MSMarginShip
Product documentation

How MarginShip decides when shipping can be free

MarginShip is a Shopify app that automatically discounts only the cheapest eligible delivery option when the complete promotional benefit remains inside the merchant's configured safety limits.

DecisionLimitsCheckoutImpact reportPlansFAQ

Plain-language summary

The merchant configures one automatic rule. An order can qualify through an optional minimum order value or because the cheapest delivery cost is at or below the configured percentage of the eligible subtotal. Qualification alone is not enough: existing product and order discounts plus the free-shipping benefit must still fit inside the configured total promotional-benefit cap.

The total promotional-benefit cap is configurable from 0% to 15%. The 15% value is a hard safety maximum in the current product, not an unlimited merchant setting.

Exact decision sequence

  1. Exclude selected items. Products or collections explicitly excluded by the merchant do not contribute to the eligible subtotal.
  2. Calculate the eligible subtotal. MarginShip uses Shopify's cart data and discounts reflected in the Function input.
  3. Find the cheapest option. For every delivery group, the app evaluates the lowest-priced option available at checkout.
  4. Check qualification. The order passes if it reaches the optional guaranteed threshold or the cheapest shipping is within the configured shipping-cost percentage.
  5. Apply the combined safety lock. Existing discounts plus the shipping benefit must remain within the configured promotional cap.
  6. Fail safely. When eligibility cannot be proven, normal shipping remains charged.

Merchant-configurable controls

ControlBehavior
Guaranteed order valueOptional. An eligible subtotal at or above this value passes the order-value qualification.
Maximum shipping percentageThe cheapest shipping can qualify when its cost is within this percentage of the eligible subtotal.
Total promotional-benefit capConfigurable from 0% to 15%. Includes existing product/order discounts plus free shipping.
Product and collection exclusionsSelected catalog items stop contributing to free-shipping eligibility.
Buyer messagesEnglish, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish defaults; merchants can customize the visible copy.

Why checkout is authoritative

The Shopify Discount Function receives the final delivery groups, rates and discounts available in checkout. The cart message is explanatory and never creates the discount. Carrier apps can expose options only at checkout, so the Growth simulator is a Storefront API preview and clearly warns when checkout may contain additional rates. A merchant can use the checkout-quote checker when a checkout-only carrier rate is absent from the preview.

Impact report

The report is available on every plan after the merchant optionally grants read-only order access. Essential includes 7- and 30-day views; Growth and Scale also include 60 days. MarginShip identifies completed, non-cancelled orders that contain its exact automatic shipping discount and reports associated order value, the actual shipping benefit, order share, averages, and recent activity.

The report is descriptive, not causal: it never claims MarginShip alone generated a sale or conversion. It reads no customer names, emails, phone numbers, or addresses, and report data is calculated live without being stored in the MarginShip database. Declining the optional permission does not affect the automatic checkout rule.

What MarginShip does not do

  • It does not ask the merchant to enter product cost or product margin.
  • It does not create shipping zones, carrier services or regional rate tables.
  • It does not replace an installed carrier or shipping-rate app.
  • It does not promise free shipping from the cart message before checkout confirmation.
  • It does not make premium delivery options free; only the cheapest eligible option in each delivery group can be discounted.

Plans

Essential — US$4.90/monthComplete automatic rule, exclusions and customizable buyer experience.
Growth — US$9.90/monthEverything in Essential plus the Shopify rate preview and checkout-quote checker.
Scale — US$14.90/monthEverything in Growth plus an auditable technical decision trace.

Annual billing saves 20%: US$47.04, US$95.04 and US$143.04. Every plan includes a 15-day free trial. Billing is handled by Shopify in USD.

Frequently asked questions

Can I configure the promotional cap?

Yes. It can be configured from 0% to 15%. Values such as 10%, 12% and 15% are accepted; 20% is rejected because 15% is the current hard safety maximum.

Does MarginShip calculate my accounting margin?

No. MarginShip protects a promotional budget defined as a percentage of the eligible order. It does not read product costs or calculate gross profit.

Does it create rules by region?

No. Shopify and the merchant's carrier configuration determine the rates and destinations. MarginShip evaluates the options Shopify makes available at checkout.

What happens when Shopify returns insufficient evidence?

MarginShip fails safely: it does not presume eligibility, and normal shipping remains charged.

Support and official resources

Install through the official Shopify App Store listing. For help, read the support page or email support@marginship.com. Never send passwords, payment data, API secrets or access tokens.