Setting Up Eco-Friendly Shipping Option Prioritization

You sell sustainable products but your carbon-neutral shipping gets buried under faster, cheaper options. Your eco-conscious customers want green delivery but they're scrolling past it to find standard shipping.

The fix is simple: reorder shipping options based on who's buying. Show eco-friendly shipping first to customers who care about sustainability.

Shopify's shipping settings don't do dynamic prioritization, but Sway Functions does. You can detect eco-conscious customers and put carbon-neutral options at the top of their list.

Green customers deserve green-first shipping options.

The Business Case for Eco-Friendly Shipping Prioritization

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Access the Shipping Functions Section

1. From your Shopify admin, open the Sway Functions app
2. You'll see Shipping Functions card on the dashboard. Click Create.
3. Select "Reorder rates" option

2. Create a New Shipping Function

1. Click "Create function"
2. From the modal, select "Reorder Shipping Rates"
3. You'll be taken to the function editor

3. Configure Basic Settings

1. Enter a descriptive campaign name (e.g., "Eco-Conscious Shipping Priority")
2. Set the function status to "Active"

4. Define Eco-Conscious Customer Segment

This is where you'll specify which customers should see prioritized eco-friendly options:

1. Under "Customer Qualifier," select "Customer Tags"
2. Choose the condition "contains"
3. Enter tags that identify eco-conscious customers (e.g., "eco-conscious", "sustainable-shopper")
4. Alternatively, use product purchase history:
   • Select "Purchase History"
   • Choose "has purchased products with tags"
   • Enter eco-product tags (e.g., "eco-friendly", "sustainable")

5. Configure Shipping Rate Reordering

Now define how shipping options should be prioritized:

1. Under "Shipping Rate Actions," select "Reorder Rates"
2. For "Prioritize Rates," choose "Contains"
3. Enter identifying text for eco-friendly options (e.g., "Carbon-Neutral", "Green Shipping")
4. Select "Move to Position" and enter "1" to place these options at the top
5. Add a message like "We prioritize eco-friendly delivery options"

6. Create Complementary Rate Renaming (Optional)

For added impact, consider creating a second function to enhance eco-shipping names:

1. Create a new function selecting "Change Rate Names"
2. Use the same customer segment qualifiers
3. For rate names containing "Carbon-Neutral", add a prefix like "✓ Recommended:"
4. This further emphasizes the eco-friendly options

7. Save and Test

1. Save your functions
2. Test thoroughly with both eco-tagged and regular customer accounts

Advanced Configuration Options

Cart-Based Eco Prioritization

Want to prioritize based on what's in the cart right now?

1. Replace the customer tag qualifier with a cart content qualifier
2. Under "Cart Qualifier," select "Contains Products with Tags"
3. Enter your eco-product tags (e.g., "sustainable", "eco-friendly")
4. This ensures anyone buying eco-products sees prioritized green shipping

Buying green products means seeing green shipping first.

Progressive Eco-Option Emphasis

Not all eco-conscious customers are the same:

1. Create multiple shipping functions with different emphasis levels
2. For example:
   • Light eco-shoppers: Prioritize eco-options but keep standard options visible
   • Dedicated eco-shoppers: Prioritize eco-options and add visual emphasis
   • Eco-advocates: Prioritize eco-options, add emphasis, and include environmental impact messaging

Match the green messaging to customer commitment levels.

Seasonal Earth-Friendly Campaigns

Earth Month calls for extra green emphasis:

1. Create time-limited shipping functions with stronger eco-prioritization
2. For example: During Earth Month, prioritize eco-shipping for all customers
3. Set specific start and end dates aligned with environmental campaigns

Seasonal campaigns boost green shipping adoption.

Implementation Example: Sustainable Home Goods Brand

Here's a real-world example from an eco-conscious home goods retailer:

1. Standard Customer Experience:

   • Standard Shipping (5-7 days): $5.95 or free over $50
   • Carbon-Neutral Shipping (5-7 days): $7.95 or free over $75
   • Express Shipping (2-3 days): $12.95
   • Next Day Shipping: $19.95

2. Eco-Conscious Customer Experience:

   • ✓ Recommended: Carbon-Neutral Shipping (5-7 days): $7.95 or free over $75
   • Standard Shipping (5-7 days): $5.95 or free over $50
   • Carbon-Neutral Express (2-3 days): $14.95
   • Express Shipping (2-3 days): $12.95
   • Next Day Shipping: $19.95

3. Customer Identification Methods:

   • Previous purchase of eco-friendly products
   • Customer account tagged as "eco-conscious"
   • Cart contains products with "sustainable" tag
   • Customer signed up for environmental newsletter

Merchandising Your Eco-Shipping Prioritization

Make your eco-shipping strategy work harder:

• Environmental Impact Info - Show CO2 savings for eco-shipping options
• Eco-Shipping Explainer Page - Detail your carbon-neutral program
• Visual Indicators - Add leaf icons or green highlighting to eco-options
• Collective Impact Display - Track total carbon saved through customer choices
• Eco-Shipping Opt-In - Let customers self-identify green preferences

Education drives adoption of sustainable choices.

Real Results: Eco-Conscious Brand Case Study

One sustainable home goods company tried this approach:

• 57% more eco-tagged customers chose carbon-neutral shipping
• 36% increase in green shipping across all customers
• 24% drop in shipping carbon footprint
• 42% of customers praised the eco-shipping emphasis
• 18% more eco-product sales from customers who picked green shipping

Prioritizing green options creates measurable impact.

Measuring Success

Track these metrics to measure success:

• Green Shipping Rate - What percentage choose carbon-neutral options?
• Segment Differences - How do eco-tagged vs regular customers compare?
• Carbon Footprint - How much has shipping emissions dropped?
• Customer Comments - Are customers noticing and appreciating the emphasis?
• Product Correlation - Do green shipping customers buy more eco-products?

Numbers prove the impact of eco-shipping prioritization.

Common Issues and Solutions

| Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | Low adoption despite prioritization | Add more educational content about environmental benefits | | Price sensitivity limiting eco-option selection | Reduce or eliminate price premium for carbon-neutral options | | Difficulty identifying eco-conscious customers | Implement more ways for customers to self-identify preferences | | Shipping carrier limitations | Partner with specialized carriers that offer verified carbon-neutral services |

Next Steps

Ready to prioritize green shipping? Start with:

1. Identifying your eco-conscious customer segments
2. Setting up clear naming for carbon-neutral shipping options
3. Creating your shipping rate reordering function
4. Developing educational content about green shipping benefits
5. Setting up tracking to measure your eco-shipping impact

Need help with sustainable shipping strategy? Book a consultation with our team.