Setting up shipping for your Ecwid store can feel overwhelming at first, but once you understand how Printful’s shipping rates work and how to configure your store settings, it becomes a simple part of your workflow. Here’s how to handle shipping, whether you’re using Printful’s live rates or setting your own.
What are Printful shipping rates?
Printful charges shipping based on the product category and destination. These rates are added to the fulfillment price you pay when a customer places an order. You decide what to charge your customers, so you can:
- Pass along Printful’s exact rates
- Mark them up for added profit
- Or offer free shipping and include the cost in your product prices
To find the latest shipping fees, visit Printful’s Shipping page.
How shipping works in Ecwid with Printful
You have two options for Printful products:
Option 1: Enable Printful’s live shipping rates
This allows Printful to calculate shipping for each order based on the item’s weight, size, destination, and chosen shipping method.
To enable live rates:
- In your Printful Dashboard, go to Settings → Store settings → Shipping
- Check the box next to Enable Printful’s live shipping rates for your storefront
- In your Ecwid Dashboard, go to the Printful app → Settings → Shipping tab, and turn on live rates
Customers will see available shipping methods at checkout, such as Flat rate, Express, or Flat rate with CO₂ offset (if available in their region).
Option 2: Set fixed shipping rates per item
You can manually set flat shipping prices per product inside Ecwid.
To do that:
- In your Ecwid Dashboard, go to Catalog → Products
- Select a product, then go to Shipping & Pickup
- Choose Fixed Rate Per Item, and set a price (e.g. $4.69 for a t-shirt)
This method gives you more control over pricing, but it’s your responsibility to keep those rates aligned with Printful’s charges.
Consider offering free shipping
Free shipping is a great way to reduce cart abandonment and improve your customers’ experience. While Printful still charges you to ship the product, you can build that cost into your product’s retail price. For example, if Printful charges $4.69 to ship a t-shirt, you could raise the retail price by that amount so your customer sees a “free shipping” offer, but you still cover your costs.
When to use each option
| Shipping setup | Best for... | Notes |
| Live rates | Sellers who only sell Printful products | Automatically updated, accurate based on real order info |
| Fixed rates | Sellers who want consistent pricing | Good for marketing, but requires manual updates |
| Free shipping | Stores offering free shipping as a promo or strategy | Include Printful's cost in your retail price to stay profitable |
Important tips
- Don’t mix live rates with weight-based or global shipping rules in Ecwid; they might conflict and confuse customers at checkout.
- If you sell both Printful and non-Printful products, you’ll need to set up separate shipping rates for your non-Printful items.
- Some Printful products ship separately (like backpacks or canvases). Orders with these items may show higher shipping totals. Check our Shipping page for details.
Still need help? Our Support Team is here for you—reach out anytime through our contact form or start a chat with us.