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Jun 25, 2025 09:35 PM
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Squarespace
shipping
carrier calculated shipping
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Automate shipping rates on Squarespace by using carrier calculated shipping; ensure accurate product weights and dimensions, choose appropriate carriers, and test your setup to avoid checkout issues.
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Squarespace Carrier Calculated Shipping Guide
TL;DR: Key Points
- Automate shipping rates using carrier calculated shipping
- Check your plan eligibility and shipping location
- Enter accurate product weights and dimensions
- Choose the right carriers and services for your area
- Set up shipping containers (carrier-provided or custom)
- Add markup to cover handling costs if needed
What is Carrier Calculated Shipping?
Carrier calculated shipping automatically works out shipping costs for your Squarespace store. Instead of guessing rates or doing manual calculations, the system uses your product's weight, dimensions, and the customer's location to get real-time prices from shipping carriers.
This means accurate costs every time, no nasty surprises for customers, and less work for you.
Check If You Can Use It
First, you need the right Squarespace plan. Carrier calculated shipping works on Core, Plus, Advanced, Business, and Commerce plans. If you're on a basic plan, you'll need to upgrade.
It's also only available in certain countries: US (excluding Puerto Rico and USVI), Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK.
Setting It Up
1. Add Product Weights and Dimensions
Go to each product and add the shipping dimensions and weight. This is crucial because wrong measurements mean wrong shipping costs.
Here's the important bit: measure the shipping size, not the product size. If you're posting a poster in a tube, measure the tube dimensions, not the flat poster size.
Make this part of your routine when adding new products. Missing dimensions will cause problems at checkout.
2. Choose Your Shipping Services
In your Shipping settings, add a new shipping option and select which carriers and services you want to offer.
If you're in the US, you'll need to enter your 'Ship From' postcode. This helps calculate distance-based costs. Other countries need to enter their full shipping address to see available options.
3. Set Up Containers
You can either use the carrier's standard boxes and envelopes, or add your own custom packaging. Just make sure your custom containers match what the carrier actually accepts, otherwise customers will hit errors at checkout.
4. Add Markup (Optional)
You can add extra charges to cover packaging materials, handling time, or just to build in some profit margin. Set this as either a percentage or fixed amount.
Testing Your Setup
Always test this before going live. Place a few test orders to different locations and check the shipping costs make sense. It's much easier to fix problems now than deal with confused customers later.
Common Questions
Which Squarespace plans include this feature?
Core, Plus, Advanced, Business, and Commerce plans only.
Can I use my own packaging?
Yes, but make sure your custom boxes meet the carrier's size and weight limits.
What happens if I don't add product dimensions?
Customers won't see calculated shipping rates, which usually means they can't complete their order.
Quick Definitions
Carrier Calculated Shipping: Real-time shipping cost calculation based on package details and destination
Shipping Dimensions: The size and weight of your packaged product (not the product itself)
Markup: Extra fee you add to shipping costs to cover handling or increase profit
Custom Containers: Your own boxes or packaging that you define in the system
Getting It Right
Carrier calculated shipping takes the guesswork out of shipping costs, but it only works if you set it up properly. The most common mistake is getting product dimensions wrong, so double-check those measurements.
Once it's working, your customers get accurate shipping costs and you save time on manual calculations. Just remember to keep product details updated as you add new items to your store.