Shipping rate tables

Gain more control, charge more accurate rates, and ensure that you’re not paying out-of-pocket for shipping costs with shipping rate tables.

What are shipping rate tables?

Shipping rate tables are a tool that divides Canada into 21 distinct areas, allowing you to set more accurate shipping rates for each zone, and giving you more control over the shipping costs you charge your buyers across Canada.

eBay has defined Canadian shipping destinations as falling into five regions, each of which contains one or more provinces. Most provinces are further broken down into urban and rural zones, based on postal code.

When you use rate tables, you can define a single specific shipping charge for an area as granular as a single zone in a single province and region, or extend it across multiple provinces and regions—it’s up to you.

Rate tables work with the shipping services and charges in your listings. Once you’ve configured your rate tables, your buyers will automatically see shipping rates based on their location within Canada.

How shipping rate tables work

1

Determine your rates

Determine your average shipping costs for the various destinations you ship to across Canada.

2

Set up your rate tables

Set up one or more rate tables based on your shipping costs and the types of items you sell.

3

Link to your listings

Link your rate table to a listing to activate it. Put extra cash in your pocket.

Watch our tutorials

How to test your rate table

The benefits of shipping rate tables

Why offer free shipping

Types of shipping rate tables

Because your items come in all shapes and sizes, we’ve created three ways to set up a rate table: by item, by weight, and by surcharge. Here's an explanation of the different types:

Setting up your rate table to charge by item allows you to specify a flat rate shipping cost to buyers in a specified region. This type of rate table will override the information in your listing for the areas you’ve specified in your rate table. For areas in which a rate isn’t specified, the shipping charge in your listing will apply.

Best for: Inventories that are similar in both weight and dimension.

How it works:

  • In your listing, you specify a $2 flat rate shipping charge.
  • You link a rate table that charges buyers in urban areas an extra $2, and an extra $5 in rural areas.
  • A buyer in a rural area purchases one item.
  • eBay will calculate the shipping charge as follows: $2 (listing), overridden by the rate table charge for rural areas—$5.
  • The total shipping charge is $5.

Setting up your rate table to charge by weight allows you to set up a shipping cost that’s charged per kilogram. This type of rate table will override the information in your listing for the areas you’ve specified in your rate table. For areas in which a rate isn’t specified, the shipping charge in your listing will apply.

Best for: Inventories that are similar in dimension, but vary in weight.

How it works:

  • In your listing, you specify free shipping.
  • Your rate table specifies free shipping for all provinces except YK, NT, and NU. For these provinces, a $2 per kilogram fee will apply.
  • A buyer in NT purchases a 25 kg item.
  • eBay will calculate the shipping total as follows: $0 (listing), overridden by the rate table charge for NT—$2 x 25 kg.
  • The total shipping charge is $50.

You can set up a shipping surcharge rate table to charge buyers in certain areas an amount in addition to the shipping cost you specify in your listing. Unlike item or weight rate tables, a surcharge table will not override the shipping cost in your listing.

Best for: Inventories where items vary widely in weight and dimension.

How it works:

  • In your listing, you specify a $5 shipping charge.
  • Your rate table specifies an additional $10 surcharge for buyers in Ontario and Quebec.
  • A buyer in Ontario purchases an item.
  • eBay will calculate the shipping total as follows: $5 (listing) + $10 surcharge for Ontario buyers.
  • The total shipping charge is $15.

Determine your rates

Before you set up your shipping rate tables, you should take the following steps to gather all of the information you need:

  1. Review and identify where most of your buyers live. These are the areas for which you might consider offering free shipping.
  2. Find the average shipping costs for the regions, provinces, and zones within Canada that you ship to. You can use the Canada Post Rate Calculator if you’re not sure. Tip: To get an average, take a few postal codes from each area and calculate the shipping cost to your warehouse or other point of origin.
  3. Categorize your items based on weight and/or dimension—if they tend to vary—and create a rate table for each weight category. For example, if you sell smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers, you might create two rate tables: one for smartphones and tablets, and another for laptops and desktop computers.
  4. Decide which types of rate table you’d like to create. You need at least one rate table to get started, but you can create up to 40.
  5. Update your business preferences to make sure you’ve opted in to the rate table tool.

You might find these tools and documents helpful as you prepare to set up your rate tables:

Set up your shipping rate tables

To access rate tables from My eBay:

  1. Go to Summary.
  2. Select the Account tab.
  3. From the menu on the left, select Site Preferences.
  4. Scroll down to Shipping Preferences and select Show to expand the section.
  5. Select the Edit link to the right of Use shipping rate tables. (View screenshot)
  6. You’ll be taken to the Shipping rate tables page, where you can create your first rate table by following the instructions in the next step.

To start setting up your rate table, at the top of the Shipping rate tables page, you’re presented with options to help configure your rate table. Here’s what they mean:

Rate table

This drop-down contains the rate tables you have already created. If this is your first rate table, you can skip it as the dropdown will be empty.

Set shipping rates by

This menu option allows you to set shipping rates by Item, Weight, or Surcharge.

Create new

You’ll choose one of two options from this drop-down menu: Domestic rate table, which will allow you to create a new shipping rate table for domestic shipments; and International rate table, which will allow you to specify which countries around the world you’re willing to ship to.

Table name

Enter a distinctive name for your rate table to help you easily identify it when linking it to your listings.


Depending on the type of rate table you selected above, the instructions are different:

Setting shipping rates by item will apply a flat shipping rate to the regions, provinces, and/or zones you specify. These rates will override the shipping charge in your listing. Areas for which you have not specified a ‘by item’ charge in your rate table will be charged according to the shipping cost in your listing.

  1. For the shipping service of your choice, select Add regions/provinces/zones.
  2. Expand regions to view which provinces they include by selecting the arrow to the right of the region.
  3. You can add one or more provinces to your rate table by checking the box beside it, or you can further expand each province into zones by selecting the plus sign.
  4. You can select one or more zones by checking the box beside it. (View screenshot)
  5. Once you have selected the regions, provinces, and zones you want included in this rate, select Save.
  6. The provinces, regions, and zones you selected now appear in the Region column.
  7. Repeat steps 1-6 for each shipping service for which you’d like to add a rate table.
  8. To set a price, select the Cost column and type an amount. Note: If you wish to offer free shipping to these areas, type “0” in the Cost column—don’t leave it empty. (View screenshot)
  9. Continue to add additional regions, provinces, or zones until you’re finished. If you make a mistake, you can delete a specific rate by selecting the trash can icon in the Delete column.
  10. Select Save and then I’m done to exit the Shipping rate tables page. (View screenshot)
  11. Link the rate table you’ve created to a listing to make it take effect.

Setting shipping rates by weight will apply a cost that’s charged per kilogram for shipments to the regions, provinces, or zones you specify. These rates will override the shipping charge in your listing. Areas for which you have not specified a ‘by weight’ charge will be charged according to the shipping cost in your listing.

  1. For the shipping service of your choice, select Add regions/provinces/zones.
  2. Expand regions to view which provinces they include by selecting the arrow to the right of the region.
  3. You can add one or more provinces to your rate table by checking the box beside it, or you can further expand each province into zones by selecting the plus sign.
  4. You can select one or more zones by checking the box beside it. (View screenshot)
  5. Once you have selected the regions, provinces, and zones you want included in this rate, select Save.
  6. The provinces, regions, and zones you selected now appear in the table under the Region column.
  7. Repeat steps 1-6 for each shipping service for which you’d like to add a rate table.
  8. To set a price, select the Cost column and type an amount. Note: If you wish to offer free shipping to these areas, type “0” in the Cost column—don’t leave it empty. (View screenshot)
  9. To add a surcharge per kilogram, select the +per kilogram column and enter the cost. Note: The minimum amount that can be added is set to 1kg. (View screenshot)
  10. Continue to add additional regions, provinces, or zones until you’re finished. If you make a mistake, you can delete a specific rate by selecting the trash can icon in the Delete column.
  11. Select Save and then I’m done to exit the Shipping rate tables page. (View screenshot)
  12. Link the rate table you’ve created to a listing to make it take effect.

Setting shipping rates by surcharge will apply a surcharge to the regions, provinces, and/or zones you specify. These rates will be applied in addition to the shipping charge in your listing. Areas for which you have not specified a surcharge will be charged according to the shipping cost in your listing.

  1. For the shipping service of your choice, select Add regions/provinces/zones.
  2. Expand regions to view which provinces they include by selecting the arrow to the right of the region.
  3. You can add one or more provinces to your rate table by checking the box beside it, or you can further expand each province into zones by selecting the plus sign.
  4. You can select one or more zones by checking the box beside it. (View screenshot)
  5. Once you have selected the regions, provinces, and zones you want included in this rate, select Save.
  6. The provinces, regions, and zones you selected now appear in the table under the Region column.
  7. To set a surcharge amount, select the Specified express/standard rate + column and enter the amount. (View screenshot)
  8. Continue to add additional regions, provinces, or zones until you’re finished. If you make a mistake, you can delete a specific rate by selecting the trash can icon in the Delete column.
  9. Select Save and then I’m done to exit the Shipping rate tables page. (View screenshot)
  10. Link the rate table you’ve created to a listing to make it take effect.

Link a rate table to your listing

The method you use to connect your listings to a rate table depends on whether or not you have enabled the use of Business Policies on your account. To check if you have business policies enabled, go to your Account Settings. If you do not see a link to business policies under “My eBay Views”, it is not enabled. You can opt in to business policies, to help you list faster.

Business policies are not enabled:

Once you’ve created at least one shipping rate table, you’ll see the option to use it in your listings appear when you select Flat rate shipping during the listing process. Here’s what to do:

  1. In the Shipping details section, select Flat: Same cost to all buyers from the drop-down menu. (View screenshot)
  2. A new drop-down menu containing a list of the rate tables you’ve created will appear. Select the name of the rate table you want to link to your listing. (View screenshot)
  3. If you’d like to view the details of the rate table you chose, select View. If you want to create a new one, select Create. Either one of these actions will open the Shipping rate tables page in a new window—you won’t lose the information you’ve entered in your listing.
  4. Fill out the rest of the information in the listing flow, and list your item.

From Seller Hub:

  1. Choose the Listings tab and select Active.
  2. Tick the box beside each listing you wish to link a rate table to.
  3. Select the Edit button and choose Edit all [number of listings] listings from the drop-down menu.
  4. On the next screen, select all of your drafts by ticking the checkbox.
  5. Open the Edit fields button and select Shipping (domestic).
  6. Ensure that shipping is set to Flat, tick the Use rate table box, and choose a rate table to link to these listings.
  7. Select Save and close.
  8. Select Submit changes to apply your changes.


Note: When using this method, you can only link one rate table at a time to the listings you select. If you wish to link more than one rate table to your listings, you'll have to select and link each group of listings separately.

Business policies are enabled:

  1. From My eBay, select the Account tab.
  2. Choose Business policies. If you don’t see this option, you may need to opt in.
  3. Select the Create policy button, then select Shipping.
  4. Under Domestic Shipping, specify a default shipping service. Note that for the zones for which you have specified custom rates in your shipping rate table, the default shipping service will be overridden by the rates in your rate table.
  5. Near the bottom of the page, tick the box next to Apply domestic shipping rate table.
  6. Select a rate table, then select Save to apply your changes.
  1. In the listing flow, under Shipping Details, you will see Business Policies. From the Shipping policy drop-down, select the policy that is linked to a rate table. (View screenshot)
  2. If you’d like to view the details of the rate table you chose, select View. If you want to create a new one, select Create. Either of these actions will open the Shipping rate tables page in a new window—you won’t lose the information you’ve entered in your listing.

From Seller Hub:

  1. Choose the Listings tab and select Active.
  2. Tick the box beside each listing you wish to link a rate table to.
  3. Select the Edit button and choose Edit all [number of listings] listings from the drop-down menu.
  4. On the next screen, select all of your drafts by ticking the checkbox.
  5. Open the Edit fields button and select Shipping policy. (View screenshot)
  6. In the Edit business policies overlay screen, select the drop-down menu under Shipping Policy and select Change to. (View screenshot)
  7. Select the Shipping Policy you created that is linked to a rate table.
  8. Select Save and Close.


Note: When using this method, you can only link one rate table at a time to the listings you select. If you wish to link more than one rate table to your listings, you’ll have to select and link each group of listings separately.

Create your shipping rate table now

Start setting up your first shipping rate table now.

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