Shippo allows you to set a default shipping option that is automatically selected when generating shipping rates. This helps streamline your workflow by preselecting the shipping option that best matches your preferred delivery speed or price.

Your default shipping option can be either:

• A rate category, such as Best, or Cheapest
• A specific carrier service, such as UPS Ground

Shippo will automatically apply your selected option whenever rates are generated for a shipment.

What Changed

Previously, Shippo allowed you to configure a Default Service Level, which automatically selected a specific carrier service when creating labels.

This setting has been updated to Default Shipping Option.

With this update, you can now choose either a specific carrier service or a rate category that dynamically selects the most appropriate shipping service for each shipment.

Available rate categories include:

• Best
• Cheapest

This provides more flexibility by allowing Shippo to evaluate available rates and select the most suitable option for each shipment.

How to Set a Default Shipping Option

To configure your default shipping option:

1. In the Shippo web app, go to Settings.
2. Select Carriers.
3. Open the Defaults tab.
4. Click Set Default for either:
   • Default Shipping Option, or
   • Default Return Shipping Option
5. Choose your preferred rate category or carrier service.
6. Click Save.

Your selected option will now be automatically applied when generating rates for shipments.

Choosing the Right Rate Category

Rate categories help automatically select a shipping option based on your preferred balance of cost and delivery speed.

Best
Recommended when you want Shippo to select the most balanced option between cost and delivery time. This is often the most efficient choice for general shipping workflows.

Cheapest
Recommended when minimizing shipping costs is the top priority. Shippo will automatically select the lowest available rate.

You can still review and change the selected shipping option before purchasing a label.

How Default Shipping Options Work

When you generate shipping rates for a shipment:

1. Shippo retrieves available rates from your active and connected carriers.
2. Your default shipping option is automatically selected if it is available.
3. You can still choose a different shipping option before purchasing the label.

If your selected option is unavailable for a shipment, Shippo will display the other available shipping options so you can choose an alternative.

Default Shipping Options and Automations

Shipping options can also be applied through automation rules. If a shipping option is applied by an automation rule, it will override your default shipping option.

You can learn more about how to set up automation rules in Shippo here.

Updated Rate Display

Rate categories are now displayed differently when viewing shipping rates.

Instead of appearing as section headers, Best, and Cheapest now appear as badges on individual rate cards. This makes it easier to quickly identify recommended shipping options while comparing rates.

When Your Default Shipping Option May Not Apply

In some cases, your default shipping option may not be automatically selected. This can happen if:

• The selected carrier service is not available for the shipment
• The shipment destination or package details do not support the selected service
• The selected rate category cannot determine a qualifying option
• A shipping automation rule applies a different service

When this happens, Shippo will display the available shipping options so you can manually select the appropriate one.

If you selected Best as your default shipping option, your configured backup shipping option will be used if a Best option cannot be determined.