In the world of Print-on-Demand, a smart shipping strategy is just as important as a great design. While offering Free Shipping or Promotions is a proven way to boost conversion rates, it requires careful setup to ensure your business remains profitable.

To help you stay successful, we’ve put together this essential guide on how shipping works at GearLaunch and how to set your promotions for maximum profit.
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1. Understanding the "Source of Truth" for Pricing

When planning your pricing and promotions, it is vital to know where to find the most accurate data.

• The Final Authority: Buyer’s Checkout Page — While our dashboard and pricing tables provide excellent guides for planning, the final shipping price is strictly determined at the buyer’s checkout page. Because rates depend on the specific timing of a purchase and the couriers available at that exact moment, the checkout page is the only place where the definitive fee is locked in.
  
  
• Reference Sources: Dashboard & Website — The Seller Dashboard and the public website pricing tables are your primary resources for baseline calculations. However, please note that these are for reference only. If there is a slight difference between these references and the checkout page, the checkout page fee is the one that applies to the order.
  
  
• Dynamic Updates: Shipping fees from carriers are not static; they are updated periodically based on global logistics and provider rates.

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2. New: Updated Pricing Table (Post-GearLaunch Review)

Following a comprehensive review, we have updated our shipping structure to help you calculate your margins more easily.

• Uniform Pricing (No Size Differences): To simplify your strategy and improve the customer experience, shipping rates are now consistent across all sizes within a product category.
  
  
  
• Simplified Planning: This update eliminates "size surcharges," allowing you to set your retail prices with more predictability and confidence.
  
  
  
• Check the New Pricing: These updated figures represent the new standard pricing after our latest review. Use this link as a guide for your strategy, but remember that final costs are calculated at checkout.
  
  

👉 [Check the New Pricing Table Here]

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3. Why Shipping Costs Vary

Shipping is rarely a "one-size-fits-all" cost. Several factors determine the final price calculated at checkout:

• Destination & Quantity: The specific mailing address and the number of items in the cart directly impact the total.
  
  
• Package Size (AOP Products): Dimensions matter as much as weight. All-Over Print (AOP) items—such as Handbags, Backpacks, Luggage Covers, or Bedding—have larger dimensions and require specialized packaging, which often leads to higher shipping fees compared to standard items like T-shirts.
  
  
• Courier Availability: Rates can fluctuate based on which carriers are available to deliver to a destination at the time of purchase.
  
  

4. The "Free Shipping" Trap: Cumulative Costs

GearLaunch gives you the flexibility to create custom discount codes and shipping rules. However, you must account for how costs "stack up."

• The Reality: Shipping fees are usually cumulative (a base fee for the first item plus additional fees for each subsequent item).
  
  
• The Seller’s Responsibility: When a buyer hits your Free Shipping threshold, you (the Seller) cover the total combined shipping cost for the entire order. This amount is deducted directly from your profit..
  
  
• Example: If a customer buys two AOP Handbags, the total shipping might reach $80+. If your Free Shipping threshold is set too low (e.g., $100), the combined profit from those two bags may not be enough to cover that $80 shipping bill. This is where "hidden" losses occur.

5. Best Practices for a Profitable Store

To keep your business healthy, we recommend following this "Checklist for Success":

• Set Strategic Thresholds: Avoid "minimum" values that are too close to your product cost. Your threshold should be high enough so that the total profit from multiple items can easily absorb the total shipping cost. For high-shipping items like AOP, consider much higher thresholds or limiting promotions to specific product categories.
  
  
  
• Differentiate AOP Rules: Since AOP products have different shipping profiles, consider setting higher free shipping thresholds for these items specifically, or ensure your retail price accounts for the shipping variability.
  
  
  
• The "Checkout Test": The most accurate way to see what a buyer will pay is to add a mix of items to your cart, proceed to checkout, and enter a test mailing address. This is the only way to see the actual, final shipping charge for that specific order.
  
  
  
• Master the Promotion Tool: Learn how to set up and manage your codes correctly by following our official guide: How to Create a Promotion Code.
  
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Final Thought: A successful store is a profitable store. By understanding your dashboard rates and setting strategic shipping thresholds that account for cumulative costs, you protect your hard-earned revenue while still providing a great experience for your customers.