Shipping audit: Vermont Woods Studios

Document at least three zones in your shipping policy: domestic, expedited domestic, and international. List the carriers handling each zone, the estimated delivery window, and whether duties (DDP) are paid by you or the buyer. Shopify Markets makes the underlying setup easy; the policy page is the part shoppers actually read.

## Why it matters When a carrier can't verify actual weight at the label step, it bills the larger of (a) actual weight × rate, or (b) dimensional weight × rate. For light, bulky items (apparel, snacks, supplements) the dim-weight charge is often 25–40% higher than the true cost. ## How to fix it (Layer 2 — connected data required) This fix needs your store data connected so we can backfill weights at scale. 1. **Connect Shopify, WooCommerce, or your ERP** in ShipXray Settings. 2. We'll identify products missing weights and surface them in a worklist. 3. Bulk-import weights via CSV, or sync from your fulfillment software (ShipStation, ShipBob, etc.). 4. Re-rate a recent invoice through ShipXray's audit engine to confirm the savings. ## Quick win while you wait Even without a connection, you can: - Audit your last UPS or FedEx invoice for a "DIM" surcharge column - Pick the 20 highest-volume SKUs and weigh them on a kitchen scale - Update those 20 in your e-com platform — that alone often recovers 60% of the overcharge ## Expected savings $2–$5 per affected order. For a 1,000-orders/month brand with 50% dim-weight exposure, that's $1,000–$2,500/mo recovered.

List the carriers you use for each region in your shipping policy: USPS / DHL eCommerce for sub-$200 orders, FedEx International / UPS Worldwide for higher-value. Include estimated delivery windows by region.

Enable Shopify Markets (free on Shopify Plus, available on Standard) for native presentment currencies. International buyers see local currency, you still settle in USD. Reduces card-network FX fees by 1–3%.