How to Add a Shipping Fee Per Product in WooCommerce

Are you struggling to add a shipping fee per product in WooCommerce? By default, WooCommerce does not provide an option for individual shipping rates, which can lead to inaccurate pricing—especially for bulky, fragile, or oversized items. Fortunately, you have several methods at your disposal to address this issue. In this guide, you will learn how to add a shipping fee per product in WooCommerce using built-in settings and advanced plugins.

This post covers:

✔ How to add a shipping fee per product in WooCommerce
✔ Alternative built-in WooCommerce methods for per-product shipping
✔ Advanced shipping rules using a dedicated plugin

By the end of this tutorial, you will have a fully optimized shipping setup that ensures accurate pricing and prevents revenue loss.

Method 1: Add a Shipping Fee Per Product via Shipping Classes in WooCommerce

If you prefer to assign grouped shipping fees to similar products rather than setting unique rates for every item, using shipping classes is a great solution.

Step 1: Create WooCommerce Shipping Classes

Begin by navigating to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Classes. Then, click Add Shipping Class and create categories such as:

Small Products (e.g., $5 shipping fee)
Heavy Items (e.g., $20 shipping fee)
Fragile Products (e.g., $15 shipping fee)

After that, assign the appropriate shipping class to each product via the Product Data > Shipping section.

Step 2: Assign Different Shipping Costs Per Class

Next, go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Zones. Choose a shipping zone and add a Flat Rate Shipping method. In the “Cost” field, enter the per-class rates (for example, $10 per heavy item or $5 per lightweight item). This method is free and built into WooCommerce; however, it does not offer per-product customization or regional restrictions.

Method 2: Using Flat Rate Shipping for Per-Item Fees

If your store requires a fixed shipping fee per item, WooCommerce’s flat rate shipping method can be an excellent option.

Step 1: Configure Per-Item Fees

Start by selecting an existing shipping zone or adding a new one under WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Zones. Then, add a Flat Rate shipping method and click Edit. In the “Cost” field, enter a formula such as:

$10 * [qty] for fixed per-item charges

While this approach is simple and effective for fixed per-product shipping fees, it does not allow for different fees per product or restrictions by shipping zones or zip codes.

Method 3: Advanced Per Product Shipping for WooCommerce

For a fully customizable per-product shipping setup, the Advanced Per Product Shipping for WooCommerce plugin is the ideal solution.

Why Use This Plugin?

This powerful tool enables you to:

✔ Set per-product or per-category shipping fees in a single rule
✔ Restrict fees based on WooCommerce shipping zones and zip codes
✔ Combine product-based fees with standard WooCommerce shipping methods

How to Set Up Advanced Per Product Shipping

Purchase & Download the Plugin:
Visit OrcaWP to purchase and download the plugin.
Upload & Activate the Plugin: Go to WooCommerce > Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin. Select the downloaded .zip file, click Install Now, and then Activate the plugin.
Configure Shipping Fees: Once activated, navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Advanced Per Product Shipping. Click Add New Rule and choose either a Per-Product Fee or Per-Category Fee. Enter a flat shipping fee (e.g., an extra $5 per product).
Apply Shipping Zone and Zip Code Restrictions: Scroll to the Location Restrictions section within the same rule. Here, you can choose specific shipping zones (for example, “Domestic” vs. “International”) and add zip code restrictions (such as charging $10 for California and $15 for Texas). Finally, save the rule.

For instance, you can set a rule to charge an additional $5 shipping fee for “Electronics” in the USA, while applying a $10 fee for the same category in Canada.

Final Thoughts

Accurately adding a shipping fee per product in WooCommerce is essential for optimizing pricing and boosting revenue. By using methods like shipping classes, flat rate shipping, or our Advanced Per Product Shipping for WooCommerce plugin, you can tailor your shipping options to meet the specific needs of your products and customer base.

Enhance your WooCommerce shipping today by selecting the method that best fits your business model, and ensure that your customers are charged correctly—every time.

Upgrade your WooCommerce shipping now and streamline your checkout process!

How to Add a Shipping Fee Per Product in WooCommerce