Charge roughly what delivery really costs you per order, rounded to a simple flat fee, and add a free-delivery threshold to lift order values. With 2026 courier prices, that usually means a locker or pick-up option priced at around R60 to R80 and door-to-door delivery at around R90 to R130 for a small parcel. The exact figure depends on your parcel size, packaging and margins, so work it out rather than copying a competitor.

Getting this number right matters more than most beginners expect. Charge too much and shoppers abandon their carts. Charge too little and every order quietly eats into your profit.

This post focuses on one decision: what to charge customers for delivery. For the wider picture on couriers, lockers, returns and fulfilment, start with our complete guide to eCommerce deliveries in South Africa.

What does delivery actually cost an online store in 2026?

For a small parcel, your courier cost in 2026 starts at about R59 for locker-to-locker delivery and rises to R90 or more for door-to-door. Heavier parcels, faster services and outlying areas cost more.

Here are current reference prices for the services South African sellers use most. The Courier Guy Lockers prices come from The Courier Guy's price list effective 1 September 2026, including VAT. Paxi figures were reported by CTNews in August 2026, and The Courier Guy door-to-door rates were reported by Shopstar in August 2026.

Treat these as a starting point. Business accounts and shipping platforms often get better rates than walk-in prices, while fuel surcharges and remote-area fees can push the real cost up. For a closer look at locker sizes, see our guide to Pudo prices and locker sizes.

How to work out your true delivery cost per order

Your real delivery cost is the courier fee plus everything else it takes to get the parcel out of the door. Add these up before you set a customer-facing price.

1. Courier fee: the quoted rate for your most common parcel size and route.
2. Surcharges: fuel levies, outlying area fees and insurance on higher-value items.
3. Packaging: box or courier bag, tape, filler and any inserts.
4. Platform fees: any monthly shipping-app subscription spread across your orders.
5. Failures and returns: a small allowance for redeliveries, lost parcels and returns you pay for.

Check volumetric weight before you quote

Couriers bill on actual weight or volumetric weight, whichever is higher. Fastway's weight guide uses length x width x height in centimetres divided by 5,000. A light product in an oversized box can therefore cost double what you expected, so measure your packed products rather than guessing.

A worked example

Say you sell a R350 skincare set that fits into a small locker. Your courier fee is R59, packaging costs R8 and you allow R5 per order for failed deliveries and replacements. Your true locker cost is R72. For door-to-door, an economy rate of about R90 plus the same R13 in extras gives roughly R103 before any fuel surcharge.

Those two numbers become the floor for what you charge, or the amount you need to build into your product price if you want to offer free delivery.

Four ways to price delivery on your online store

There are four common pricing models, and most successful stores use a simple mix of two. Pick the model that suits your product size and margin, not the one that looks most generous.

1. Flat-rate delivery

One fee for every order, such as R65 to a locker and R110 to the door. Flat rates are easy to understand and easy to set up. They work best when your products are similar in size and weight.

2. Tiered delivery by order value

The fee drops as the basket grows, for example R110 under R500, R60 from R500 to R899 and free from R900. Tiers feel fairer to customers than an all-or-nothing threshold and gently encourage bigger orders.

3. Free delivery built into the price

You raise product prices to cover delivery and advertise free shipping on everything. This suits higher-margin products where an extra R70 to R100 does not make the price look uncompetitive. It is risky for low-priced items, where the markup becomes obvious.

4. Live courier rates at checkout

The checkout pulls real quotes based on the parcel and address. This is the most accurate option for bulky or mixed products, but customers may see higher prices than they expected, which can hurt conversion.

A practical default for beginners is two flat-rate options, one locker or pick-up point and one door-to-door, plus a free-delivery threshold. Our post on eCommerce pricing strategies for South Africa explains how this fits into your wider margins.

How to set a free delivery threshold that protects your margin

Set your free delivery threshold slightly above your current average order value, so customers add one more item to qualify. Then check that the extra profit from those larger baskets covers the delivery cost you are absorbing.

Follow these steps:

1. Find your average order value from your store's analytics for the last 60 to 90 days.
2. Set the threshold above it, typically by the price of one popular add-on product.
3. Check the margin: at the threshold, your gross profit on the order should comfortably cover your door-to-door delivery cost.
4. Stock add-ons priced to help customers close the gap, such as refills, accessories or gift wrap.
5. Review monthly and move the threshold if order values or courier prices change.

Large retailers give a useful benchmark for what local shoppers are used to. EWN reported in September 2026 that Takealot raised its free standard delivery threshold from R650 to R750, with a R75 fee on smaller orders. You do not need to match Takealot, but customers will compare you with it.

Should a small online store offer free delivery?

Only if your margins can carry it. Free delivery removes friction, but on low-priced products it can wipe out most of your profit.

The appeal is real. DHL's 2025 South Africa eCommerce report found that 63% of local shoppers are frustrated by high delivery costs and 80% will abandon their basket if their preferred delivery option is not offered. Internationally, a 2024 Baymard survey reported by eMarketer found that 48% of US shoppers abandoned a cart because extra costs were too high.

Run the numbers before deciding. If your gross profit on a typical order is R120 and you absorb a R72 locker delivery, you keep R48 before marketing costs. That may work for a repeat-purchase product, but it rarely works if you are paying for ads to win each sale.

A middle path often performs better: keep a low-cost locker option, charge for door-to-door and offer free delivery only above your threshold or during promotions. If abandoned checkouts are already a problem, our guide on what to do about abandoned carts covers ways to win them back.

Setting delivery rates in Shopify and WooCommerce

Both platforms let you set flat rates, rates by order value and free delivery above a minimum spend. The setup takes under an hour once you know your numbers.

• Shopify: create a South Africa shipping zone, add a flat rate for each delivery option and set conditions based on order price. Shopify's help centre explains how free shipping discounts work if you prefer to run free delivery as a promotion.
• WooCommerce: add a shipping zone, then use the flat rate and free shipping methods with a minimum order amount. Our guide to setting up a WooCommerce store in South Africa covers the wider setup.
• Shipping apps: tools such as Bob Go connect to both platforms to book couriers and print waybills. Bob Go's pricing page lists a pay-as-you-go option alongside paid monthly plans.

Always place a few test orders at different basket values to confirm the right rate appears at checkout.

Common delivery pricing mistakes to avoid

Most delivery pricing problems come from guessing instead of measuring. Watch out for these:

• Copying a competitor's fee without knowing their parcel sizes or courier deals.
• Forgetting packaging and surcharges, which add a real cost to every order.
• Offering only door-to-door, which pushes price-sensitive buyers away. Our guide on how to choose a courier for your online store helps you build a better mix.
• Hiding delivery costs until checkout. Show fees and the free-delivery threshold on product pages.
• Never reviewing rates. Courier prices change, so compare shipping spend with shipping income every month.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I charge for delivery per order in South Africa?

Start with your true cost per order, including courier fee, packaging and surcharges. Based on 2026 courier prices, a sensible starting point is around R60 to R80 for a locker or pick-up option and R90 to R130 for door-to-door on small parcels.

What is a good free delivery threshold for a South African online store?

A good threshold sits slightly above your average order value, usually by the price of one add-on product. Check that your gross profit at that order value covers the delivery cost you absorb.

Should I charge delivery per km?

Per-kilometre pricing suits local same-day delivery with your own driver. For national orders, couriers and lockers price by parcel size, weight and route, so a flat rate per delivery option is simpler for customers.

Price delivery with confidence with Insaka

Delivery pricing is one of the first places a new store either earns trust or leaks profit. Once you know your true cost per order, setting fair rates and a smart free-delivery threshold becomes a simple, repeatable decision.

At Insaka eCommerce Academy, we teach South African sellers to set up their stores, choose couriers and price products and delivery profitably, using real local experience. Explore Insaka's courses and resources at insaka.co.za to build a store that grows on solid numbers.

Written or reviewed by Warrick Kernes, founder of Insaka eCommerce Academy and Shopify's 2021 Top Education Partner worldwide, based on 15+ years of selling online in South Africa.