Shopify | Live Rates At Checkout Add-On

How It Works

When a shopper enters their address and proceeds to checkout on your sales site, ShipWise returns live carrier rates in real time. The rates these shoppers see reflect rates from your actual carrier accounts and any markup rules you've configured.

Cartonization: When ShipWise Cartonization is enabled, the rate call at checkout uses the optimal box size for that specific cart, not a fixed estimate. That means the rate your customer sees is based on the actual dimensional weight of their order, so what they pay more closely matches what you pay to ship. Learn more about Cartonization

The process runs as follows:

Shoppers provide their address at checkout. ShipWise receives the destination and order contents.
Dimensions are checked. If product dimensions (L × W × H) are on file, ShipWise moves to packaging logic. If dimensions are missing, live rates cannot be calculated for that item.
Packaging is determined. If packaging options are configured, ShipWise's Cartonization Algorithm selects the optimal box. Without packaging options configured, the order falls back to manual packing.
Carrier mapping rules run. ShipWise reads the order's attributes and matches them to the carrier mapping configured. The carriers and services in that mapping are what shoppers see at checkout — defined by you ahead of time, applied automatically.
A live rate call is made. ShipWise queries your carrier accounts and returns real-time rates to be displayed on your checkout page.
Markup rules are applied. Any rate or accessorial markups you've configured are layered onto the carrier rates before they are displayed.
Final rates are returned to Shopify checkout. The shopper sees accurate shipping options and selects their preferred method.
The selected rate is locked in. Once the shopper completes checkout, their selection is passed to ShipWise. No additional rate shopping occurs at fulfillment. The carrier and service are already determined.

At fulfillment, the order moves through your normal ShipWise workflow: address verification, scan verification, label generation, and order status writeback to Shopify. The rate your customer chose is the rate used.

Setting Up Live Rates at Checkout

Live Rates at Checkout for Shopify is configured through ShipWise's native Shopify Rating Services integration. The setup maps your ShipWise Profiles and Service Groups to Shopify checkout. No development work required on your end.

Prerequisites: Live Rates at Checkout requires your Shopify store to be on the Advanced or Plus plan. Carrier-calculated shipping is not available on lower-tier Shopify plans. You can add it as a monthly fee or by switching from monthly to annual billing. See how to enable Shopify carrier-calculated shipping.

Because accurate configuration is critical to how rates display, setup is handled by the ShipWise Implementation team in partnership with your Account Manager. As part of that process, your implementation team will confirm that product dimensions are on file, packaging options are configured, and the right carrier accounts are connected. Once the mapping is complete, the feature runs automatically with no ongoing action required on your end.

Once live, your ShipWise configuration controls the full shopper experience:

Carrier and service display. The carriers and service levels shown at checkout are determined by the Service Groups. Need to add a carrier or adjust which services appear? That's a configuration change, not a development project.
Rate markups. Markups are applied on top of carrier quotes before rates reach Shopify. Configure them as a flat fee or percentage, scoped by carrier, rate type, zone, order value, or weight range, all within Settings > Profiles.
Branded post-purchase experience. After checkout, customers receive shipment notifications and can track their order through ShipWise's Branded Tracking Page.

Currency Conversion and International Shoppers

ShipWise returns shipping rates in your store's base currency. If your store uses multi-currency checkout through Shopify Payments, Shopify automatically converts those rates to the shopper's local currency at checkout. Any difference between the rate ShipWise generates and what a shopper sees is the result of Shopify's conversion logic, not an error in ShipWise.

Shopify applies its current mid-market exchange rate plus a conversion fee (typically 1.5% for U.S.-based stores, 2% for international stores), then may apply currency-specific rounding. The same formula applies to shipping as to product prices.

If you need more control, Shopify Markets lets you set fixed local prices or manual exchange rates per market. Localized rates you define there will override Shopify's automatic conversion. To preview how rates appear in different currencies, go to Shopify Admin > Settings > Markets.

For questions about conversion behavior, contact Shopify Support as all conversion steps happen on Shopify's side.

Ready to Get Started?

Contact your Account Manager to discuss whether Live Rates at Checkout is the right fit for your Shopify store. They'll walk you through the setup process, coordinate with the Implementation team, and make sure everything is tested before going live.

Schedule time with your Account Manager →

Using a platform other than Shopify? Live Rates at Checkout is also available for other e-commerce platforms via the ShipWise API. Contact your Account Manager to discuss options.

Frequently asked questions

Setup & configuration

What do I need on the Shopify side?
Your store must be on the Shopify Advanced or Plus plan. Carrier-calculated shipping is not available on lower-tier Shopify plans. You can add it as a monthly fee or by switching from monthly to annual billing. Beyond that, no Shopify-side development is required.

Who do I contact to get started?
Reach out to your ShipWise Account Manager. If you're not sure who that is, contact us at support@shipwise.com or (503) 331-4000.

Rates & carriers

Which carriers can I surface at checkout?
Any carrier account active in ShipWise can be included. The specific carriers and services displayed are determined by the Service Groups configured in your Profiles. Your Account Manager can help you determine the right mix for your shoppers.

Can I limit which service levels appear?
Yes. Your Profiles control which carriers and service levels are eligible for checkout display. You can surface standard, expedited, or both, scoped to specific zones, weights, or order types.

Does ShipWise re-rate the order at fulfillment?
No. The rate the shopper selects at checkout is locked in and passed to ShipWise at fulfillment. No additional rate shopping occurs. The carrier and service are already determined.

Products & dimensions

What happens if a product is missing dimensions?
If an item in the cart doesn't have dimensions on file in ShipWise, live rates cannot be calculated for that order and it will fall back to your default Shopify shipping behavior. Your implementation team will confirm all active SKUs have dimensions entered before going live.

Does Live Rates at Checkout work with Cartonization?
Yes, and it's worth enabling both together. When Cartonization is active, the rate call at checkout uses the optimal box size for each specific cart, not a fixed estimate. That means the rate shoppers see reflects the actual DIM weight of their order, reducing checkout-to-fulfillment discrepancies and margin leakage on dimensional surcharges.

Currency & international

Why does the shipping rate my shopper sees differ from what's in ShipWise?
ShipWise returns rates in your store's base currency. If your store uses Shopify's multi-currency feature, Shopify converts that rate using its mid-market exchange rate, a 1.5–2% conversion fee, and rounding rules. The difference is expected and not an error in ShipWise.

Can I control what currency shoppers see at checkout?
Yes, through Shopify Markets. You can set fixed local prices or manual exchange rates per market, which override Shopify's automatic conversion. ShipWise returns rates in your base currency only (Currency conversion is handled entirely by Shopify).

Who do I contact if a converted shipping rate looks wrong?
Check your Shopify Admin > Settings > Markets settings first. If the issue persists, contact Shopify Support (Currency conversion is managed on their side).