Fulfillment

Shopify Shipping Rate & Carrier Optimization

Reduce per-order shipping cost via rate renegotiation, carrier mix optimization, and accessorial-fee audit.

Who it's for

Carrier costs have grown 8–12% year-over-year and you have not done a carrier audit in 18+ months. Dim weight, residential surcharges, and accessorial fees are eating margin you cannot see in the Shopify shipping tab.

What's included

Carrier invoice audit across the last 6 months: parcel, freight, accessorials, dim-weight exposure
Carrier mix analysis: UPS / FedEx / USPS / regional carrier zone-by-zone cost comparison
Rate-card renegotiation alongside your team — fresh rate cards from at least two carriers
Checkout-time rate display review (ShipperHQ, Shopify Carrier Calculated, native)
Dim-weight optimization: packaging changes that reduce billable weight
A 90-day execution plan with named owners and a monthly cost-per-order review

Typical timeline

4–8 weeks for the audit, negotiation, and execution plan.

Typical investment

$10K–$30K fixed-scope; performance-based pricing available on saved carrier spend (typically 20–30% of year-one savings).

Frequently asked

Questions operators ask before scoping shopify shipping rate & carrier optimization

Will the carriers actually re-open our rate card mid-contract?

Often yes, especially if volume has shifted or if your contract is 18+ months old. We build the business case (volume trajectory, competitor benchmarks, accessorial creep) that gets you to the table.

Do we need to switch carriers to see savings?

Usually not. Most savings come from renegotiating the incumbent (better discount, accessorial caps) plus optimizing the mix on the margins (USPS for lightweight, regional carriers for dense zones).

How does this work if our 3PL handles shipping for us?

We work with you to audit the 3PL's pass-through rates and renegotiate. Many 3PL contracts include margin on shipping that is renegotiable once you have visibility into the actual carrier rates.

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