If you’re running an online store in the UK and struggling with setting up shipping, you’re not alone.
The United Kingdom’s administrative geography is complex and multi-layered, making the proper UK shipping zones configuration quite challenging.
In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the process of configuring UK shipping zones in your WooCommerce shop step by step.
What are Shipping Zones?
A shipping zone is a geographical area to which you ship items.
You can get as specific as you need, right down to regions and zip codes, or you can leave it more general – whichever suits you best.
Shipping zones help to connect your WooCommerce store with shipping carriers’ services seamlessly.
This integration helps automate shipping label generation, tracking information, and real-time shipping rates based on the configured zones.
Setting up Shipping Zones in WooCommerce
To set up shipping zones in WooCommerce, follow these steps:
- Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Zones.
- Click the Add Shipping Zone button.
- Enter a Zone Name, such as “UK Mainland.”
- Click the Add Shipping Method button.
- Select the shipping method you want to use, such as “Flat Rate.”
- Configure the shipping method settings, such as the shipping cost and tax status.
- Click the Save Changes button.
Repeat steps 2-7 for each shipping zone you want to create. You can create as many zones as you like, and add multiple methods and rates to each zone.
Configuring UK Shipping Zones in WooCommerce
The United Kingdom is divided into four shipping zones:
- Zone 1: UK Mainland
- Zone 2: Scottish Highlands and Islands
- Zone 3: Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Isles of Scilly
- Zone 4: Channel Islands
To configure UK shipping zones in your WooCommerce shop, follow these steps:
- Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Zones.
- Click the Add Shipping Zone button.
- Enter a Zone Name, such as “UK Mainland.”
- Click the Add Shipping Method button.
- Select the shipping method you want to use, such as “Flat Rate.”
- Configure the shipping method settings, such as the shipping cost and tax status.
- Click the Edit link next to the Zone Name.
- In the Regions column, click the Select regions within this zone box.
- Select the regions you want to include in the zone, such as “England” and “Wales.”
- Click the Save Changes button.
Repeat steps 2-10 for each UK shipping zone you want to create.
Using Postcodes to Limit Shipping Zones
Shipping the products to Highlands or the Channel Islands is most often much more expensive than to other parts of the UK.
To make it even more complicated, the availability of the UK carriers’ services usually varies depending on the location.
The answer you might be looking for is limiting the shipping zones to specific postcodes, which has been a default WooCommerce feature since the 2.6.1 release.
Setting up the shipping zones using the area-specific postcodes will allow you not only to target but also to manage them exactly the way you need.
To set up shipping zones using postcodes, follow these steps:
- Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Zones.
- Click the Add Shipping Zone button.
- Enter a Zone Name, such as “Highlands and Islands.”
- Click the Add Shipping Method button.
- Select the shipping method you want to use, such as “Flat Rate.”
- Configure the shipping method settings, such as the shipping cost and tax status.
- Click the Edit link next to the Zone Name.
- In the Regions column, click the Select regions within this zone box.
- Click the Postcodes tab.
- Enter the postcodes you want to include in the zone, such as “AB30-38” and “KW1-14.”
- Click the Save Changes button.
Repeat steps 2-11 for each shipping zone you want to create using postcodes.
How to display shipping rates for different zones in WooCommerce
To display shipping rates for different zones in WooCommerce, you need to set up shipping zones, followed by shipping methods and rates.
A shipping zone is a geographical area where certain shipping methods and rates apply.
Within WooCommerce, these can be as general as entire countries or as precise as specific zip codes.
Each customer’s address can be associated with only one WooCommerce shipping zone.
You can set up as many shipping zones as you like, as well as add different shipping methods and rates to each zone.
To set up shipping zones, go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > Shipping Zones.
Once you’ve defined your shipping zones and methods, go to the “Shipping” tab in your WooCommerce settings, then click “Add shipping zone.”
This is where you’ll define shipping zones for your ecommerce store.
To add a new WooCommerce shipping zone, you’ll enter your Zone Name and define your Zone Region.
After defining the shipping zones, you can now add WooCommerce multiple shipping options/methods to the shipping zone.
By default, WooCommerce offers three shipping methods: Flat rate, Free shipping, and Local pickup. Click on the Add shipping method button from the zone editor window.
Customers will only see the methods and rates available for their address and corresponding zone.
WooCommerce shipping zones not working
If your WooCommerce shipping zones are not working, there could be several reasons for this issue.
One of the most common reasons is that there is no data about the product’s dimensions and weights, which are essential elements for any carrier to deliver a product from one place to another.
Another reason could be errors in configuring the carrier account with WooCommerce.
To fix this issue, you can add the product’s dimensions and weights and ensure that the carrier account is correctly configured with WooCommerce.
You can also try deleting and recreating the shipping zones or updating your WooCommerce and WordPress versions.
If you’re still experiencing issues, you can seek help from the WooCommerce support forum or contact a WooCommerce expert for assistance.
Wrap!
Configuring UK shipping zones in your WooCommerce shop might seem challenging at first, but it’s essential to ensure that your customers receive their orders on time and at a reasonable cost.
By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can set up shipping zones in your WooCommerce shop and limit them to specific postcodes, making it easier to manage your shipping costs and provide a better customer experience.
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