We determine the best shipping carrier using a combination of predefined rules and automated rate shopping within our fulfillment system.

1. Predefined Rules

If you have specific preferences, we can configure custom carrier rules based on preset if/then logic — for example, “If the order is over 1 lb, use UPS Ground,” or “If the customer selects ‘Expedited,’ use FedEx 2-Day.”

We can also map your Shopify shipping methods directly to the carrier services you offer at checkout, ensuring your customers receive the exact options you’ve advertised.

2. Rate Shopping (Our Default Rule)

When no specific rule is in place, ShipHero automatically rate shops all available carriers in real time and selects the most economical shipping method for that order.

3. Rate shopping within certain shipping options (like all 2-day methods)

We can configure ShipHero to rate shop within a defined set of service levels — for example, comparing all available 2-day shipping methods and automatically selecting the most economical option among them.

This allows us to honor your promised delivery speed while still choosing the lowest-cost carrier that meets that service level.