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Shipping Methods in Orders

How Saleor Selects Shipping Methods​

When a customer reaches the shipping step in checkout, or when you edit an order (draft or unconfirmed), Saleor builds the list of available shipping methods. It applies built-in rules, optionally applies app-driven logic via webhooks.

Built-in Shipping Methods​

  1. Channel and zone prerequisites

    • The checkout/order channel must have at least one shipping zone assigned.
    • The shipping address country must be assigned inside at least one of those shipping zones.
    • See: Shipping Zones.

  2. Shipping methods channel availability

    • Shipping methods are channel-specific. A method must be listed for the same channel.
    • See: Shipping Methods.

  3. Method conditions

    • Product exclusions: methods that exclude any product present in the checkout/order are removed.
    • Price-based methods: kept only if the channel subtotal is within the method’s min/max order price.
    • Weight-based methods: kept only if the total weight is within the method’s min/max order weight.
    • Postal code rules: include/exclude rules are checked against the shipping address postal code.

External Shipping Methods for Checkout’s​

Apps can provide additional methods in real time:

  1. Subscribe the app to SHIPPING_LIST_METHODS_FOR_CHECKOUT.
  2. Saleor sends checkout context (addresses, lines, channel, currency).
  3. The app returns methods with prices; Saleor merges them with built-in methods.
  • The returned currency must match the checkout currency.
  • Details and payload/response examples: Shipping webhooks.

Filtering Shipping Methods​

After collecting candidates, Saleor can call filtering webhooks so apps can disable methods per business rules:

  • CHECKOUT_FILTER_SHIPPING_METHODS: when listing methods for a checkout.
  • ORDER_FILTER_SHIPPING_METHODS: when listing methods for an editable order (draft or unconfirmed).

An app may:

  • Mark a method as inactive (active = false).
  • Provide a message explaining why a method is unavailable.

See examples and guidance: Filter shipping methods.

See also​

Example: Multiple Zones Matching One Address​

If a country is assigned to more than one shipping zone, Saleor will aggregate all applicable shipping methods from all matching zones.

Zones:

  • Zone Benelux: Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg → Methods: Standard, Express
  • Zone All EU (including BE, NL, LU): → Methods: Economy, Courier

Checkout: Address in Netherlands, subtotal €40

Result: All four methods (Standard, Express, Economy, Courier) are returned.

info
  • Saleor does not stop at the first zone → all matching zones contribute methods.
  • Methods are then filtered by channel, currency, product exclusions, price/weight, and postal code rules.
  • Final list is sorted by price, regardless of zone.