How Do I Set Up Shipping Zones for International Orders on Shopify?
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How Do I Set Up Shipping Zones for International Orders on Shopify?
Selling internationally is exciting—but if your shipping setup isn’t right, it can turn into a nightmare for both you and your customers.
One of the most important steps? Setting up shipping zones correctly in Shopify so that buyers around the world get accurate rates, timelines, and delivery options.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up international shipping zones on your Shopify store, step by step.
🌍 What Are Shipping Zones in Shopify?
A shipping zone is a group of countries or regions that share the same shipping rates and rules. Shopify lets you create zones based on:
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Countries
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Continents
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Individual states/provinces (for certain countries)
By organizing your shipping this way, you can easily control:
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Which regions you sell to
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Shipping rates by location
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Carrier options per country
🧭 Step-by-Step: How to Set Up International Shipping Zones on Shopify
✅ Step 1: Go to Shipping & Delivery Settings
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From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and Delivery.
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Under Shipping, click Manage Rates next to your current shipping profile (typically “General shipping rates”).
🌍 Step 2: Add a New Shipping Zone
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Scroll down to Shipping to and click Create Shipping Zone.
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Give your zone a name (e.g., “Europe,” “Asia-Pacific,” or “Rest of World”).
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Select the countries or regions you want to include in this zone.
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Click Done.
💡 Tip: You can group countries by region (like EU) or by shipping cost tiers (e.g., Free shipping zone vs Expedited shipping zone).
🚚 Step 3: Add Shipping Rates for That Zone
Once your zone is created, it’s time to assign shipping rates:
Option 1: Manual Rates
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Flat rates like:
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Standard International: ₹500
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Express International: ₹1,200
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Rate conditions based on:
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Order weight (e.g., 0–2kg = ₹500)
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Order price (e.g., orders above ₹5,000 = free shipping)
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Option 2: Carrier-Calculated Rates (Advanced/Shopify Plus only)
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Real-time rates from carriers like:
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DHL Express
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FedEx
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USPS International
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UPS Worldwide
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⚠️ Note: Carrier-calculated shipping requires a Shopify Advanced or Plus plan, or Shopify’s Carrier Calculated Shipping add-on.
🔁 Step 4: Repeat for Other International Zones
To sell globally, you’ll need to:
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Create separate zones for major regions (e.g., USA, Europe, Canada)
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Assign rates based on delivery speed or logistics partners
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Avoid overlapping countries in multiple zones
💬 FAQs About Shopify Shipping Zones for International Orders
❓ Can I exclude certain countries from shipping?
Yes. Just don’t include them in any shipping zone. They won’t see shipping options and won’t be able to complete checkout.
❓ Can I offer free shipping for some countries but not others?
Absolutely. For example:
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Free shipping to the USA over ₹10,000
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Flat rate shipping to Europe
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No shipping to countries with high risk/fraud
❓ Can I show delivery estimates for international orders?
Yes, if you're using:
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Carrier-calculated rates, which pull live delivery estimates
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Or custom text in your product/shipping policy pages
❓ How does this work with Shopify Markets?
If you're using Shopify Markets, you can assign custom shipping zones per market, local currencies, and regional pricing, making it easier to scale globally with fewer errors.
🧠 Pro Tips from RootSyntax
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🌐 Use Shopify Markets + Shipping Zones for fine-tuned control across regions.
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🔍 Test international checkout regularly to avoid losing sales due to shipping setup issues.
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🚚 Partner with international carriers or fulfillment services to offer better delivery speeds and rates.
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📦 Consider apps like Easyship or ShipStation for advanced global logistics.
✈️ Ready to Ship Internationally?
At RootSyntax, we help growing eCommerce brands:
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Set up global shipping zones
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Configure custom rates and carriers
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Optimize Shopify Markets for international expansion
📞 Contact us now to scale your store across borders—fast and flawlessly.