How to Charge a Shipping Fee in Funnelish (And When You Should)
Shipping Fees: To Charge or Not to Charge?
One of the most debated questions in ecommerce is whether to charge for shipping or offer free shipping. The answer isn't one-size-fits-all — it depends on your product margins, your competitors, your customer expectations, and your pricing strategy. In this guide, we'll show you how to set up shipping fees in Funnelish, and help you decide the right approach for your business.
How to Add a Shipping Fee in Funnelish
Step 1 — Open Your Funnel Product Settings
Log into Funnelish and open the funnel where you want to add a shipping fee. Navigate to the Products tab inside the funnel. Click on the product you want to add shipping to.
Step 2 — Add a Shipping Fee
In the product settings, find the Shipping section. Enable the shipping fee option and enter the shipping amount you want to charge. You can set a fixed shipping fee (e.g. $6.99) that applies to all orders of this product.
Step 3 — Display Shipping at Checkout
Once configured, the shipping fee will be displayed as a separate line item on your checkout page — showing the product price, the shipping fee, and the order total clearly for the customer.
Step 4 — Geo-Specific Shipping Fees (Advanced)
If you're selling internationally, you can use Funnelish's Geo-Funnels feature to charge different shipping rates for different countries. For example, charge $6.99 for US shipping and $14.99 for international shipping.
Free Shipping vs Paid Shipping: Which Converts Better?
The Case for Free Shipping
Research consistently shows that unexpected shipping costs at checkout are the #1 cause of cart abandonment in ecommerce. Amazon has trained consumers to expect free shipping — and many buyers will abandon a purchase rather than pay a shipping fee.
Free shipping works best when:
- Your product margins can absorb the shipping cost
- Your competitors offer free shipping
- Your product price is low-to-mid range (under $60)
- You want to maximize conversion rate
The Case for Charging Shipping
Charging a shipping fee can actually improve your business economics — as long as it doesn't significantly hurt your conversion rate. It works best when:
- Your product has thin margins that can't absorb shipping
- Your product is premium-priced (customers expect to pay shipping on high-ticket items)
- You're testing pricing and want to keep the product price low
- You use it as part of a "free + shipping" offer strategy
The Free + Shipping Model
One popular strategy is the free + shipping model — offering the product for free and charging only for shipping (e.g. $9.95). This model works exceptionally well for advertorial funnels because the "free product" hook is very compelling for cold traffic. The profit comes from the upsells.
Best Practices for Shipping Fees in Funnelish
- Always display the shipping fee clearly before the final checkout step — surprises at payment kill conversions
- Test free shipping vs a small shipping fee to see which generates more net profit (not just revenue)
- If charging shipping, consider offering free shipping above a minimum order value to incentivize larger purchases
- Use the order bump to offer "free shipping upgrade" as an add-on for a small fee
Get Your Funnel Right Before Worrying About Shipping
Your funnel design and offer structure have a far bigger impact on conversion rate than your shipping policy. Start with a professionally designed Funnelish funnel template to maximize conversions, then optimize your shipping strategy as you gather data.