How Do I Set Up Shipping Zones and Rates?
Create shipping zones for different countries or regions in Admin → Shop → Shipping, then add flat-rate, per-weight, or free-shipping rules to each zone.
Shipping zones define where you ship to, and shipping rates define how much you charge for each zone. Set them up in Admin → Shop → Shipping — you need at least one zone before physical products can be purchased.
How do I create my first shipping zone?
Click Add Zone in the Shipping tab. Give the zone a name (something like Domestic, Europe, or Rest of World works fine) and then pick the countries or regions it covers. You can add individual countries or select entire continents from the dropdown. A country can only belong to one zone — if you add the UK to a Europe zone and later try to add it to a specific UK zone, you'll get a conflict warning and need to remove it from the first zone.
What types of shipping rates can I set?
Three rate types are available. Flat Rate charges a fixed amount per order regardless of size or weight — the simplest option for most small shops. Weight-Based Rate calculates the shipping cost based on the total weight of the order using a price-per-gram rate you set. Free Shipping kicks in either always or above an order total threshold you specify — a 'free shipping over $50' rule is a classic conversion booster. You can mix rate types within the same zone.
If a customer's shipping address matches multiple zones — which shouldn't happen if zones are configured correctly — VeloCMS uses the most specific match (individual country beats continent, continent beats Rest of World).
How do I set up weight-based pricing?
Select Weight-Based when adding a rate to your zone. Enter a base charge (the minimum you charge regardless of weight) and a per-gram rate. Every physical product in your catalog needs a weight value set on its product page for this to work accurately — VeloCMS will warn you at checkout if any ordered product is missing weight data and fall back to the base charge rather than calculating incorrectly.
What if I don't ship to a particular country?
Simple: don't add it to any zone. If a customer tries to check out with a shipping address in a country that isn't covered by any of your zones, the checkout shows a 'We don't ship to this location' message and the order can't be completed. This is cleaner than setting high rates to discourage orders — it's honest and avoids wasted time for both you and the customer.