offer for free.

This method makes the product “free” by using a discount code. Customers get the free deal even though the product isn’t technically free. This method is quite popular when promoting new brands and products. Plus, customers love getting discount codes as it gives them a perceived sense of value without “paying” for them.

Another useful method is the following:

How to Set Up Free Plus Shipping Shopify Deals
Source: https://community.shopify.com/c/shopify-discussions/free-plus-shipping-settings/td-p/449978

You can set specific rates and prices for individual items in this free plus shipping Shopify method. This approach works very well when you want to target individual items. As such, manually entering these parameters for one or two items at a time is fine. But what happens when you have multiple items or brands you want to use a free plus shipping Shopify deal?

You might want to consider a free plus Shopify app in such situations.

Shopify Free Plus Shipping Apps

Using a Shopify free plus shipping app can automate the setup and running of Shopify free plus shipping deals. These apps allow you to input specific parameters to make the deal happen. The best part is that automating the entire process takes the guesswork out of making it work. This free plus shipping method Shopify allows you to save time and effort as you focus on other aspects of running your Shopify store.

Check out the Shopify App Store to find the best Shopify app for free plus shipping. However, amid the wide selection of apps, it might be tough to choose the perfect one. So, here are the three best apps to use for free plus shipping on Shopify:

#1: Better Shipping

Better Shipping by Atom Yard is a great free plus shipping app for Shopify that allows you to customize shipping rates as shown in the checkout. You can set customized shipping rates to create free plus shipping deals customers will love. This app also allows you to manage all your shipping details, making it easier to manage your store across the board.

Free Plus Shipping Shopify App Better Shipping
Source: https://apps.shopify.com/better-shipping

Here’s why we love this Shopify free plus shipping app:

#2: Advanced Shipping Rules

Advanced Shipping Rules by Bambri is a killer Shopify free plus shipping app that allows you to customize your shipping rate across various product types. With this app, all you need is to set up conditional logic to allow the app to calculate shipping rates. These rates include conditions such as SKU, tags, and more. As a result, you can target free plus shipping deals based on zip code, product type, and customer type, among other fields.

Free Plus Shipping Shopify App Advanced Shipping Rules
Source: https://apps.shopify.com/vendor-shipping-rules-1

Here’s why we love this Shopify free plus shipping app:

#3: Shippo

Shippo by Shippo is one of the best all-around shipping management apps you will find. As a result, it’s a great option for free plus shipping Shopify deals, as it allows you to find the best carrier rates based on products and zip codes. Best of all, Shippo allows you to manage fulfillment across the board, not just free plus shipping deals.

Free Plus Shipping Shopify App Shippo
Source: https://apps.shopify.com/shippo

Here’s why we love this Shopify free plus shipping app:

Tips for Free Plus Shipping Shopify Deals

When thinking about building your free plus shipping Shopify deals, consider the following tips to make your deals highly effective for your store:

#1: Choose the right product

Choose a product that has a high perceived value and is relevant to your niche. This tactic will make the offer more attractive to potential customers.

#2: Keep shipping costs low

The shipping cost should be as low as possible to make the offer more attractive to customers. Consider using a low-cost shipping method like USPS First Class or Media Mail.

#3: Use a clear and compelling offer

Make sure that the offer is clear and compelling to potential customers. Highlight the product’s value and emphasize that they only need to pay for shipping and handling.

#4: Set a time limit

Set a time limit for the offer to create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to act quickly.

#5: Offer a bonus

Consider offering a bonus product or additional discount for customers who take advantage of the free plus shipping offer. This approach can encourage customers to make a larger purchase or return to your store.

#6: Test and optimize

Test different products, shipping rates, and discount codes to see what works best for your store. Keep track of your results and optimize your offers based on what’s working.

Ultimately, the best free plus shipping deals require understanding the value your customers want. Doing so can help you pick the right products to help your Shopify store reach the next level.

Conclusion for Free Plus Shipping on Shopify

Free plus shipping deals are a great way to get customers through the door. Best of all, you don’t need to break the bank to make these deals happen.

So, what’s the next step?

Take the time to test the products and deals that work best with your customers. If you have new products and brands to introduce, focus on how free plus shipping deals can help your customers discover what your brand offers.

If you want to kickstart sales, a free plus shipping promotion can be a great way to get the ball rolling. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to try these great promotions. You can find the right combination by using your keen understanding about your products and customers.

Grow your sales with high-performing deals.

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