Documentation
ABN Advanced Shipping — complete feature guide
Overview
ABN Advanced Shipping integrates with Shopify's Carrier Service API to calculate and display shipping rates in real time at checkout. Each rule is evaluated against the current cart — only methods whose conditions are met are returned.
Flexible Pricing
Flat, per item, per kg, percentage — with formula support.
Smart Conditions
35+ condition types across location, cart, customer, time, delivery.
Additional Charges
Stack surcharges on top of the base fee.
Virtual Categories
Group products into dynamic segments at checkout.
Installation
The Carrier Service is registered automatically on first login. No manual setup required.
Install the app
Carrier Service registers automatically. Visible in Shopify Admin → Settings → Shipping → Carrier accounts.
Create your first shipping method
Go to Shipping Methods → Create method and configure base fee and conditions.
Test at checkout
Add products to cart, proceed to checkout, and verify methods appear correctly.
How It Works
At checkout, Shopify sends cart details to our callback endpoint. The app evaluates every active rule and returns matching methods with calculated rates.
Rules are evaluated in priority order. Each passing rule becomes a separate shipping option for the customer.
Shipping Methods — General Settings
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Label shown to customers at checkout (e.g., "Standard Shipping 3–5 days") |
| Name Translations | Localized names for multi-language stores |
| Description | Internal notes — not shown to customers |
| Priority | Display order (lower number = shown first) |
| Status | Active / Inactive toggle. Inactive methods never appear at checkout. |
Fee Configuration
Set the Base fee, choose a Calculation type, then configure the additional unit cost.
Flat Rate
A fixed fee regardless of cart contents.
Example: Base fee = 9.99 → every qualifying order ships for $9.99.
Per Item
Base fee covers the first item. The additional fee is added for each extra item from the 2nd onward.
| Qty | Base = $10, Unit = $5 |
|---|---|
| 1 item | $10 + $5×0 = $10.00 |
| 2 items | $10 + $5×1 = $15.00 |
| 5 items | $10 + $5×4 = $30.00 |
Per Weight (kg)
Base fee plus a rate per kilogram of total cart weight.
Example: Base = $5, Unit = $2/kg, cart weighs 3kg → $5 + $2×3 = $11.00
Percentage
Shipping as a percentage of cart subtotal. Unit cost acts as a minimum fee floor.
Example: Base = 10%, Minimum = $3. Cart = $20 → 10% = $2, but minimum = $3 → fee is $3.00
Formula Mode (Advanced)
The Base fee field accepts dynamic formulas with these variables:
| Variable | Value |
|---|---|
[qty] | Total item quantity in cart |
[weight] | Total cart weight in kg |
[subtotal] | Cart subtotal before discount |
[unit_cost] | The "Additional fee" field value |
Conditions
Conditions determine when a shipping method is displayed. All conditions must pass (AND logic) by default.
📍 Location
Postcode supports exact match, comma list (10001, 10002), and ranges (10000…19999).
🛒 Cart & Products
👤 Customer
🕐 Time & Date
Example: Only show "Same-day delivery" on weekdays between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
🚚 Delivery
📋 Purchase History
Example: Offer free shipping to customers placing their first order.
🗂 Virtual Category
Additional Charges
Stack extra fees on top of the base shipping fee. Enable the charge types you need and configure min/max brackets with a fee per range.
Cart-based
Product-based
Collection-based
Virtual Category-based
Fee Brackets Example
| Min Qty | Max Qty | Fee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | $3.00 | 1–5 items → add $3 |
| 6 | 10 | $5.00 | 6–10 items → add $5 |
| 11 | — | $8.00 | 11+ items → add $8 |
Virtual Categories
Create dynamic product groups without modifying your Shopify store's collections. Evaluated fresh at every checkout.
Include Mode
| Mode | How it works | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| All Products | Starts with all products in the store, then removes items in Exclude Products. | Rule applies to most products; exclude only a few. |
| Selected Products | Starts empty, adds items from Include Products. Exclude list further refines. | Rule applies to a specific subset. |
Selectors
Both Include and Exclude sections let you pick:
- Collections to include/exclude — all products within a Shopify collection
- Products to include/exclude — specific individual products via Shopify's native picker
Other Methods Control
| Setting | Behavior |
|---|---|
| No effect on other methods | All other methods remain visible alongside this one. |
| Replace all other methods | When this method is active, all other methods are hidden. |
| Replace all except free shipping | Hides others but keeps free shipping options. |
| Add to cheapest method | Adds this fee on top of the cheapest available method. |
FAQ
Do I need Shopify Plus?
No. Works on all plans that support third-party carrier-calculated shipping — Shopify, Advanced, and Plus. Basic plan users can add the feature as an add-on.
Does the Carrier Service expire?
No. It persists until the app is uninstalled or manually removed. If the callback URL is unreachable for an extended period, Shopify may disable it — go to Settings to re-register.
Why isn't my method showing at checkout?
- The method is set to Inactive.
- A condition is not met by the current cart or address.
- The Carrier Service was removed — go to Settings to re-register.
Can multiple methods show at the same time?
Yes. Every rule that passes its conditions is returned as a separate option. Use Other Methods Control to hide competing methods when needed.
Virtual Categories vs. Shopify Collections?
Shopify Collections are permanent groupings in your store. Virtual Categories are dynamic, rule-based groups that only exist within ABN Advanced Shipping — no store changes required, evaluated fresh each checkout.
How does Per Item differ from a formula?
Per Item charges the base fee for the first item, then unit cost for each additional item. Equivalent formula in Flat mode: baseFee + ([qty]-1) * unitCost. Per Item is a user-friendly shortcut.