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How to Change Shipping Weights in Shopify (& Select Shipping Weight for Return Labels).
How to Change Shipping Weights in Shopify (& Select Shipping Weight for Return Labels).

Learn how to add weights to your Shopify product catalog and how to assign shipping weights for return labels.

Kaylie avatar
Written by Kaylie
Updated over a year ago

Overview:

Carriers require a package shipping weight in order to create a shipping label. The recommended way of setting your product weights is by using the Product Catalog Weight method and adding weights to your products in Shopify.
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Shipping Weight Methods in ReturnLogic:

There are two methods you can use to assign shipping weights for your return labels.

Navigate to Settings > Returns- Originate > Shipping

Method 1: Average Flat Weight. Utilizes an average flat weight where a reasonable average for all products is used to generate the shipping weight. Method 1 can be used if all of your products have minuscule differences in weight.

Method 2: Product Catalog Weight. **Recommended Method** Utilizes the product catalog to retrieve each products weight. Any product that does not have an associated weight in the product catalog will fall back to the average flat weight. Method 2 is recommended for merchants who have a large variance in product weight, and is the best for getting the most accurate shipping label costs for your business. In order to use this method, ensure your products have assigned weights inside of Shopify.

To learn more about how shipping weight affects prices, check out ReturnLogic's shipping label service chart.


How Do I Add My Product Weights to Shopify?

To generate return shipping labels with the most accurate postage in ReturnLogic, it is recommended to use the Product Catalog Weight method and have your product weights entered in Shopify. There are two ways you can go about updating your product weights if they aren’t already documented.

Updating Product Weights in Shopify:

Updating your product weights in Shopify can be done in two ways:

  1. Change the weights for each product inside of your Shopify console. This can be done in the "Shipping" section of your products.

  2. Do a CSV export of all your products, update the weights in this CSV, and upload the updated weights to Shopify. More on importing products with a CSV file here.

*Note* In the case you are changing from Average Flat Weight to Product Weight:

First, make sure your shoppers are still able to request returns and receive labels with a sufficient postage while you’re updating your Shopify weights by changing your product weights to “Average Weight” in ReturnLogic:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Returns- Originate > Shipping.

  2. Scroll down to "Product Weights".

  3. Select "Average Flat Weight" and enter an average weight that ensures even your heaviest product will receive sufficient postage by the generated label.

Want a better understanding of how Shopify handles shipping? Take a look at Shopify's article on understanding shipping, packing, and weights.

We're here to help! Email us at support@returnlogic.com or use the live chat inside the platform with any questions or feedback.

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