How to set up WooCommerce shipping for members only

Sometimes you may want to offer special shipping options only to registered members of your WooCommerce store. This could mean:

• Free shipping for members.
• Discounted shipping rates for members.
• Restricting certain shipping methods so only logged-in members can see them.

With the help of the Flat Rate Shipping Plugin or WooCommerce’s built-in settings, you can create membership-based shipping rules easily.

Why Use Members-Only Shipping?

• Reward loyal customers by offering perks like free or cheaper shipping.
• Encourage sign-ups for your membership or loyalty program.
• Control costs by limiting special shipping rates to only eligible customers.
• Personalized experience by showing different shipping methods for members and non-members.

Configuration Steps

Let’s go step by step through the setup:

1. Install & Activate a Shipping Rules Plugin

• Go to your WordPress Dashboard → Plugins → Add New.
• Install and activate the Flat Rate Shipping Plugin for WooCommerce.
• This plugin allows you to set conditional shipping rules based on user roles, products, locations, and more.

2. Create a New Shipping Method

• Go to Dotstore → Flat Rate Shipping.
• Click Add Shipping Method.

• Name it something like “Members-Only Shipping”.

  

3. Add a Conditional Rule for Members

• Inside the method, click Add New Rule.
• From the Condition dropdown, select User Role.

• Choose your member role (e.g., Customer, Subscriber, Premium Member, or a role created by your membership plugin).

  

4. Save and Test

• Click Save Changes.
• Log in with a member account to test.
• At checkout, you should see the members-only shipping method appear.
• Non-members won’t see this option.

Two Real Examples

Example 1: Free Shipping for Premium Members (USA Customers)

• Rule: If User Role = Premium Member and Country = United States, Shipping = Free.
• Result: Premium members in the US see Free Shipping at checkout. Non-members see regular rates.

Example 2: Discounted Flat Rate for Subscribers

• Product: Fitness Supplements

• Base Price: $60

  Rule: If User Role = Subscriber, Shipping = $5 Flat Rate.

  Result:

  • Subscriber checkout total = $65 ($60 + $5).
  • Guest checkout total = $70 ($60 + $10 standard shipping).

Expected Outcome

Once set up, WooCommerce will check the customer’s user role at checkout. If they’re a member, they’ll see the special shipping method you’ve created. Non-members won’t see it, keeping your member perks exclusive.