How to Use Shipping Rules in Eniture (WooCommerce)

Start Here First (This Will Save You Time)

Before using Shipping Rules, ask one simple question:

👉 “Is this a pricing issue or a display issue?”

• Pricing issue? → Start with Quote Settings
• Display or behavior issue? → Use Shipping Rules

Most setups should begin in Quote Settings.
Shipping Rules are used to shape the final checkout experience.

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What Shipping Rules Actually Do

Shipping Rules control the final result shown to the customer at checkout.

They allow you to:

• Hide or show shipping options
• Override rates with flat pricing
• Apply free shipping to certain items
• Set minimum charges
• Restrict availability by location

They do not control how carriers calculate rates.
They adjust the outcome after rates are returned.

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How It All Fits Together

Shipping works in layers. Understanding this makes everything easier to troubleshoot.

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1. Shipping Zones (Where Methods Are Available)

Shipping Zones determine where a method is available at all.

If the Eniture method is not enabled in a zone:

• no rates will return
• Shipping Rules will not run

Zones are used for:

• geographic coverage
• enabling/disabling methods by region
• fallback options like local pickup

Simple takeaway:
If the method isn’t in the zone, nothing else matters.

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2. Quote Settings (How Rates Are Built)

This is the primary control layer.

Quote Settings control:

• carriers and services
• markups and handling fees
• parcel vs LTL behavior
• weight thresholds
• exclusions

This is where most pricing logic should live.

Simple takeaway:
Quote Settings determine what rates get returned.

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3. Product Settings (What Is Being Shipped)

Products define the shipment itself.

This includes:

• weight and dimensions
• shipping class
• freight class
• product tags (used by rules)

If product data is incorrect, the rates will be incorrect.

Simple takeaway:
Products shape the shipment details sent to the carrier.

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4. Carrier/API (Returns the Rate)

The carrier receives the shipment details and returns rates.

This is the raw pricing before any rules apply.

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5. Shipping Rules (Final Checkout Control)

Shipping Rules adjust the final experience.

They can:

• remove items from rating
• hide or show methods
• override pricing
• restrict availability

Simple takeaway:
Shipping Rules control what the customer sees.

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3 Real-World Use Cases (Where Shipping Rules Shine)

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Use Case 1: Free Shipping for Add-On Items

Goal:
When smaller add-on items are purchased with larger products, the add-ons should not increase shipping.

Best Approach: Shipping Rules

Rule Type: Free Shipping
Apply To: Product
Filter: Product Tag = “accessory”

Result:

• Add-on items are removed from the shipping calculation
• The main product determines the shipping cost

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Use Case 2: Force a Flat Rate for Certain Products

Goal:
Some products should always ship for a fixed price, regardless of carrier rates.

Common situations:

• predictable shipping cost items
• promotional flat-rate offers
• bulky items with consistent pricing

Why Quote Settings Alone Won’t Work:
Quote Settings apply globally and cannot target a specific subset of products.

Best Approach: Shipping Rules

Rule Type: Override Rates
Apply To: Shipment

Filters:

• Product Tag = “flat-rate-item”

Rule Setup:

• Set the rate to your desired flat price

Result:

• Carrier returns a rate
• Rule replaces it with your flat rate

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Use Case 3: Show or Hide Shipping Methods Based on Conditions

Goal:
Control when certain shipping options appear.

Common situations:

• hide freight for lighter carts
• show only specific methods for certain products
• limit methods based on cart contents

Best Approach: Shipping Rules

Rule Type: Hide Methods
Apply To: Cart or Shipment

Filters may include:

• product tag
• weight
• price
• (future) location filters

Result:

• Only the desired methods are shown to the customer

Important Note:
This is a valid and common use of Shipping Rules.
It is especially useful when Quote Settings cannot target a specific scenario or subset of products.

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What NOT to Use Shipping Rules For

Avoid using rules for these situations:

❌ Fixing incorrect rates

Instead, check:

• product weights and dimensions
• freight class
• markups

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❌ Replacing core rating logic

If the issue is how rates are calculated, use Quote Settings.

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Best Practices (Keep It Simple)

1. Start with Shipping Zones

Make sure:

• the Eniture method is available where needed

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2. Configure Quote Settings Next

Set:

• carriers
• services
• thresholds
• pricing logic

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3. Clean Up Product Data

Ensure:

• weights and dimensions are accurate
• tags and classes are consistent

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4. Use Shipping Rules for Exceptions

Use rules when:

• you need to control visibility
• you need product-specific behavior
• you need exceptions to standard logic

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5. Test Real Cart Scenarios

Always test:

• single product
• mixed cart
• higher quantities

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Quick Reference: Rule Types

Rule Type	What It Does
Free Shipping	Removes items from the rate calculation
Hide Methods	Controls which options appear
Override Rates	Replaces carrier rates
Minimum Charge	Sets a minimum shipping price
Restrict To State	Limits shipping by location

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Final Thought

The most reliable setups follow this order:

👉 Shipping Zones → Quote Settings → Product Settings → Shipping Rules

If you follow that order:

• rates stay accurate
• checkout stays predictable
• rules stay simple