Introducing our new shipping calculator for the WooCommerce product page

Released today, the new WooCommerce Shipping Calculator plugin displays shipping costs exactly where the customer is looking for them - right on the product page.

If you're an online retailer, you know that customers want to know shipping costs before they add products to their cart. After all, shipping can make or break a sale.

That's why we're excited to announce our new shipping calculator for the WooCommerce product page. With the WooCommerce Shipping Calculator plugin, customers can easily calculate shipping costs before adding products to their cart, reducing cart abandonment and increasing conversions.

Keep reading to learn why the plugin is so important for online stores, how it works, and where to get it.

Note: WooCommerce Shipping Calculator was acquired by our friends at Kestrel in March 2024. It is now available on the Kestrel website. 

Why should I add a shipping calculator to the WooCommerce product page?

Ask yourself these questions:

• Have you ever visited and online shop and wanted to know the shipping cost before deciding whether to buy a product? Me too.
• Did you ever add a product to your cart just to find out the shipping cost? Me too.
• Have you ever left a website and abandoned your cart because the shipping cost was too high, or they didn't deliver to your area? Yep, me too. A lot of times, actually.

It's fair enough to want to know the shipping cost before deciding whether to buy a product. After all, shipping is part of the total you will pay, and you need to know this when comparing prices and shopping around. 

As a result, it's strange that most WooCommerce stores only reveal the shipping cost on the cart or checkout page. Isn't that crazy?

It's much better to be upfront about shipping costs by showing them before the customer has decided whether to add a product to their cart. And the best way to do this is to add a shipping calculator to the WooCommerce cart page.

That way, customers can consider the shipping cost as part of the decision-making process. They can also check that you will deliver to their location, which helps to avoid disappointment later down the line.

Further reading: Ultimate Guide to WooCommerce Shipping Calculators

Business benefits of adding a shipping calculator to the WooCommerce product page

Letting customers see exact shipping costs on the product page can bring a range of business benefits to your store. These include:

• Enhanced user experience: By providing customers with the ability to calculate shipping costs before adding a product to their cart, you're creating a better user experience. Customers will appreciate having the ability to see the total cost upfront, rather than being surprised by the cost at checkout.
• Improved conversion rates: By displaying shipping costs upfront, customers are less likely to abandon their cart due to unexpected shipping costs. This can lead to improved conversion rates and ultimately, more sales for your store.
• Increased customer satisfaction: When customers have the ability to calculate shipping costs before adding a product to their cart, they're more likely to be satisfied with their purchase. This can lead to positive reviews and repeat business.
• Competitive advantage: By offering a shipping calculator on the product page, you're offering a unique feature that sets your store apart from competitors. This can help attract and retain customers.
• Flexibility: The plugin offers the flexibility to customize the shipping calculator based on your store's specific shipping rules and rates. This means that customers can get an accurate shipping cost based on their location and the items they're purchasing.

A shipping calculator on the WooCommerce product page offers a convenient and user-friendly way for customers to calculate shipping costs. As a result, it can lead to improved sales and customer satisfaction.

What sorts of stores need to show shipping costs on product pages?

A product page shipping calculator can benefit a wide range of products, use cases, and industries. Here are some examples:

• E-commerce stores selling physical products: Displaying shipping costs on the WooCommerce product page is essential for online stores selling physical products that require shipping. This can include products such as clothing, electronics, home goods, and more. In contrast, you won't need this if you only sell virtual or digital products.
• Small businesses: Small businesses that have limited resources may not have the ability to offer free shipping. A shipping calculator on the product page can help these businesses provide a more transparent shipping experience. As a result, it prevents customers from abandoning their carts due to unexpected shipping costs.
• Niche markets: Niche markets, such as specialized hobby stores or gourmet food stores, may have unique shipping requirements. Make these clear to potential customers by displaying a shipping calculator upfront on the product page.
• International shipping: For stores that offer international shipping, it's important to help customers estimate shipping costs and avoid surprises at checkout.
• Industries such as logistics, shipping, and transportation: Businesses in the logistics, shipping, and transportation industries need to provide their customers with accurate shipping costs before they decide which company to order from.

As you can see, adding a shipping calculator to the WooCommerce product page can benefit a wide range of products and industries. Think about whether it would help your store too.

The new plugin to add a shipping calculator to the WooCommerce cart page

WooCommerce only displays a shipping calculator after customers have added products to their cart. That's not good enough, so we decided to take matters into our own hands.

As a result, we got to work building the new WooCommerce Shipping Calculator plugin. It's designed to add a flexible shipping calculator to the product page in any WooCommerce store. That way, your customers can calculate shipping without having to waste time adding products that they may not buy to their cart.

How it works

The plugin is super-simple because it focusses on doing one task really well. Simply install and activate the plugin, and a handy setup wizard will open. Use this to choose where you want to add the shipping calculator on the WooCommerce product page. There's a choice of over 16 locations, so this is very flexible.

When a customer enters their address into the shipping calculator on the product page, they will see the delivery methods which are available to their shipping zone. This includes all the shipping methods which you have added to your store, including options added by third party plugins such as Product Shipping.

The shipping calculator will work on any type of product page, including custom layouts designed using Gutenberg block or page builders like Elementor. Behind the scenes, it inserts the shipping calculator using the standard hooks and filters which are part of WooCommerce itself. This means that it works with custom page layouts too.

Styling-wise, the shipping calculator looks identical to the one that normally only appears on the WooCommerce cart and checkout page. This means that it will look great with your theme without needing any extra styling.

If your site uses any other plugins which customize the default WooCommerce shipping calculator, then these will work with the new plugin too. The product page shipping calculator will appear in your chosen location.

Tutorial: How to Add a Shipping Calculator to your WooCommerce Product Pages

Where to get the plugin

The new WooCommerce Shipping Calculator plugin is the best shipping plugin you'll find, and is available now. Get it today and start making life easier for your customers.