Customized Shipping Rates for First-Time Customers

Getting Started

Brands are always looking for creative ways to turn first-time visitors into loyal customers. One trend we’ve seen among top-performing merchants is offering exclusive shipping discounts during a shopper’s first purchase. With Corso, this is simple to set up using rate modifications and Shopify customer segments.

Goal

Create a checkout experience that:

• Incentivizes first-time customers with discounted shipping rates like $1 shipping or free delivery
• Automatically switches to standard rates on any future orders
• Offers flexibility around delivery guarantees through Corso Shipping Protection

How It Works

Using Corso’s rate modification tools, you can apply logic based on Shopify customer segments. In this case, you create a segment of returning customers and offer the discounted rate to everyone who isn’t in it. New shoppers aren’t in any Shopify segment yet, so this approach catches them.

Example Flow

1. A new customer enters checkout
2. Instead of the standard shipping rate (e.g., $4.74 plus delivery guarantee), they see a reduced rate—such as $1 shipping with Corso’s dynamic fee added
3. If the same customer returns for a second purchase, they only see the standard shipping rates

This logic is handled by a Rate Modification rule in Corso Shipping Plus with a Customer Segment condition.

How to Set It Up in Corso

1. Create a customer segment in Shopify

   • Example: “Returning Customers” with 1 or more orders

2. Ask Corso to enable customer conditions

   • Logged-in customers are identified from Shopify’s rate request. To also identify returning customers who only entered an email, contact Corso to add the customer’s email to the cart’s line items. Either way, segment conditions only match customers who already exist in your Shopify store.

3. Create the discounted rate

   • Go to Settings > Shipping Plus and add a rate in the Shipping Rates card, such as a $1 rate. Turn on Enable Plus Rate if you want Corso’s dynamic protection fee added.
   • Don’t add the discounted rate to any Shipping Geo Zone rule’s Shipping Rates, or every customer in that zone sees it.

4. Create a Rate Modification rule

   • In the Automations card, click Create, then select Rate Modification.
   • Add a Customer Segment condition, choose Not Any Of, and select your Returning Customers segment. New or unknown shoppers get the discounted rate.

5. Add the modification

   • Click Add Modification and choose Modify What Rates Are Offered.
   • Set Action to Replace and select your discounted rate. Select more than one rate to offer, for example, protected and unprotected options.
   • Alternatively, choose Apply Shipping Discount to discount your existing rates instead.

6. Save and preview to confirm everything is working as intended

See Rate Modifications for every modification setting.

Why This Matters

This setup gives your brand an easy way to:

• Boost conversions among first-time shoppers without using discount codes
• Customize the shipping experience using existing Shopify data
• Manage everything inside Corso
• Promote delivery protection without complicating the rate structure

This same approach can be extended to other customer segments, promotional windows, or loyalty tiers.