In today’s eCommerce landscape, shipping fees can make or break a sale. According to research, over 70% of online shoppers abandon their carts due to unexpected shipping costs at checkout.

That’s why many successful Shopify stores offer free shipping after a certain amount — a smart strategy that motivates customers to spend more while maintaining profitability.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to set up free shipping after a specific amount on Shopify, explain why it works, and share optimization tips to make your strategy more effective.

How to Set Up Free Shipping After a Certain Amount in Shopify

Setting up free shipping based on a specific order value is easy with Shopify’s built-in shipping tools.

Follow these step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Access Your Shipping Settings

1. Log in to your Shopify Admin Dashboard.

2. Click Settings (bottom-left corner).

3. Select Shipping and delivery.

This is where you manage all your shipping profiles, rates, and regions.

Step 2: Edit or Create a Shipping Profile

You can either use your default profile or create a new one for certain products.

• Under Shipping profiles, click Manage rates.

• If you want a separate setup, click Create shipping profile.

Each profile can have different shipping rules for products or locations.

Step 3: Add a Free Shipping Rate

1. Find your shipping zone (for example, United States).

2. Click Add rate.

3. Name it something clear, like Free Shipping Over $100.

4. Set the price to $0.

5. Click Add conditions.

In the conditions menu, choose Based on order price.
Then enter your minimum amount — for example, $100.
Click Done, and then Save your changes.

Step 4: Test Your Setup

Once your rule is saved:

• Go to your online store.

• Add products below $100 — shipping should not be free.

• Add more items to exceed $100 — the free shipping option should appear.

Testing ensures your settings work correctly and apply only when conditions are met.

Step 5: Assign Products (If Using a Custom Profile)

If you created a new shipping profile, make sure to assign the correct products:

• Go back to Shipping and delivery.

• Select your profile → Manage products.

• Add the relevant items.

Without this step, Shopify won’t apply the new rate to your products.

Best Practices for Setting a Free Shipping Threshold

Now that you know how to set it up, let’s explore how to choose the right threshold and optimize your results.

Use Your Average Order Value as a Benchmark

Check your store’s average order value (AOV) in Shopify Analytics.
A good rule of thumb:

Set your free shipping threshold 10–30% higher than your current AOV.

Example:
If your AOV is $75, set the free shipping threshold at $100.
This motivates customers to increase their spending without feeling overwhelmed.

Test and Adjust Over Time

Your ideal threshold might change based on seasons, product types, or marketing campaigns.
Regularly review performance data and adjust as needed.

You might find that lowering it from $120 to $100 increases conversions enough to offset the reduced margin.

Communicate Clearly Across Your Store

Customers won’t take advantage of free shipping if they don’t know about it.
Promote it in:

• Website banners: “Free shipping on orders over $100!”

• Product pages: Add a line near the price.

• Cart popups or progress bars: “You’re only $15 away from free shipping!”

• Email marketing: Remind customers of the benefit.

Limit by Region

Offering free shipping globally can be expensive. Instead, apply it only to specific regions.
Example:
“Free shipping in the US for orders over $100.”

You can set this up in your Shopify shipping zones easily.

Combine Free Shipping with Other Incentives

Make your offer more attractive with additional promotions:

• “Free shipping on orders over $100 + 10% off sitewide.”

• “Free shipping + free gift for orders over $150.”

This creates urgency and increases customer excitement.

Setting up free shipping after a certain amount in Shopify is one of the easiest and most effective ways to increase sales, average order value, and customer satisfaction.

By offering free shipping strategically — after a threshold that makes sense for your business — you can attract more customers without sacrificing profits.

Remember:

• Start with your AOV

• Test your thresholds

• Promote your offer clearly

• Review performance regularly

With the right setup, free shipping can become one of your most powerful tools for Shopify growth and customer loyalty.