Shopify Multi Location Behavior with ShipperHQ
How ShipperHQ works with Shopify Multi-Location
Overview
This guide explains how Shopify’s Multi Location setup affects rate requests sent to ShipperHQ and why the final rate may display as Shipping in Shopify. It also covers how Shopify merges rates and how to ensure ShipperHQ configurations work as intended.
How Shopify Multi Location Works
Shopify allows merchants to assign products to different Locations for fulfillment. When an order contains products from multiple Locations, Shopify automatically splits the order into separate fulfillment groups.
For each fulfillment group, Shopify sends an individual rate request to ShipperHQ. This means that one checkout session may generate multiple rate requests for the same cart, each containing only the subset of items assigned to that specific Location.
Shopify documentation on this process:
Combined Shipping Rates
https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/fulfillment/setup/shipping-profiles/combined-shipping-rates
Why the Rate May Display as “Shipping”
Because Shopify sends a separate rate request to ShipperHQ for each fulfillment group, ShipperHQ processes each request independently. When ShipperHQ returns rates, Shopify then merges those responses into a single combined rate. During this merge, Shopify may apply its own naming logic.
In many cases, if Shopify receives more than one rate response and needs to combine them, the final merged rate is returned as Shipping, even if ShipperHQ labeled the rates with specific method names.
What ShipperHQ Returns
ShipperHQ always responds to each request independently, based solely on the items included in that particular request. Key behaviors include:
• Each Location produces a standalone rate response
• Order value and weight are calculated per request, not for the full order
• Discounts, surcharges, or Free Shipping thresholds may apply in only one request
• Shopify may merge multiple responses into a single combined rate
Once ShipperHQ responds, Shopify, not ShipperHQ, performs the merge and determines the final rate name.
How Shopify Merges Rates
According to Shopify’s combined rate logic:
• Shopify receives multiple rate responses
• Shopify adds the prices together
• Shopify determines a single final label (often Shipping)
• Shopify removes methods that do not appear in all responses
This means that if one fulfillment group qualifies for Free Shipping and another does not, Shopify will not display Free Shipping. It also means that ShipperHQ method names may be replaced with Shopify’s default Shipping label.
Recommended Setup
Standard Shopify
To ensure ShipperHQ rules and configurations apply consistently on Standard Shopify, we recommend:
• Keeping all products in a single Location• Avoiding split fulfillments when using ShipperHQ rate logic
• Ensuring all items fall within the same Shipping Profile
This prevents Shopify from splitting the order and issuing multiple rate requests.
Shopify Plus
On Shopify Plus, ShipperHQ offers expanded capabilities that allow Free Shipping and other rules to apply even when items originate from different Locations.
If you are using Shopify Plus and need multi-location behavior, ShipperHQ can support this with the appropriate configuration.
For a reference on how ShipperHQ handles multi-origin behavior, discounts, and rate adjustments, see:
Shopify Multi Origin Discount/Surcharge Rates
https://docs.shipperhq.com/shopify-multi-origin-discount-surcharge-rates
This guide outlines how ShipperHQ handles multi-origin shipments and applies discounts or surcharges, and it complements the understanding of how Shopify itself merges rate requests before displaying the final rate to customers.