Whether you’re selling across the UK or shipping internationally, integrating Royal Mail with WooCommerce is a game-changer. With Royal Mail’s trusted domestic and international services and WooCommerce’s flexibility, you can streamline your shipping workflow, reduce errors, and deliver a better experience to your UK customers and beyond.
This article will show you how to integrate Royal Mail with your WooCommerce store and manage WooCommerce orders efficiently using the PH Royal Mail Shipping with Tracking plugin, all from your WooCommerce dashboard.
Article Contains:
- Why Integrate Royal Mail with WooCommerce?
- Prerequisites: What You Need Before Integration
- Connect Royal Mail to WooCommerce
- Configure Shipping Services and Add Tracking Information
- Best Practices to Optimize Royal Mail Shipping
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Why Integrate Royal Mail with WooCommerce?
By default, WooCommerce does not natively support Royal Mail shipping services. To offer these services, store owners need a plugin like PH Royal Mail Shipping with Tracking for WooCommerce.
Here’s why integrating Royal Mail makes a big difference:
- Trusted by UK customers: Boost conversions with a courier that UK customers already know and rely on.
- Complete delivery coverage: Support both domestic and international shipping via Royal Mail.
- Display shipping rates: Display accurate shipping costs based on package weight, destination, and chosen service.
- End-to-end Royal Mail tracking: Keep customers informed at every step with integrated tracking updates
Using this plugin, you can streamline your WooCommerce shipping and deliver a seamless experience backed by one of the UK’s most trusted carriers.
Prerequisites: What You Need Before Integration
Before you integrate Royal Mail with your WooCommerce store, prepare the following:
1. A Fully Set Up WooCommerce Store:
Your store should be ready to handle real WooCommerce orders. Make sure:
- All products have correct weights and dimensions
- Currencies and taxes are configured
- Shipping zones are created (e.g., UK, Europe, Rest of World)
2. Installed Royal Mail Shipping Plugin:
Install the PH Royal Mail Shipping with Tracking for WooCommerce.
This plugin lets you:
- Show Royal Mail rates at checkout
- Add tracking details to orders directly from your WooCommerce dashboard
3. A Royal Mail Business Account
While the Royal Mail business account is not required for using the plugin, it is essential to:
- Generate and print shipping labels
- Access Royal Mail’s Click & Drop services
- Manage shipments through your Royal Mail portal
If you don’t have one, you can sign up for a free account here.
4. Accurate Shipping Data
Royal Mail calculates shipping based on:
- Package weight
- Dimensions
- Destination (domestic or international)
To avoid errors, update your product data before enabling live Royal Mail services.
Connect Royal Mail to WooCommerce
Now that you’ve installed the PH Royal Mail Shipping with Tracking for WooCommerce plugin, it’s time to set up the basics. This setup will allow your store to display Royal Mail shipping options, handle WooCommerce orders, and send Royal Mail tracking information to customers.
For a quick setup, here are the key steps to configure:
1. Configure Shipping Rate Settings
- Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Shipping → Royal Mail
- Tick Enable Rates to activate live Royal Mail shipping
- Keep the Method Available to set as “All Countries” for global access
2. Order Packing Preferences
Define how products are packed before calculating shipping:
- Packing Method – Use “Max Weight Limit” to pack boxes up to a set limit
- Max Package Weight – Set a maximum weight (e.g., 10kg)
- Packing Process – Choose to pack heavier items first or based on volume
3. Select Royal Mail Services
Decide which Royal Mail shipping services you want to offer at checkout. Only the services you enable will appear for customers.
To configure:
- Navigate to the Royal Mail Shipping services in your dashboard
- Check the boxes for the services you want to enable
- Save your settings
You can choose from a variety of domestic and international services.
A detailed overview of these services is covered in the next section.
4. Adjust Shipping Costs (Optional)
Fine-tune the final shipping price displayed to customers:
- Price Adjustment (£) – Add or subtract a fixed amount
- Price Adjustment (%) – Apply a percentage-based adjustment
- Use Both – Combine for more flexible pricing
Example:
If the base rate is £5:
- Adding both £5 + 10% shows £10.50
- Adding £5 shows £10 at checkout
- Adding 10% shows £5.50
5. Use Tracking Pin Option
Turn on the Tracking Pin option to include Royal Mail tracking info in the order completion email. This helps keep your customers informed without any manual follow-up.
To learn more about different settings, check out this guide: Royal Mail Shipping Plugin Setup Guide
With these settings in place, your WooCommerce store is ready to offer a seamless Royal Mail shipping experience.
Next, let’s look at how to configure the specific services available to UK and international customers.
Configure Shipping Services and Add Tracking Information
Once your setup is complete, you can offer a wide range of Royal Mail services both for UK and international customers. These services will automatically appear on the cart and checkout page based on the customer’s location and cart details.
Let’s first look at the services you can make available.
Royal Mail Domestic Services (UK)
Offer reliable delivery options to your UK customers with these popular Royal Mail services:
- Royal Mail 24: Next-day delivery for urgent shipments.
- Royal Mail 48: Two-day delivery for standard, non-urgent orders.
- Tracked 24 / Tracked 48: Includes Royal Mail tracking and delivery notifications.
- Signed For 1st / 2nd Class: Adds proof of delivery with a required signature.
- Special Delivery Guaranteed (by 1 PM or 9 AM): Premium service with guaranteed next-day delivery and compensation.
Royal Mail International Shipping Services
For customers outside the UK, offer these global delivery services :
- International Standard: Low-cost service without tracking. Best for non-urgent parcels.
- International Tracked: Provides full visibility from dispatch to delivery.
- International Signed: Requires signature on delivery, ideal for high-value shipments.
- Tracked & Signed: Combines tracking and delivery confirmation for complete security.
- International Economy (Optional): Affordable option for sending heavier items with longer delivery times.
Here is how it appears on the Cart Page
Once you select and save your preferred services in the plugin, they will automatically appear in the cart and checkout page based on the customer’s delivery address and cart weight.
This not only helps customers pick the right service but also builds trust through clear delivery expectations.
No coding required – the plugin handles everything for you.
Add Royal Mail Tracking Details to Orders
After the order is placed, you can manually add the tracking number inside the WooCommerce dashboard:
- Go to WooCommerce → Orders → Edit Order
- Scroll to the Royal Mail Shipment Tracking section
- Enter the Tracking ID and Shipment Date
- Once done, mark the order as completed
The plugin will automatically attach the tracking info to the order completion email, keeping your customers informed.
Best Practices to Optimize Royal Mail Shipping
Here’s how to make the most of your integration:
- Use weight-based rates: Royal Mail pricing is sensitive to weight brackets. Assign accurate weights to products.
- Enable shipping classes: Group products with similar shipping needs (e.g., “heavy”, “fragile”) for better control.
- Track performance: Use analytics from Royal Mail and WooCommerce to monitor delivery times and issues.
- Display delivery estimates: Utilize plugins that provide customers with accurate timelines, thereby increasing conversions.
- Offer free shipping thresholds: Encourage higher AOV by offering free Royal Mail shipping above a minimum spend.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a small UK seller or a growing international brand, integrating Royal Mail with WooCommerce can transform your shipping operations. With automation, real-time tracking, and seamless order syncing, you’ll not only save time but also deliver a better experience to your customers. For easy integration and a seamless experience, the PH Royal Mail Shipping with Tracking for WooCommerce is the best fit
If you need any assistance, PluginHive’s support team is always available.
FAQs
Q1. Can I use Royal Mail shipping in WooCommerce without a business account?
Yes. You can show Royal Mail shipping rates at checkout without a Royal Mail business account.
Q2. What is not allowed to send on Royal Mail?
Hazardous Goods Including Aerosol, Asbestos, Ashes, Detergents, Resin, Explosives, Filth, Fire Extinguishers, Fireworks, Gas, Dry Ice, Items Containing Alcohol, Items Containing Flammable And/Or Explosive Substances.
Q3. What happens if Royal Mail can’t deliver?
If no one is available or the item can’t be delivered safely, Royal Mail will try again the next working day. If delivery fails again, they’ll leave a ‘Something for you’ card and return the item to the nearest Customer Service Point.
Q4. Can I offer Royal Mail tracking to customers?
Yes. When you add the tracking number to the order and mark it as complete, customers receive tracking details via email.
Q5. What if I ship only within the UK?
You can choose to show only domestic Royal Mail services like Royal Mail 24, 48, or Special Delivery Guaranteed. International services won’t appear unless the destination qualifies.
Q5. Does Royal Mail work on Sundays?
Royal Mail doesn’t offer regular Sunday delivery. However, premium services like Tracked 24 and Special Delivery Guaranteed may support Sunday delivery in select areas for an extra cost.
