Shipping rate apps: add custom delivery options at checkout

Some apps in the LaunchMyStore marketplace add new shipping options to your checkout — same-day delivery, in-store pickup, courier pickup-point lockers, distance-based rates, or live carrier quotes that go beyond your built-in shipping zones. This article explains what to expect when you install one.

What it does

A shipping rate app injects extra delivery options into the shipping step of checkout, in addition to your store's existing shipping zones. Each option the app returns appears as its own line that the shopper can pick. Apps can offer:

• Standard delivery rates with custom names, prices, and ETAs.
• Local pickup at a store, warehouse, or other physical location you operate.
• Carrier pickup points such as DHL ServicePoints, UPS Access Points, or InPost parcel lockers.

The app reads the cart and the ship-to address, then returns the rates that should apply for that specific shopper.

Examples

• "Same-day delivery (4–6pm) — $12" only for postcodes within your delivery radius.
• "Free shipping above $50" with conditions your built-in shipping zones can't express on their own.
• Distance-priced courier: closer addresses pay less, farther addresses pay more, calculated per order.
• Carrier locker drop-off — the shopper picks a nearby parcel locker and sees the address inline.
• "Pick up at our flagship store — free" with hours and address shown under the option.

What you'll see

On the checkout's Shipping method step, the shopper sees your built-in shipping zone rates at the top of the list, then app-supplied rates grouped under a "Powered by app name" label. Local pickup and parcel-locker options render with an extra indicator showing the address and pickup window.

When the shopper selects an app-supplied rate, the chosen rate carries through to the order summary and is recorded on the order — you'll see it in the order detail page in your admin.

Installing an app that uses this

1. Open Apps → Marketplace in your admin.
2. Browse shipping & delivery apps and open one that matches your need.
3. Review what it does and which permissions it requests, then click Install.
4. Configure the rules (which countries or postcodes qualify, fee structure, pickup locations) in the app's settings.
5. Place a test order with an address that should trigger the rate and confirm the option appears.

Limits and tips

• You can have up to 5 shipping rate apps active at once. Their options stack — the shopper sees the union of every app's rates plus your shipping zones.
• Shipping rate apps only add options. To rename, hide, or reorder existing shipping zones, install a delivery customization app instead.
• If the function takes too long, the app is skipped for that checkout. The shopper still sees your shipping zones and any other working app's rates — checkout is never blocked because a shipping rate app is slow.
• The selected rate is recorded on the order, so you can build fulfillment workflows (for example, route same-day orders to a dispatch list) using order data.
• Removing the app removes its rates. Past orders keep their recorded rates, but new checkouts no longer see those options.

For developers

If you want to build an app that uses a shipping rate function, see the developer documentation at docs.launchmystore.io.