Will Shopify ship products for your store?

Shopify is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms, offering everything from website hosting to payment processing. But if you're new to Shopify, you might be wondering: Does Shopify ship products for you?

Shipping is a critical part of running an online store, and many potential merchants assume Shopify handles it directly.

However, while Shopify provides powerful shipping tools out of the box, it doesn’t physically store, pack, or ship products on your behalf.

Instead, it gives you the infrastructure to manage shipping efficiently – whether you're handling it yourself, working with third-party fulfillment centers, or using dropshipping.

In this guide, I’ll break down exactly how Shopify shipping works, what responsibilities fall on store owners, and what fulfillment options are available to make shipping easier for merchants.

How Shopify handles shipping

One of the biggest misconceptions about Shopify is that it operates like Amazon, handling warehousing, packing, and shipping for merchants.

In reality, Shopify does not physically ship products for you.

However, that doesn’t mean you’re left to manage everything on your own. Shopify provides a range of tools and integrations to streamline the shipping process, making it easier for store owners to fulfill orders efficiently.

Rather than acting as a shipping service itself, Shopify acts as a shipping facilitator by offering:

• Shopify Shipping. A built-in tool that lets merchants buy and print discounted shipping labels from major carriers.
• Real-time carrier rates. Automatically calculates shipping costs for customers at checkout based on carrier rates.
• Order tracking. Shopify allows store owners to provide tracking details to customers, improving transparency.
• Shipping integrations. Merchants can connect with third-party fulfillment services or dropshipping suppliers to outsource shipping.

So, while Shopify doesn’t physically ship your products, its shipping tools help reduce manual work, lower costs, and provide a smoother experience for both merchants and customers. Some people see this as a disadvantage of using Shopify, but really it's not intended to be a fulfilment center.

Shopify shipping tools and capabilities

Shopify provides a suite of shipping tools designed to simplify order fulfillment and reduce costs for store owners. While Shopify doesn’t handle shipping directly, it offers integrations with major carriers and automation features that make the process more efficient.

Supported regions and carriers

Shopify Shipping is available in select regions, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, France, Italy, and Spain. Merchants in these locations can access discounted shipping rates and buy labels directly from carriers like:

• USPS, UPS, and DHL Express (U.S.)
• Canada Post (Canada)
• Evri and DPD (U.K.)
• Sendle (Australia)

Key features

• Real-time shipping rates. Shopify can automatically calculate shipping costs for customers at checkout.
• Discounted shipping labels. Merchants get up to 88% off carrier rates when purchasing labels through Shopify.
• Integrated tracking. Order tracking numbers are automatically provided to customers.
• Flexible shipping methods. Choose from flat-rate, calculated, or free shipping options based on your business model.

By leveraging Shopify’s shipping tools, store owners can save time, reduce costs, and offer a seamless shipping experience to customers.

However, remember that merchants are still responsible for packaging and fulfillment unless they use external fulfillment services, which we’ll explore next.

Merchants’ shipping responsibilities

While Shopify provides powerful shipping tools, store owners are still responsible for managing key aspects of order fulfillment. This doesn’t mean you have to handle everything manually. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to streamline the process.

Here’s what you’ll need to manage if you’re fulfilling orders yourself:

• Packing and shipping orders. Once a customer places an order, you’ll need to package the products securely and arrange for shipping using your chosen carrier. Shopify makes this easier by allowing you to print shipping labels directly from your dashboard.
• Choosing shipping carriers and methods. You’ll need to decide whether to offer flat-rate, free, or real-time carrier-calculated shipping. Shopify helps with rate calculations, but the final choice is yours.
• Handling returns and exchanges. If customers need to return or exchange a product, you’ll be responsible for setting up a clear return policy and managing the process.
• Storing inventory. Unless you use dropshipping or a third-party fulfillment service, you’ll need a place to store and manage your inventory.

If managing shipping sounds overwhelming, don’t worry because Shopify integrates seamlessly with fulfillment centers, dropshipping suppliers, and print-on-demand services, which can handle these responsibilities for you.

Fulfillment options available on Shopify

If managing shipping and inventory isn’t something you want to handle yourself, Shopify offers several fulfillment options that allow you to outsource these tasks.

Let’s take a look:

Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a fulfillment method where store owners sell products without holding inventory.

Instead, when a customer places an order, a third-party supplier ships the product directly to them. This means you don’t have to worry about storing, packing, or shipping products yourself.

Shopify makes dropshipping easy by integrating with popular apps like:

• Spocket. Connects you with high-quality suppliers in the U.S. and Europe.
• DSers. Optimized for AliExpress dropshipping, making bulk order processing efficient.
• Zendrop and AliDropship. Offer a variety of global suppliers with automated order fulfillment.

The key benefit of dropshipping is that you can focus on marketing and sales while your suppliers handle logistics. However, it’s essential to choose reliable suppliers to ensure fast shipping and product quality.

Print on Demand (POD)

Print-on-demand is a business model where products – such as t-shirts, mugs, and posters – are only printed and shipped when a customer places an order. This eliminates the need for upfront inventory and reduces financial risk.

Shopify integrates seamlessly with top POD providers like:

• Printful. Offers a wide range of high-quality products and automated fulfillment.
• Printify. Connects you with multiple print providers, giving you flexible pricing and production options.

These POD services handle printing, packaging, and shipping, so you never have to deal with the inventory yourself. If you’re interested in learning more, check out our in-depth guide on building a successful Printify store and the best print-on-demand plugins.

Third-party fulfillment services

For store owners who sell physical products but don’t want to handle warehousing or shipping, third-party fulfillment centers are a great solution. These services store your inventory, pick and pack orders, and ship them directly to customers.

Popular fulfillment options for Shopify include:

• Amazon FBA. Shopify integrates with Fulfillment by Amazon, allowing you to use Amazon’s vast logistics network for your business.
• Deliverr. A fast-shipping fulfillment service that helps merchants offer 2-day delivery.

Integrating these services with Shopify is straightforward, often requiring just an API connection or a dedicated Shopify app. Once set up, fulfillment centers handle everything from inventory storage to returns, freeing you up to focus on growing your business.

By using any of these fulfillment options, you can significantly reduce your shipping workload while ensuring a smooth experience for customers.

Shopify shipping FAQ

Does Shopify ship internationally?

Yes, Shopify allows merchants to ship internationally, but it doesn’t handle shipping directly. Instead, you can set up international shipping zones, carrier-calculated rates, and duties/tax settings through Shopify Markets. If you're using Shopify Shipping, international carrier options vary by region, including USPS, DHL Express, and UPS.

Can Shopify automatically calculate shipping rates for customers?

Yes, Shopify provides real-time carrier-calculated shipping rates at checkout. This ensures customers see accurate shipping costs based on their location, package weight, and chosen carrier. However, this feature is only available on certain Shopify plans or when using Shopify Shipping in supported regions.

What happens if you don’t use Shopify Shipping tools?

You can still manage shipping independently by purchasing labels from carriers, using third-party shipping apps, or working with fulfillment services. However, you’ll miss out on Shopify’s discounted shipping rates and built-in tracking features.

What are the pros and cons of Shopify’s shipping setup?

Pros:

• Streamlined process. Shopify integrates shipping directly into the platform thereby reducing complexity.
• Shipping discounts. Merchants get significant discounts on carrier rates.
• Real-time rate calculation. Customers see accurate shipping costs at checkout.

Cons:

• Merchants still handle fulfillment. Unless you use a fulfillment service, packing and logistics are your responsibility.
• Regional limitations. Shopify Shipping is only available in select countries, restricting some merchants from using its benefits.

Can I give discounts for shipping larger quantities?

Yes! Shopify allows you to offer bulk shipping discounts by setting up custom shipping rules or using third-party apps. Learn more in our guide on Shopify quantity discounts.

Common misconceptions about Shopify shipping

One of the biggest misconceptions about Shopify is that it handles shipping for store owners. The question: Does Shopify ship for you? often leads to confusion.

To clarify, Shopify does not physically ship products. Instead, it provides tools to help merchants manage shipping efficiently, such as label printing, real-time rate calculation, and carrier discounts.

Another common misunderstanding is that Shopify automatically fulfills orders. While it can streamline the process with integrations for dropshipping, print-on-demand, or third-party fulfillment services, store owners are still responsible for ensuring products reach their customers – either by shipping orders themselves or outsourcing fulfillment.

By understanding Shopify’s role in shipping, merchants can set realistic expectations and choose the best fulfillment strategy for their business.

Conclusion

Shopify provides powerful shipping tools and integrations, but it does not physically ship products for store owners.

Instead, it helps merchants streamline the process through discounted shipping rates, label printing, and real-time carrier calculations. Those who don’t want to handle packing and shipping themselves can leverage Shopify’s integration with dropshipping apps, print-on-demand services, and third-party fulfillment providers.

Before launching your store, consider your shipping needs. Ask yourself: Do you want to manage fulfillment yourself, or would outsourcing be a better fit? Shopify’s flexible options ensure you can find a solution that works for your business model.

For more information, explore Barn2’s other Shopify tutorials for more insights into optimizing your store’s shipping setup and fulfillment strategy.