Magento 2 Cart Price Rules for Free Shipping: A Complete Guide

Magento 2 cart price rule for free shipping refers to a feature in the Magento 2 platform that offers free shipping to customers based on certain conditions or rules set for the total price of the cart.

Unlike traditional shopping where customers can come to the store and pick up items directly, online shopping requires them to pay the extra shipping fee, which can become a burden for them to make purchase decisions. Therefore, offering free shipping promotions like cart price rule free shipping can make them feel comfortable to purchase more - a great way to increase conversion rates and boost sales.

Table of contents

• Set up Free Shipping Promotion in Magento 2
  • Step 1: Activate Free Shipping
  • Step 2: Activate Free Shipping in the Carrier Configuration
  • Step 3: Set a Shopping Cart Price Rule
  • Step 4: Check the Rule
• Configure Magento 2 Cart Price Rules for Free Shipping Promotion
• Common Issues When Configuring Cart Price Rule for Free Shipping
  • Cannot set multiple conditions for coupon codes on the same order
  • The cart price rules will not work if not properly linked with shipping method
  • Cannot generate a large number of unique coupon codes automatically
  • Fix common issues by using these Magento 2 extensions by Mageplaza
• The bottom line

From Magento 2 Shopping Cart Rule settings, depending on conditions you set, the Free Shipping can be applied for any order when all conditions are met. Simultaneously, you are able to generate a coupon code that allows the customers to use coupons or not to apply for the Free Shipping Promotion.

Set up Free Shipping Promotion in Magento 2

Step 1: Activate Free Shipping

Please activate the Free Shipping and finish its settings in your store’s configuration.

• On the Admin Panel, Stores > Settings > Configuration.
• Under Sales, select Shipping Methods.
• Open the Free Shipping section, follow the guides:
  • Enable the Free Shipping by choosing Yes.
  • Add the Title.
  • Enter the Method Name to make clear about the shipping method. With Free Shipping, type the Free.
  • Offer the Minimum Order Amount for the shipping.
  • Enter an error message in the Displayed Error Message box that will appear if Free Shipping is not available.
  • Set Ship to Applicable Countries to one of two options:
    • All Allowed Countries : Free Shipping is supported for all countries.
    • Specific Countries: Free Shipping is only supported for selected countries.
  • Set Show Method if Not Applicable to Yes if you want to show Free Shipping all time.
  • Set the Sort Order on the Shipping Method on the checkout page.
• Save Config to finish.

Step 2: Activate Free Shipping in the Carrier Configuration

• From the Shipping Methods configuration, open the UPS section.
• Set Free Method to “Ground.”
• Enable the Free Shipping with Minimum Order Amount and set a minimum number of orders applying free shipping in the Minimum Order Amount for Free Shipping field.
• Save Config to finish.

Step 3: Set a Shopping Cart Price Rule

On the Admin Panel, Marketing > Promotions > Cart Price Rules.

Case 1: Apply Free Shipping for Any Order

• In the Rule Information tab:
  • Set Name for the new rule and leave some descriptions of that.
  • Assign to the Website and Customer Group
  • Set Status to Active which the rule is applied to.
  • Set Coupon to No Coupon if shipping promotion is offered without any coupons. If a coupon is required with the price rule, choose Specific Coupon
• In the Actions tab, open Pricing Structure Rules section:
  • Set Apply to Percent of product price discount
  • Set Apply to Shipping Amount to Yes
  • Set Free Shipping to For shipment with matching items

  

• In the Labels tab.
  • Under the Default Label section, insert the text in the Default Rule Label for All Store Views.
  • Under the Store View Specific Labels, set the label for each store view.
• Save Rule to finish.

Case 2: Apply Free Shipping for Orders Over $ Amount

• Repeat all the above steps.

• Set the Conditions to Subtotal by clicking on the Add icon.

  For example: Condition for Free Shipping is that Subtotal equals or greater than 200.

  

• In the Actions tab, open Pricing Structure Rules section:
  • Set Apply to Percent of product price discount
  • Set Apply to Shipping Amount to Yes
  • Set Free Shipping to For shipment with matching items
• In the Labels tab,
  • Under the Default Label section, insert the text in the Default Rule Label for All Store Views.
  • Under the Store View Specific Labels, set the label for each store view.
• Save Rule to finish.

Step 4: Check the Rule

As usual, it will take an hour to make the new rule available. In addition, you should test the rule in the right way to ensure that it is perfect.

Configure Magento 2 Cart Price Rules for Free Shipping Promotion

The initial setup only establishes the basic structure of the promotion, including defining elements such as setting the minimum order amount or creating a coupon code.

Therefore, after setting up the cart price rules, proceed to the next step: configuring Magento 2 cart price rules for free shipping promotion. This step allows you to make adjustments to the promotion’s conditions based on specific criteria, such as particular products, categories, customer groups, or regions. Additionally, you can exclude certain items or product categories from being eligible for the free shipping promotion.

Steps for configuring Magento 2 cart price rules for free shipping promotion:

1. From the Magento 2 Admin Panel, go to Marketing > Promotions > Cart Price Rules > Add New Rule.
2. Enter the information into the Rule Name and Description fields, then click on Active and select the website where you want the cart price rule for free shipping coupon to be available.

1. Select the targeted Customer Groups and the Coupon option with the Coupon Code.
2. In Actions, select Percent of Product Price Discount and enable Apply to Shipping Amount option.
3. Change Free Shipping condition to For shipment with matching items.
4. Enter the rule label, which means the text or description that will appear during the checkout process such as “Free Shipping Applied” or “Enjoy Free Shipping”, and then Save the configuration.

Understand the differences between the 2 conditions in Free Shipping:

If your free shipping cart rule is not working, it could be because you did not select the correct condition for your promotion. Here are explanations to help differentiate between the conditions in the Free Shipping section:

• For matching items only: This rule applies only to specific items in the cart that match the rule.
• For shipment with matching items: This rule applies to the entire cart when a coupon based on the rule is used.

Common Issues When Configuring Cart Price Rule for Free Shipping

Although the Magento 2 cart price rule for free shipping is a useful feature, the limitations in Magento 2’s native settings can cause many business owners to encounter several issues when creating free shipping promotions based on this feature. Below are some common problems:

Cannot set multiple conditions for coupon codes on the same order

Magento 2 does not natively support the application of multiple coupon codes to a single order.

For instance, you will not be able to set both a coupon code for free shipping and another coupon code for a percentage discount (e.g., 40% off) on the same order. Instead, you have to create individual coupon codes that meet the criteria set in the cart price rules.

The cart price rules will not work if not properly linked with shipping method

The “Free Shipping” feature in Magento works alongside the shipping methods defined in the backend. The store owner can customize and enable specific shipping methods, which will be presented to customers during checkout, along with the free shipping option if they meet the criteria specified in the cart price rule.

To ensure that the cart price rule for free shipping works effectively in Magento 2 and to avoid any potential issues, you should have a good understanding of how shipping methods are configured in Magento 2. You should also correctly configure the cart price rule for free shipping by setting the appropriate conditions (e.g., minimum order subtotal) and actions (i.e., selecting “Free Shipping”) to trigger the free shipping promotion when the customer’s cart meets the specified criteria.

Learn more: How to Configure Shipping Methods in Magento 2

Cannot generate a large number of unique coupon codes automatically

If you have ever set up and configured a cart price rule for free shipping in your Magento 2 store, you might have wondered how to generate a large number of coupon codes simultaneously to serve different target groups. Unfortunately, if you are using the native settings of Magento 2, it is not possible to do so.

While the native settings provide basic functionalities for creating cart price rules and setting conditions for promotions, they may not offer advanced options to streamline the process of generating a significant volume of unique coupon codes. As a result, businesses using the native settings need to manually create individual codes to meet their specific promotional requirements.

Fix common issues by using these Magento 2 extensions by Mageplaza

Setting up and configuring the Magento 2 cart price rule for free shipping is not difficult, but the challenge lies in understanding the relationship between the shipping method and the cart price rule for free shipping conditions, as well as the cart subtotal calculation in Magento 2. Additionally, Magento’s native settings related to this feature have limitations that can cause difficulties, leaving you unsure where to begin when troubleshooting issues.

To streamline the process of setting up the cart price rule for free shipping in your Magento 2 store, it is highly recommended to use third-party extensions. These extensions can simplify the configuration and provide more flexibility, helping you overcome the limitations of native settings and ensuring a smoother implementation of the free shipping promotion.

Magento 2 Free Shipping Bar

The default Magento 2 enables you to create a Free Shipping rule, but how about promoting that offer? Mageplaza can help you do that with ease via our Free Shipping Bar extension:

• Display the free delivery offer in the eye-catching bar on any page
• Show below-goal and achieve-goal messages to notify and encourage customers better
• Flexible design bars can be customized as you wish
• Set time to display the bar automatically
• Include links to other pages

Read actual case studies here

Special Promotions for Magento 2

The Special Promotions extension helps your Magento 2 store give more specific discounts based on order details, custom cart item actions, and diverse promotion types:

• Establish rules with added order specifications: total quantity, amount, paid amount, refunded amount, average amount; order status; creation date; orders within (days)
• Limit discounts to specific items in the cart, either the cheapest or most expensive item(s)
• Add 4 more discount types: fix final price after discounts, spend-based discounts, cart total discounts (e.g., $1 off per $30 spent), and “Buy X, Get Y” deals

The bottom line

We believe you do not want to miss any sales just because of hesitant customers, so consider offering free delivery now! It just takes you these easy steps to set up the cart price rules for free shipping promotion in Magento 2. To make it more attractive and engaging, try our Free Shipping Bar and Special Promotions extension, and you’ll love it.

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• Explore 7+ Best Magento 2 Free Shipping Bar Extension