Overview
This article covers practical ways to offer free or reduced shipping without cutting into your margins. Use it once your shipping rates are configured and you are ready to think about how shipping cost affects your sales.
Why shipping cost matters
Shipping price is one of the most common reasons customers abandon an online order. Unexpected costs at checkout — even small ones — can be enough to lose a sale. At the same time, offering free shipping on every order is not always practical for a parts dealer.
The strategies below help you find the right balance for your store.
Strategy 1: Set a free shipping threshold
Offer free shipping when a customer's order reaches a minimum value. This is the most common approach for parts dealers because it protects your margins on small orders while rewarding higher-value purchases.
How to choose your threshold
Set your threshold at roughly 10–15% above your average order value. For example, if your average order is $85, a $99 free shipping threshold captures most orders without giving away shipping on every sale.
You can review your average order value in the Reports section of your Control Panel.
How to set it up
Add a free shipping tier to your shipping rate configuration with a $0.00 cost for orders above your chosen threshold. See Setting shipping rates for steps.
Strategy 2: Build shipping cost into your product pricing
Instead of charging separately for shipping, factor a portion of your average shipping cost into your parts pricing. Customers see a lower or zero shipping charge at checkout, which reduces cart abandonment, and your margins stay intact.
This approach works best when your shipping costs are relatively consistent across your catalog. It is less practical if you sell a wide mix of small and large items with very different shipping costs.
Strategy 3: Use free shipping as a time-limited promotion
Offer free shipping during a specific window — a weekend sale, a seasonal promotion, or tied to an OEM campaign. Time-limited offers create urgency and can drive a spike in orders without committing to free shipping permanently.
You can promote limited-time shipping offers through your store's banner or promotional placements. See Creating a banner for your parts site for how to set this up.
Strategy 4: Offer free shipping on select categories
Apply free shipping to specific product categories rather than your entire catalog — for example, filters, fluids, or accessories that are inexpensive to ship. This gives customers a free shipping option without extending it to heavy or oversized parts where shipping costs are high.
To apply category-level pricing or rate adjustments, contact SimplePart Support.
Strategy 5: Promote local pickup as a free alternative
Local pickup is free for the customer and eliminates shipping cost entirely. Highlighting it prominently at checkout — especially for customers close to your dealership — gives price-sensitive buyers an option that does not require you to subsidize shipping.
To configure local pickup and set a handling fee if needed, see Setting a local pickup handling fee.
Choosing the right carrier for your shipments
Your carrier choice affects both your shipping cost and delivery speed. As a general starting point:
- Small or lightweight items (filters, sensors, trim pieces) — USPS flat rate boxes are often the most cost-efficient option
- Large or heavy items (bumpers, rotors, transmissions) — UPS or FedEx typically offer better rates for oversized freight
Using the most cost-efficient carrier for each package type helps keep your costs low enough to offer competitive shipping rates to customers.
To connect a carrier for real-time rate quotes at checkout, see Setting up Real-Time Shipping (RTS).
Need help?
Our in-house Client Services team is available Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST to help you with any questions or issues. You can reach us in the following ways:
👉 Submit a request through this support form
📞 Call us at 1 (888) 843-0425
📧 Email us at support@simplepart.com
We’re ready to help you get the most out of your SimplePart experience!