> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://shipmagic-docs.speedysquirrelhq.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FAQs

> Answers to the questions merchants ask most often about ShipMagic

## Getting started

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is the difference between Shipping Rates and Shipping Customizations?">
    **Shipping Rates** create and show new rates from the app, letting you build pricing that isn't possible in Shopify natively — percentage-based rates, rules by product or customer, live carrier rates.

    **Shipping Customizations** work on the rates you already have in Shopify, conditionally hiding, renaming, or reordering them.

    In short: rates change **what customers pay**, customizations change **what customers see**.

    Full comparison in [Rates vs Customizations](/core-concepts/rates-vs-customizations).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need CCS for this app to work?">
    You need **Carrier Calculated Shipping** only if you want to create **shipping rates** in the app. This is the official Shopify mechanism through which all shipping rate apps, including ShipMagic, are permitted to show rates at checkout.

    If you only want to control the visibility or names of rates you already have in Shopify, you **do not need CCS** — [Shipping Customizations](/shipping-customizations/basic-shipping-customization) work on every Shopify plan.

    To check whether you have it, open the **Shipping Rates** page in the app. If CCS isn't enabled you'll see an error; no error means it's active. See the [Installation Guide](/installation-guide#2-ensure-ccs-is-enabled-on-your-store).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I need help setting up the app.">
    We offer **free setup** of the app for your store. Our founders will personally help you get to the right configuration.

    [Book a free onboarding call](https://cal.com/speedysquirrel/shipmagic-setup), or reach out on [live chat](https://tawk.to/chat/649858bd94cf5d49dc5fbec1/1h3phl9e5).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My requirements aren't covered by the app.">
    Get in touch on [live chat](https://tawk.to/chat/649858bd94cf5d49dc5fbec1/1h3phl9e5). We'll do our best to incorporate your use case into the app.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Setup and testing

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I need to sync my products?">
    Only if your **shipping rate** rules use one of these product attributes:

    * Product Tag
    * Product Type
    * Product Title
    * Product Barcode
    * Product Compare-at Price

    Shopify doesn't send these to the app at checkout, so ShipMagic reads them from its own synced copy. Sync from **Settings → Products → Sync Now**.

    Product syncing is **not** required for Shipping Customizations. See [Syncing Products](/core-concepts/syncing-products).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I test without affecting real customers?">
    Yes. Leave the app in **test mode** — the toggles on **Settings → App Modes** switched off — and enter `shipmagic` as the **first name** at checkout. ShipMagic rates then appear only for your session, while real customers continue to see your existing Shopify rates.

    Rates and customizations have **separate toggles**, so check both. See [Testing the App](/core-concepts/testing-the-app) and [Test mode vs live mode](/test-mode-vs-live-mode).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I changed a rule but still see the old rates. Why?">
    Shopify **caches shipping rates per address**. If you retest with an address you've already used, you'll see the previous quote regardless of what you changed.

    Use a genuinely new address each time — vary the street number and postcode, not just the flat number.

    If a fresh address still shows the old behaviour, work through [Made changes but still seeing old rates](/made-changes-in-the-rule-but-still-seeing-the-old-rates).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why are no shipping rates showing at checkout?">
    The usual causes, in rough order of likelihood: CCS isn't enabled; the app is in test mode and you didn't use the `shipmagic` first name; ShipMagic isn't a rate provider on that shipping profile (or, with market-driven shipping, isn't added in that market); the address isn't in any of your ShipMagic zones; or the rule's conditions don't match your test cart.

    Work through [Shipping Rates Not Showing On Checkout Page](/shipping-rates-not-showing-on-checkout-page), which covers all nine causes with a check and fix for each.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Billing

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Which plan do I need?">
    * **Starter** — Shipping Customizations only. Hide, rename, and reorder existing rates.
    * **Pro** — Shipping Rates, including rates by zipcode, product, and customer, plus live carrier rates. Customizations are included.
    * **Pro+** — custom-coded shipping logic for requirements the standard rule engine can't express.

    You only need a paid plan to run in **live mode**; testing is free. See [Billing](/core-concepts/billing).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I cancel my subscription?">
    Uninstall the app from your store and the subscription is cancelled automatically. Removal is clean, with no residual code left in your theme.

    Your rules and settings are preserved. If you reinstall later, you can reactivate a plan and continue with your saved setup.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Common shipping problems

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I avoid double shipping charges from multiple locations?">
    When an order is fulfilled from more than one location, Shopify can charge shipping for each — and Shopify itself offers no way to prevent it.

    We've developed a solution that works well for flat rate shipping. Reach out on [live chat](https://tawk.to/chat/649858bd94cf5d49dc5fbec1/1h3phl9e5) and we'll help you set it up.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does checkout show more shipping options than I expected?">
    Most often your original Shopify rates are still in place alongside ShipMagic's. Delete the manual rates you no longer want from **Settings → Shipping and Delivery**.

    Other causes include several rules matching one cart, overlapping ranged-rate bands, and live carriers returning many services at once. See [Multiple Shipping Rates Showing On Checkout Page](/multiple-shipping-rates-showing-on-checkout-page).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I show live rates from my own carrier account?">
    Yes. ShipMagic connects directly to USPS, FedEx, Australia Post, ShipStation, Shiprocket, Stallion Express, and Direct Freight Express using your own account, so rates reflect your negotiated pricing.

    Always set a **Default rate** on a carrier rate — if the carrier doesn't respond and no default is set, the customer sees no shipping option at all. Start with [the packing algorithm](/shipping-rates/types-of-rates/carrier-rates/3-d-boxing-algorithm), which determines what gets quoted.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Still have a question?

<Columns cols={3}>
  <Column>
    <Card title="Live Chat" icon="message" href="https://tawk.to/chat/649858bd94cf5d49dc5fbec1/1h3phl9e5" />
  </Column>

  <Column>
    <Card title="Email" icon="envelope" href="mailto:aditya@speedysquirrelhq.com" />
  </Column>

  <Column>
    <Card title="Book a call" icon="calendar-days" href="https://cal.com/speedysquirrel/shipmagic-setup" />
  </Column>
</Columns>


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