In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
Published local rates (October 2026): SingPost Tracked Letterbox S$2.00 (up to 2 kg, letterbox size, GST included), SingPost Speedpost Standard S$6.20 (up to 30 kg), and Ninja Van S$3.90 + GST for parcels up to 4 kg via its Shopify app. Offer self-collection too; it costs you nothing.
Local delivery rates compared
These are published, standard rates for small businesses without a negotiated contract. Volume shippers can usually get better prices by talking to the courier.
| Service | Size or weight limit | Price | Speed (as stated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SingPost Tracked Letterbox | Up to 2 kg; 324 x 229 x 65 mm | S$2.00 incl. GST | 2 working days |
| SingPost Speedpost Standard | Up to 30 kg; 600 x 400 x 300 mm | S$6.20 incl. GST | 1 working day |
| SingPost bulky parcel (Speedpost) | Larger, within 3 m combined, 30 kg | S$12.30 incl. GST | As per Speedpost |
| Ninja Van (Shopify app) Small | Up to 4 kg | S$3.90 + GST | Within 3 working days |
| Ninja Van (Shopify app) Medium | Over 4 kg to 10 kg | S$6.20 + GST | Within 3 working days |
| Ninja Van (Shopify app) Large | Over 10 kg to 20 kg | S$10.70 + GST | Within 3 working days |
From SingPost's delivery rates: the Tracked Letterbox suits small, flat items such as accessories, cosmetics and printed goods. From Ninja Van's Shopify app rates: return pickups cost more (S$6.10 + GST for the smallest size), and Ninja Van invoices weekly for the previous week's deliveries.
What delivery really costs per order
The courier fee is only part of it. Add up the full cost of sending one order before you decide what to charge customers.
- Courier or postageDepends on size, weight and serviceS$2.00 to S$6.20+
- PackagingMailer, box, filler, tape; buy in bulkVaries
- Packing timeTime it for a week to know your real figureYour time
- Failed deliveries and returnsRe-delivery or return pickup feesOccasional
- Payment fee on the shipping chargeCard fees apply to the shipping you charge tooA few cents
Courier figures from published SingPost and Ninja Van rates, October 2026.
If you also sell on Shopee or Lazada, their shipping programmes and fees work differently from your own store; compare the total cost per order, not only the courier line. Our Shopify store cost guide adds up the platform side.
Setting up shipping in Shopify
Shopify's shipping set-up guide explains the building blocks: shipping profiles group products, zones group destinations, and rates can be flat, carrier-calculated or based on weight or order price.
Add product weights
Enter a realistic packed weight for every product, so weight-based rates work.
Create a Singapore shipping zone
In Settings, Shipping and delivery, add a zone for Singapore in your general shipping profile.
Add one or two simple rates
For example, 'Standard delivery' as a flat rate for small orders and 'Free delivery' for orders above your threshold using a price condition.
Turn on pickup in store
Under additional delivery methods, enable Pickup in store for your location, with pickup instructions and lead time.
Consider local delivery
If you deliver yourself, local delivery can be offered by distance or by postal code, with its own minimum order and price.
Connect your courier
Install the courier's Shopify app, such as Ninja Van's, to create shipments and tracking numbers from orders.
Place a test order
Check that the right options and prices appear at checkout for a small and a large order.
Shopify's local delivery documentation notes that local delivery works with Shop Pay but not with other express checkouts such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, and that some third-party shipping apps can conflict with it. Test before launch. If you are GST-registered, our Shopify GST guide covers whether shipping charges include GST.
Free shipping: when it pays for itself
Free shipping is a strong selling point, but it is your cost. The usual approach is a threshold set a little above your current average order value, so customers add one more item to qualify.
| Example | Without threshold | With S$60 free-shipping threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Average order value | S$45 | S$58 (some customers add an item) |
| Gross margin at 50% | S$22.50 | S$29.00 |
| Shipping cost to you (Ninja Van Small + 9% GST) | Charged to customer | About S$4.25 on qualifying orders |
| Margin after shipping | S$22.50 | About S$24.75 |
In this example, free shipping works only if enough customers actually raise their basket. Check your data after a month: if average order value did not rise, raise the threshold or switch to a flat low fee. Never offer free shipping on items so heavy or bulky that one order wipes out the margin; use a separate shipping profile for those products.
Choosing between SingPost, Ninja Van and others
SingPost suits
- Small, flat items that fit a letterbox
- Low order volumes and drop-off at post offices
- Lowest cost per small parcel (Tracked Letterbox)
Courier services like Ninja Van suit
- Boxed parcels and regular daily volumes
- Integrated label printing and tracking in Shopify
- Return pickups from customers
- Weekly invoicing rather than paying per item
Many stores use both: Tracked Letterbox for small items and a courier for boxes. Offer self-collection if you have a shop, office or warehouse that customers can reach; it costs nothing and is popular for urgent orders.
If you deliver food, controlled goods or sell through platforms, check licensing rules separately. Our guide on licences needed to sell online covers the common cases.
Do it yourself or get help?
Most owners can set up two or three Shopify rates, pickup and a courier app in an afternoon. Getting weights, profiles for bulky items and the free-shipping threshold right takes some testing with real orders.
Shopify Store (S$1,890) sets up shipping zones and rates including local delivery and self-collect, along with payments and up to 30 products. Online Store Pro (S$3,490) handles up to 150 products with variants, discounts and a marketplace connector. Courier accounts and fees stay in your name.
Frequently asked questions
For small, flat items, SingPost's Tracked Letterbox was the cheapest published option at S$2.00 including GST in October 2026, for items up to 2 kg that fit 324 by 229 by 65 mm. For boxed parcels, compare courier rates; Ninja Van lists S$3.90 before GST for parcels up to 4 kg through its Shopify app.
Ninja Van's published rates for Shopify app users, before GST, are S$3.90 up to 4 kg, S$6.20 above 4 kg to 10 kg, S$10.70 above 10 kg to 20 kg and S$17.80 above 20 kg to 30 kg, delivered within three working days. Weight is the higher of actual and volumetric weight.
Offer it above a threshold rather than on every order. Set the threshold slightly above your average order value so customers add an item to qualify, and check after a month that average order value actually rose. Keep paid shipping for bulky or heavy items in a separate Shopify shipping profile.
Yes. Shopify's pickup in store option lets customers choose to collect an order from a location you set up, with your own pickup instructions and preparation time. You enable it for each location under the shipping and delivery settings. It suits stores with a shop, office or warehouse customers can reach.