Setting up Shipping profiles for your bundle products in Simple Bundles 2.0
Getting accurate shipping rates for your bundles is essential for a smooth customer experience. This guide walks through how to set up shipping profiles correctly, offer free shipping on bundles, sync bundle weights, and troubleshoot common shipping issues.
What's covered
- How shipping works in Simple Bundles 2.0
- Set up shipping profiles for your bundles
- Shipping profiles explained
- How to offer free shipping only when products are bought as a bundle
- How Simple Bundles calculates and syncs bundle weights from component products
- Fixing common bundle shipping problems: incorrect rates, missing products, and weight mismatches
- FAQs: Shipping profiles, bundle weights, and rate calculations
How shipping works in Simple Bundles 2.0
With Cart Transform on, shipping is calculated from the child items (the individual products inside the bundle), not the parent bundle. This differs from version 1.0, where shipping was based on the parent bundle.
Want free shipping only when customers buy a bundle? Putting the bundle in a free shipping profile won't work with the default setup. See Can I offer free shipping only when products are bought as a bundle? below.
Set up shipping profiles for your bundles
- In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
- Select your shipping profile.
- Click Manage products.
- Add the parent bundle and all child items to the same profile.
Example: If you're selling a bundle of 12 pairs of socks, your shipping profile should include all 12 individual sock products (the child items). This ensures shipping rates are calculated accurately based on what's actually in the bundle.
| Products | Where they go |
|---|---|
| Parent bundle product | Custom shipping profile (or the General Profile) |
| Child items (components) | The same profile as the parent bundle |
Shipping profiles explained
- General Profile: Shopify's default shipping profile. It applies to every product unless the product is assigned somewhere else.
- Custom shipping profiles: Let you set separate rates, handling or origins for specific products.
Important: A product can only belong to one shipping profile at a time. Adding a product to a custom profile removes it from the General Profile, which changes the rates customers see when they buy that product on its own.
Can I offer free shipping only when products are bought as a bundle?
Yes, but not with the default setup. With Cart Transform on, Shopify only sees the child items at checkout, so the parent bundle's shipping profile is ignored. And because a product can sit in only one shipping profile, you can't put the same components in both a free profile and your normal profile.
The option that works is the Order Editing method.
- In Shopify, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery and move only the bundle product into a free shipping profile.
- Leave the component products in your General Profile.
- In Simple Bundles, go to Settings > Advanced Settings > Cart Transform and order editing fallbacks.
- Turn off cart transform, and enable Order Editing as your fallback method.
- Place a test order and check the shipping rate at checkout.
What to expect with the Order Editing method
- The bundle carries the full price at checkout.
- The child items are added to the order at 0 (for example, $0 or ¥0) shortly after checkout, so there's a short delay before they appear on the order.
- Your fulfillment tools only see the components once they've been added.
What happens with mixed carts
Shopify charges each shipping profile separately. If a customer buys your bundle together with an unrelated item, the bundle ships free and the other item pays its normal rate.
Other options
- Duplicate components in a free shipping profile. Create "bundle only" copies of your component products and put the copies in a free profile. This works, but you have to keep the copies' inventory in sync by hand.
- Shipping discount apps. Some apps can see the bundle line and discount shipping, but they usually make the whole shipment free. We haven't tested one with Simple Bundles so please test it before publishing live.
How Simple Bundles calculates and syncs bundle weights from component products
Simple Bundles has a weight sync feature that automatically keeps your bundle product's weight in sync with the combined weight of all child items. This ensures accurate shipping calculations when using carrier-calculated rates. How to Sync Bundle Weights for Accurate Shipping Rates
Common issues and solutions
- Bundle weight doesn't match its components: Turn on the weight sync feature so the bundle weight matches the combined weight of the child items.
- Wrong shipping profile: Check that the bundle and its child items are in the correct profile in Shopify.
- Carrier calculated rates look wrong: Carrier rates use both weight and dimensions. Make sure the bundle product has the correct weight and its length, width, and height.
- Items missing from the General Profile: Assigning a product to a custom profile removes it from the General Profile, which affects rates when it's bought on its own.
- Free shipping isn't applying to my bundle: If your bundle is in a free shipping profile but customers still pay for shipping, Cart Transform is on, and Shopify is charging for the child items. See the free shipping section above.
FAQs: Shipping profiles, bundle weights, and rate calculations
Why is my bundle's shipping cost different from the individual items?
In 2.0, shipping is based on the child items, not the parent bundle. Check that the child items are in the right profile and that the bundle weight is synced with the component weights.
Should I add both the parent bundle and the child items to a shipping profile?
Yes, if you want the same shipping rates for bundles and their components. Add the parent bundle and all child items to the same profile. If you want free shipping only on the bundle, see the free shipping section above.
Does adding child items to a custom profile affect the General Profile?
Yes. Custom profile assignments remove the items from the General Profile, so individual purchases of those items won't use General Profile rates.
What should I check if carrier calculated rates are off?
Check that the bundle product has the correct weight, matching its combined child items, and the correct dimensions. Carriers use both.
Can I give free shipping on one specific bundle only?
Yes, with the Order Editing method. See Can I offer free shipping only when products are bought as a bundle? above.
Does free shipping work if the cart has other products in it?
Shopify charges each shipping profile separately, so the bundle ships free and the other products pay their normal rate.
Need help?
For help with shipping profile setup in Simple Bundles 2.0, contact our support team.