# Shipping rate apps: add custom delivery options at checkout

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
[https://docs.launchmystore.io].