Split shipping in Shopify Checkout

If a cart includes items which can't be fulfilled in a single shipment, then fulfillment splits into multiple shipments. For example, if a customer adds a preorder item to their cart, then your checkout displays that the preorder product ships separately from available items. The customer can select an available shipping option for each shipment.

An order is split into multiple shipments when it includes any of the following types of items:

The Shipping method section of a checkout with multiple shipments displays how many shipments the order is split into, and the available shipping methods for each shipment. Your customer can select from the available shipping options for each shipment.

Considerations for split shipping in checkout

Review the following considerations for split shipping in checkout:

Third-party fulfillment app compatibility

Certain third-party fulfillment apps might not be compatible with split shipping in checkout. Review the following table to learn more about the compatibility of common third-party fulfillment apps:

Table listing the split shipping compatibility of common third-party fulfillment apps.
Compatible appsIncompatible apps

If you aren't sure whether your third-party app is compatible, then you can test by adding eligible items to the checkout on your storefront. You can also contact your app's developer to check compatibility with split shipping in checkout. Learn more about getting help with apps.

Select shipping for each shipment

By default, available shipping methods for each shipment are automatically grouped into the following options for ease of customer selection:

  • Lowest price: The least expensive shipping method for each shipment is selected. This option is selected by default.
  • Fastest: The fastest shipping option for all shipments is selected.

Each option displays the total shipping cost for all shipments, as well as the following details for each shipment:

  • the shipping method name
  • estimated delivery time
  • shipping rate
  • how many items are included in that shipment

Your customer can click More shipping options to display all available shipping methods for each shipment, and then select a different shipping method for one or more of the shipments. For example, if your customer wants one shipment to arrive faster, then they can select a faster shipping method for that shipment, and keep the least expensive shipping methods for the other shipments.

Steps:

  1. In the Shipping method section of the checkout, click More shipping options.
  2. Select an available shipping method for each shipment.
  3. Click Save to change the shipping methods.

Example of a split shipment from different locations

For example, your store sells shirts. You have two different store locations: Location A and Location B.

A customer wants to buy a green shirt and a red shirt as gifts. The customer adds a red shirt and a green shirt to their cart. Location A has the green shirt in stock, but the red shirt is unavailable. Location B has the red shirt in stock, but not the green shirt. At the checkout, each shirt is split into a different shipment with the following shipping methods available for each shipment:

  • a Standard shipping method with a 5–8 day delivery time for $10 USD
  • an Express method with a same day delivery time for $20 USD

The Lowest price Standard shipping method is selected by default for both shipments. The red shirt is a gift for a birthday party in two days, so the customer selects the Express shipping method with a 1 day delivery time for that shipment instead. The other shirt is a gift for a relative who is visiting in two weeks, so the customer keeps the Standard shipping method selected for that shipment. The red shirt will be delivered to the customer that day, and the green shirt will be delivered in 5–8 days.

Activate or deactivate split shipping in checkout

If you have more than one shipping profile or shipping location, then you can activate or deactivate split shipping in checkout.

You can adjust the setting from the Shipping and delivery section of your Shopify admin settings.

Steps:

Desktop
  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.

  2. In the Shipping section, select one of the following options below your shipping profile list:

  3. In the Split shipping in checkout modal, select Show split shipping in checkout to activate or deactivate split shipping in checkout.

  4. Click Save.

iPhone
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the button, and then tap Settings.
  2. In the Store settings section, tap Shipping and delivery .
  3. In the Shipping section, under Split shipping, select one of the following labels:
  4. In the Split shipping modal, select Show split shipping in checkout to activate or deactivate split shipping in checkout.
  5. Tap Save.
Android
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the button, and then tap Settings.
  2. In the Store settings section, tap Shipping and delivery .
  3. In the Shipping section, under Split shipping, select one of the following labels:
  4. In the Split shipping modal, select Show split shipping in checkout to activate or deactivate split shipping in checkout.
  5. Tap Save.
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