Advanced Shipping Price Rules - Cost on Product subtotal

The Cost on Product Subtotal option under Advanced Shipping Price Rules allows you to configure shipping charges based on the subtotal value of selected products in the cart.

For example:

• If the subtotal for Electronics is between $100–$300 → charge $15 shipping.
• If the subtotal for Furniture exceeds $500 → offer free shipping.

This helps you set fair and targeted shipping charges for high- or low-value product purchases.

Why use cost on product subtotal rules?

• Fair shipping: Customers pay shipping based on the value of products, not just the quantity.
• Profit protection: Cover shipping for low-value orders, offer free shipping for premium purchases.
• Category targeting: Apply rules to products with higher logistics costs.
• Flexibility: Add multiple subtotal ranges for fine-grained control.

Configuration steps

1. Access advanced shipping rules

• Go to Dashboard → Dotstore → Flat Rate Shipping (Dotstore).
• Add a new shipping method.
• Scroll down to the section Advanced Shipping Price Rules.

2. Add cost on product subtotal rule

• Find the Cost on Product Subtotal section.
• Click Add New Rule.

3. Define rule conditions

Each rule can be set with:

• Product selection → Choose the product(s) the rule applies to.
• Minimum subtotal → The lowest subtotal amount for the rule.
• Maximum subtotal → The highest subtotal amount for the rule.
• Shipping amount → The shipping fee to apply.

4. Add multiple rules

• Example:
  • $0 – $100 subtotal → $21 shipping.
  • $101 – $500 subtotal → $49 shipping.

  • $501 – $3000 subtotal → Free shipping.

    

5. Save and test

• Click Save Changes.

• Add the chosen products to your cart and adjust order values to check whether the rules apply correctly.

  

Two real examples

Example 1: Electronics subtotal rule

• Rule 1: Electronics subtotal $0–$200 → $10 shipping

  Rule 2: Electronics subtotal $201–$500 → $20 shipping

  Checkout result:

  • Customer buys a phone worth $150 → Shipping = $10
  • Customer buys a laptop worth $350 → Shipping = $20

Example 2: Furniture subtotal with free shipping

• Rule 1: Furniture subtotal $0–$400 → $25 shipping

  Rule 2: Furniture subtotal $401+ → Free shipping

  Checkout result:

  • Customer buys a chair ($200) → Shipping = $25
  • Customer buys a sofa ($600) → Shipping = Free

Expected outcome

Once configured, WooCommerce will automatically calculate shipping charges based on the subtotal of selected products. This ensures transparent and fair shipping for customers while giving store owners flexible control over shipping costs.