---
title: "Fix double shipping charges"
description: "Stop mixed preorder and in-stock orders from being charged shipping twice at checkout."
url: https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-double-shipping-fix/
product: "Preorders"
section: "Fulfillment and shipping / Shipping"
last_updated: 2026-10-28
---

# Fix double shipping charges

> Stop mixed preorder and in-stock orders from being charged shipping twice at checkout.

Use this guide if customers are being charged shipping twice on one order, once for the in-stock item, once for the preorder item. This isn't a STOQ bug or a duplicate charge: it's Shopify's native **split shipping** feature grouping the two items into separate shipments at checkout, each with its own rate. By the end, a mixed order will show one shipment and one shipping charge at checkout.

> **Note**
>
> Shipping rates, profiles, and checkout split shipping are controlled by Shopify, not STOQ. STOQ only controls preorder fulfillment timing and post-checkout splitting into separate fulfillments or orders.

## Before you begin

Shopify's checkout splits one order into multiple shipments when the items in the cart don't all belong to the same group. Shopify groups items into shipments by:

- **Shipping profile**: which shipping profile a product belongs to (Settings → Shipping and delivery).
- **Location group**: which location(s) can fulfill the item.
- **Fulfillment timing**: whether items are fulfillable now versus held or scheduled for later.

> **Warning**
>
> Items in the same shipping profile can still split. If the preorder's fulfillment status is **On hold** or **Scheduled** in STOQ, Shopify can put it in a separate shipment from an Unfulfilled in-stock item even when both share one shipping profile, because they ship at different times.

| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shopify admin access | The fix is applied in **Settings → Shipping and delivery**, not inside STOQ |
| Know your fulfillment status | Check the preorder offer's fulfillment status in the offer editor (**Preorders** in the left menu → **Offers** tab → open your offer → **Customize** → **Shipping** in the sidebar → **Fulfillment status**); this affects whether checkout treats the preorder item as shipping "now" or "later" |
| At least one other shipping profile or location | The option to turn off split shipping only appears in Shopify settings once you have two or more shipping profiles or locations |

## Choose your setup

- **Combine into one shipment (default goal)**: put the preorder and in-stock products in the same shipping profile, and set the preorder's fulfillment status to **Unfulfilled** so it's treated as fulfillable now, same as the in-stock item. Use this when you always want one combined shipping charge on mixed orders.
- **Keep the preorder On hold or Scheduled**: if you need that fulfillment status for how you manage preorders, accept that checkout may still split the shipment by timing, even with a matching shipping profile. See [Choose a fulfillment setup](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/choose-preorder-fulfillment-setup/) for the tradeoffs of each status.
- **Turn off split shipping in checkout (store-wide)**: removes split shipping for every order in the store, not just preorders. Use this if you never want checkout to show more than one shipment.
- **Charge separate shipping on purpose**: if you want customers to pay different shipping for preorder items, keep split shipping on and give preorder products their own shipping profile with its own rates. This is the intended way to charge separately, rather than accidentally doubling the charge.

## What customers will see

- **Split shipping on and items grouped differently**: checkout shows multiple shipments, each with its own shipping method selector, estimated delivery, rate, and item count. The customer can pick a different shipping speed per shipment and is charged for each separately. For example, a customer buying an in-stock T-shirt and a preorder hoodie on different shipping profiles might see standard shipping on the T-shirt ($5) and express on the hoodie ($20), for $25 total instead of one combined rate.
- **Split shipping off, or items grouped the same way**: checkout shows one shipment with one shipping rate and one charge, as normal.
- **Accelerated checkouts (Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay) and local delivery** don't show split shipping at all: these paths always use a single combined rate regardless of your shipping profile setup.

## Set it up

1. **Identify the cause**

   Open the order in Shopify admin and check whether the preorder and in-stock items differ in any of these ways. Any of the three can cause a split.

   1. **Shipping profile**: are the two items on different shipping profiles?
   2. **Location**: are the two items assigned to different locations?
   3. **Fulfillment timing**: is one item Unfulfilled and the other On hold or Scheduled?

2. **Put preorder and in-stock products in the same shipping profile**

   In Shopify admin, go to **Settings → Shipping and delivery**. Make sure the preorder product and the in-stock product are assigned to the same shipping profile (or merge a custom preorder profile back into your default one if you created one you no longer want).

3. **Match fulfillment timing, or accept the timing-based split**

   If you chose to combine shipments in Choose your setup above, set the preorder's fulfillment status to **Unfulfilled** in the offer editor's **Shipping** section. If you'd rather keep it **On hold** or **Scheduled**, accept that Shopify may still split the shipment by timing.

4. **Turn off split shipping in checkout (optional, store-wide)**

   1. Go to **Settings → Shipping and delivery**.
   2. Below your shipping profile list, click **split shipping** (or **Manage**).
   3. Uncheck **Show split shipping in checkout** and click **Save**.

   [Image: Shopify Settings Shipping and delivery page, Shipping profiles section showing the Store default General profile (All other products, 2 of 3 locations, 2 zones) and the Custom Preorder Products profile, with a Manage split shipping row carrying an On badge, and markers: arrow 1 on Shipping and delivery in the left nav, arrow 2 on the Manage split shipping link.](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/preorder-double-shipping-fix-1.png)

   [Image: Shopify Split shipping in checkout dialog open over the Shipping and delivery page, with the Show split shipping in checkout checkbox ticked and its explanation that shipping splits when items ship from different locations or belong to separate shipping profiles, and Cancel and a greyed-out Save button.](https://help.stoqapp.com/images/general/preorder-double-shipping-fix-2.png)

## Check your setup

1. In Shopify admin, confirm the preorder and in-stock products share one shipping profile (**Settings → Shipping and delivery**).
2. In STOQ, check the offer's fulfillment status in the offer editor (**Preorders** in the left menu → **Offers** tab → open your offer → **Customize** → **Shipping** in the sidebar → **Fulfillment status**) and confirm it matches what you intend for checkout grouping.
3. Place a test mixed order (one in-stock item plus one preorder item) through the regular storefront checkout, not an accelerated checkout button (a 100% discount code or Shopify's Bogus Gateway avoids a real charge).
4. Confirm the **Shipping method** step at checkout shows one shipment and one rate, not two.

## Troubleshooting

### Items share the same shipping profile but the order still splits

Fulfillment timing is likely the cause. If the preorder's status is **On hold** or **Scheduled**, set it to **Unfulfilled** if you want it to always group with the in-stock item, or accept the split as expected.

### Items still split after matching both shipping profile and fulfillment timing

Check the location. Both products need to be fulfillable from the same location; review this in Shopify's **Settings → Locations**.

### You don't see a split shipping option in Settings -> Shipping and delivery

You need at least two shipping profiles or locations before that option appears.

### Turning off split shipping didn't stop the split

Confirm you unchecked **Show split shipping in checkout** under **Settings → Shipping and delivery → split shipping** (or **Manage**) and clicked **Save**. This applies store-wide, to every order, not only preorders.

## Limitations

Turning off split shipping is store-wide: there's no per-product or per-offer setting to disable it only for preorder orders.

## FAQ

### Is this a STOQ bug?

No. STOQ doesn't set shipping rates or decide how checkout groups shipments, that's entirely Shopify's split shipping feature, based on shipping profile, location group, and fulfillment timing.

### Does STOQ's Split fulfillments or Separate orders feature cause this?

No, those are separate, after-checkout behaviors. STOQ's Split fulfillments and Separate orders settings run after checkout is complete and don't affect what the customer is charged for shipping. The double shipping charge happens during checkout, driven entirely by Shopify's split shipping. See [Split fulfillments for preorders](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/split-fulfilment-for-preorders/) and [Separate orders for mixed preorders](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/separate-orders-for-mixed-preorders/) for what those actually do.

### Does this affect accelerated checkout buttons like Shop Pay or Apple Pay?

No. Split shipping doesn't apply to accelerated checkouts: those always combine everything into a single shipping charge regardless of profile or timing differences.

### Does changing the shipping profile affect orders already placed?

No. It only affects checkout for orders placed after you make the change; shipping charges on existing orders don't change retroactively.

## Related guides

- [Choose a fulfillment setup](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/choose-preorder-fulfillment-setup/): Decide which fulfillment status and option fits your store.
- [Set up fulfillment and shipping options](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/setup-fulfillment-and-shipping-options/): The full Shipping section walkthrough, including fulfillment status.
- [Preorder shipping profiles and zones](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/preorder-shipping-profiles-zones/): Set up shipping profiles and rates for preorder products in Shopify.
- [Split fulfillments for preorders](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/split-fulfilment-for-preorders/): Splits one order into two fulfillments after checkout, not a shipping-charge feature.
- [Separate orders for mixed preorders](https://help.stoqapp.com/preorders/separate-orders-for-mixed-preorders/): Moves preorder items into a new order after checkout.