Set Up Free Shipping Over $75 in Your Shopify Store

"Free shipping over $75" sounds simple to set up in Shopify. Just create a shipping rule and you're done, right?

Well, last month I helped a store who tried exactly that. They set up free shipping over $75, and within a month they were losing money on every large item order. The problem? Shopify's basic settings don't let you exclude specific products from your free shipping threshold.

Before you set up any free shipping rules, use our free shipping calculator to find your ideal threshold. Don't just copy what other stores are doing - your products and margins are different.

Let me share what actually works. Last month, I helped a furniture store in California who was losing money on shipping. They were offering free shipping over $75 on everything from small decor to large sofas. We changed their setup so small decor ships free over $75, medium items over $150, and large furniture over $500. Outside California, they use custom rates. Their shipping costs dropped 40% in the first month.

Here's another real example: A clothing store came to me because their heavy winter coats were killing their margins. They were offering free shipping on everything over $75. We set up their shipping so only regular-weight items count towards the free shipping threshold. Now when someone adds an $80 coat to their cart, they still need to add more regular items to get free shipping.

Location matters too. One of our most successful merchants runs a store in New York. They offer free shipping over $50 for local customers (within 50 miles), $75 state-wide, and $100 nationwide. For international orders, they don't offer free shipping at all. This tiered approach has helped them compete with big retailers locally while staying profitable on distant orders.

Want to get more creative? Another store I work with adjusts their free shipping threshold throughout the year. They keep it at $100 normally, drop it to $75 for Black Friday, and lower it to $50 in January when sales are slow.

One tip that's working really well: don't let clearance items count towards your free shipping threshold. They're already discounted, and including them in free shipping calculations can really eat into your margins.

Ready to set up smart free shipping rules? Install Better Shipping and email me - we'll help you figure out the best setup for your store.

PS: Once you've set up your rules, add a free shipping progress bar to your store. It's the easiest way to get customers to spend more.