No. 1 Guide Shopify Shipping in South Africa (2024)

In this guide, we will explore the various aspects of Shopify shipping in South Africa, including Shopify’s shipping services, calculating shipping costs, and international shipping.

Shopify Shipping offers a range of features to streamline the shipping process, making it easier for businesses to fulfill orders and solve common shipping problems.

Shopify’s Shipping Services

Shopify Shipping simplifies the fulfillment process by allowing merchants to buy shipping labels directly in Shopify, print multiple labels at a time, and access features like overnight delivery, package pick-ups, and shipping insurance.

This service works with specific carriers in different countries, and in South Africa, it can be particularly beneficial for streamlining the shipping process and reducing costs.

How to set up shipping profiles for South Africa on Shopify

Before you do anything, you need to have your Shopify shipping set up in order.

To set up shipping profiles for South Africa on Shopify, you can follow these steps:

General Shipping Profile:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
In the General shipping rates section, click the shipping profile.
In the Shipping origins section, make any changes to your locations.
For each shipping zone that you want in your shipping profile, create a zone, name it, select the countries or regions, and add the shipping rates.
Click Save.

Custom Shipping Profile:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
In the Custom shipping rates section, click Create new profile.
Enter a name for the profile and add products to the shipping profile.
Make any changes to your locations in the Shipping origins section.
For each shipping zone that you want in your shipping profile, create a zone, name it, select the countries or regions, and add the shipping rates.
Click Save.

Shipping Zones:

A shipping zone is a group of countries or regions that have the same shipping rates.
To add a shipping zone, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery, click the shipping profile, and then create a zone, name it, select the countries or regions, and add the shipping rates.

International Shipping:

Shopify Shipping and Shopify Fulfillment Network provide the resources to ship internationally. If your business is in the US, Canada, or Australia, you can use Shopify Shipping to ship internationally.

You can effectively set up shipping profiles for South Africa on Shopify, allowing you to manage shipping rates and rules for specific products and locations.

Calculating Shopify Shipping Costs in South Africa

When setting up a Shopify store in South Africa, it’s essential to calculate shipping costs accurately.

Shopify Shipping provides a shipping calculator to figure out shipping costs and create a strategy that increases sales.

Some of the factors we talked about include:

Product details:

Weight: This is the biggest factor influencing shipping costs.
Dimensions: Larger boxes often cost more to ship.
Fragility: Special handling for delicate items can increase costs.

Location:

Origin: Where your products are shipped from (city, province).
Destination: Where the customer is located (city, province, country).

Shipping Method:

Carrier: Different carriers (e.g., DHL, Aramex, South African Post Office) have varying rates.
Delivery speed: Faster options like express shipping are more expensive.

Other factors:

Packaging: Using the right size box and appropriate materials can optimize cost.
Discounts: Shopify Shipping often offers discounts based on your shipment volume.
Free shipping offers: You may choose to absorb some costs and offer free shipping above a certain order value.

Additional Tips:

Use Shopify Shipping: It offers negotiated rates with major carriers and can save you up to 67% compared to retail rates.
Compare rates from different carriers: Don’t rely solely on Shopify Shipping, get quotes from other providers for comparison.
Offer flat-rate shipping for specific regions or order values: This simplifies costs for both you and the customer.
Optimize your packaging: Use the right size boxes and minimize empty space to reduce weight and shipping costs.
Consider local pickup or delivery: This can be a cost-effective option for customers in your area.

Local Shopify Couriers in South Africa

Due to the unavailability of Shopify Markets and Shopify Payments in South Africa, local businesses can use third-party courier services that ship parcels internationally and can integrate with Shopify.

One such example is Fastway Couriers, which offers an app to manage and fulfil orders within South Africa.

At the same time, you can explore other local courier services such as ShippingHub, myEU.africa, and Aerospeed Couriers to handle local and international shipping needs.

Delivery fees for local couriers in South Africa

The delivery fees for local couriers in South Africa are determined based on various factors such as weight, volume, and distance.

Most couriers in South Africa charge based on volumetric or actual weight, whichever is greater.

The exact fee per kilogram varies from one courier service to another and depends on several factors including distance.

For example, standard rates for some courier companies start at R75 for parcels up to 5kg and 2-4 business days for national delivery.

Additionally, courier prices can vary depending on the service, distance, and weight, with prices starting from R127.00 ex VAT for small parcels anywhere in South Africa.

International Shopify Shipping in South Africa

For South African businesses looking to expand internationally, Shopify offers resources for shipping internationally.

Shopify Shipping and Shopify Fulfillment Network provide the necessary resources to ship internationally, and merchants in the US, Canada, or Australia can use Shopify Shipping for international shipping.

Fortunately, you can also use third-party courier services to handle international shipping.

Some of the couriers that ship parcels internationally and can integrate with Shopify include Fastway Couriers, which offers an app to manage and fulfill orders within South Africa.

Others include Parcel Monkey, FedEx, USPS, UPS, DHL, and The Courier Guy.

These courier services offer different shipping rates, transit times, and carrier services.

Packaging and Labeling

To ensure a smooth shipping process, it’s important to focus on packaging design, package orders carefully, and print shipping labels accurately.

Shopify’s shipping services guide packaging design and offer the option to print shipping labels directly from the Shopify dashboard.

Local Delivery and Pickup

In the South African market context, local delivery and pickup options are becoming increasingly important.

Shopify’s shipping services can be tailored to accommodate local delivery and pickup, particularly relevant in the current business landscape shaped by social distancing measures.

Shipping Products from your South African Shopify Store:

So you’ve received an order?

Here’s a breakdown of the steps involved to ship your products to customers:

1. Order Processing:

Receive: Once a customer places an order, it will appear in your Shopify admin panel.
Verify: Check the order details like shipping address, product availability, and payment confirmation.
Pick & Pack: Gather and securely pack the ordered items in appropriate packaging.

2. Labeling & Shipping:

Choose a Carrier: Decide on a shipping carrier based on cost, speed, and service. Popular options include:
- South African Post Office (SAPO)
- DHL Express
- Aramex
- Fastway Couriers
- Courier Guy
Purchase Shipping Label: Use your chosen carrier’s online platform or your Shopify Shipping app to purchase a shipping label. Enter the customer’s address and product details accurately.
Customs Declaration: For international orders, complete a customs declaration form (provided by the carrier) stating the item description, value, and HS code.
Print & Attach Label: Securely attach the printed shipping label to your package.

3. Dropping Off & Tracking:

Drop Off: Take the package to your chosen carrier’s drop-off point or arrange a pickup (if available).
Track & Notify: Keep track of the shipment using the tracking number provided by the carrier. Update your customer with tracking information.

Additional Tips:

Offer Shipping Options: Provide various shipping options with different speeds and costs for customer flexibility.
Calculate Shipping Costs: Use accurate product weights and dimensions to offer fair shipping rates.
Consider Insurance: Opt for insurance for valuable or fragile items.
Packaging: Use sturdy packaging materials suitable for the product and shipping distance.
Returns Policy: Define a clear return policy and include return instructions with the shipment.
Shopify Resources: Utilize Shopify’s shipping resources, guides, and apps for streamlined fulfillment.

Remember: Always comply with South African export regulations and restrictions for the products you ship.

South African export regulations a Shopify store owner should know

To export goods from South Africa as a Shopify store owner, you need to be aware of the country’s export regulations. Here are the key points to consider:

Payment Regulations

South African regulations require that you get paid in South African Rand (ZAR), even if you quote/advertise in a foreign currency on your website.

When using Shopify, you can use payment gateway providers in South Africa that can facilitate international payments, such as PayFast.

Currency Conversion

Upon checkout, the customer’s basket will be converted to ZAR, and the shop will be paid in ZAR.

If you want to quote prices in multiple currencies but have the USD amount converted to ZAR at checkout, you may need custom coding or a plugin.

Shipping

To ship orders internationally, you need the services of a courier that can integrate with Shopify.

As South Africa does not have Shopify Payments or Shopify Markets, you may need to use a third-party app on your store to handle international orders.

Export Permits

Certain goods require an export permit to be exported from South Africa.

These permits ensure compliance with export control measures.

The export of some goods is prohibited or may be subject to inspection by customs.

Exporter Registration

As an exporter, you must register with the South African Revenue Service (SARS).

This applies to both local and foreign exporters.

Foreign exporters must nominate a registered agent in South Africa and may need to complete specific forms for registration.

You must be aware of the export permits and registration requirements for exporting goods from South Africa.

How to get export permit in South Africa

To get an export permit in South Africa, you need to ensure compliance with applicable export control measures.

The export of some goods is prohibited or may be subject to inspection by customs. Here are the steps to follow:

Determine if your goods require an export permit: Certain goods require an export permit to be exported from South Africa. These permits ensure compliance with export control measures. The export of some goods is prohibited or may be subject to inspection by customs.
Register as an exporter: Any person (local or foreign) who wishes to export goods from South Africa must register as an exporter, including for the exportation of continuous transmission commodities (CTC). Foreign exporters must nominate a registered agent in South Africa and may need to complete specific forms for registration.
Complete the required application forms: To register as an exporter, you need to complete the required application form and relevant annexure(s). The forms needed to be an approved exporter in TDCA & SACU-EFTA are DA 185 – Application form – Registration and licensing of Customs and Excise Clients, DA 185.4A2 – Registration Client Type 4A2 – Exporter (Located or not located in the Republic), and DA 49A 02 – Application for approved exporter status.
Submit the application forms: Application forms must be submitted to the nearest Customs and Excise office.
Obtain permits for restricted goods: Permits for restricted goods can be obtained from the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC).

In summary, to get an export permit in South Africa, you need to determine if your goods require an export permit, register as an exporter, complete the required application forms, submit the application forms, and obtain permits for restricted goods if necessary.

Here are some resources and strategies to estimate and optimize your Shopify shipping costs in South Africa:

Shopify Resources:

How To Calculate Shipping Costs for Your Store: https://www.shopify.com/blog/common-shipping-questions
6 Tips to Reduce Shipping Costs for Small Businesses: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/shipping/setting-up-and-managing-your-shipping/setting-up-shipping-rates
How To Ship Products To Customers: Online Shipping in 2024: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/shipping/understanding-shipping
Shipping Strategies: How To Offer Free, Flat Rate, and More: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/shipping/setting-up-and-managing-your-shipping/setting-up-shipping-rates
How To Prepare for Shipping Rate Changes: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/shipping/setting-up-and-managing-your-shipping/setting-up-shipping-rates

Conclusion

Shopify Shipping offers a comprehensive set of tools and services to facilitate the shipping process for businesses in South Africa.

South African merchants can now simplify their fulfillment operations, accurately calculate shipping costs, and expand their reach with international shipping, by leveraging Shopify’s shipping services.