# Run a free shipping weekend on Shopify with set start and end times

Set a free shipping weekend as one scheduled discount: start Friday at 12:00 AM, end Sunday at 11:59 PM, and it switches on and off by itself. Shopify's own free shipping discount can be scheduled too, but it makes every eligible rate free. If you want the weekend offer on Standard only, as a percentage off, or tied to a collection or customer tag, use [RM: Advanced Free Shipping](https://apps.shopify.com/better-free-shipping). It costs $9.90 USD every 30 days, with a 7-day free trial, billed by Shopify.

## The offer

- Free Standard shipping on orders of $40 or more.
- Express stays full price.
- Friday 12:00 AM to Sunday 11:59 PM, store time.

## What customers pay

The store's rates are Standard at $7.25 and Express at $21.00.

- **Saturday, $48 cart:** Standard shows ~~$7.25~~ Free. Express stays $21.00. With Standard, the customer pays $48.00.
- **Saturday, $32 cart:** under $40, so Standard costs $7.25 and the customer pays $39.25.
- **Monday, $48 cart:** the weekend has ended. Standard costs $7.25 and the customer pays $55.25.

## Set it up

1. Click **Create Shipping Discount**. Under **Discount method**, choose **Automatic discount** so every eligible cart gets it, or **Discount code** to send it to your email list only.
2. Give it a **Title** (automatic) or a code such as SHIPWEEKEND. Customers see it under the discounted rate.
3. Under **Conditions**, add **Cart total** **Is at least** 40.
4. Under **Discount setup**, choose **Shipping**, **Choose specific rates**, pick Standard, and set **Discount value** to **Free**.
5. Under **Active dates**, set the **Start date** to Friday and the **Start time** to 12:00 AM. Tick **Set end date** and choose Sunday at 11:59 PM. The time fields show your store's timezone.
6. Click **Create discount**.

![The Create shipping discount page in RM: Advanced Free Shipping with Discount method, Customers, Conditions, Discount setup, Purchase type, Combinations and Active dates cards, and a Test mode switch](/images/create-discount.png)

## Code or automatic?

- **Automatic** applies by itself to every eligible cart. Good for a sitewide weekend you promote in banners.
- **A code** applies only when entered. Good for a list-only weekend. Codes can have usage limits, such as one use per customer, under **Maximum discount uses**.

New discounts start as **Discount code**, and the method can't be changed after saving, so choose before you click **Create discount**. See [free shipping code or automatic](/guides/free-shipping-code-or-automatic.md).

## Test it before Friday

Shopify doesn't run a discount before its start date. To check it first:

1. Create it with **Test mode** on and the start date set to now.
2. At checkout, use ABC123 as the shipping first name. Try a $39 cart and a $40 cart. If it's a code, enter the code too.
3. Change the dates to the weekend, turn off **Test mode**, and save.

The dashboard shows **Scheduled** until Friday and **Expired** after Sunday. See [schedule free shipping](/guides/schedule-free-shipping.md).

## Weekend variations

- **All rates free:** **All shipping rates**, **Free**.
- **Half-price shipping:** **All shipping rates**, **Percentage** 50. Every rate shows its old price crossed out and the half price beside it.
- **Free shipping on one collection:** add **Product collection** **Contains (any)** and pick the collection. See [free shipping on a collection](/guides/free-shipping-on-a-collection.md).
- **Domestic only:** add **Shipping country** **Is one of** your country.
- **Members only:** add **Customer tag** **Contains** VIP. Customers must be signed in. To include guests, use **Specific customer segments** under **Customers**.
- **Higher threshold on Sunday:** create a second discount for Sunday with its own dates and amount.

## Before the weekend

- **Sale codes.** If you're also running a product or order discount, tick **Shipping discounts** under its **Combinations**. Use **Cart subtotal** if a code shouldn't push carts under $40. See [keep free shipping with discount codes](/guides/keep-free-shipping-with-discount-codes.md).
- **Your free shipping bar.** Set it to $40 for the weekend. The app discounts the rate. It doesn't change your theme.
- **The 25-discount limit.** Shopify allows 25 active automatic discounts across all apps, including scheduled and test-mode ones.

Planning a bigger weekend? See [Black Friday free shipping](/campaigns/black-friday-free-shipping.md). For one-day events, see [Free Shipping Day](/campaigns/free-shipping-day.md). For targeting a single rate, see [free standard shipping, not express](/guides/free-standard-shipping-not-express.md).

RM: Advanced Free Shipping is Built for Shopify and rated 5.0 on the Shopify App Store. It costs $9.90 USD every 30 days after a 7-day free trial, billed by Shopify. Install it from the [Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/better-free-shipping).