# Free shipping for returning customers in Shopify To give returning customers free shipping, add the condition **Customer order count Is at least 3** and set the rates to **Free**. Customers who have already placed 3 orders get free shipping from their 4th order on, with nothing to type. The order count only matches customers signed in to their account at checkout, so ask repeat buyers to sign in, or use a Shopify customer segment to include guests. Shopify's own [free shipping discount](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/discounts/discount-types/free-shipping) can be limited to customer segments, but it has no order count condition and makes every eligible rate free. [RM: Advanced Free Shipping](https://apps.shopify.com/better-free-shipping) reads the order count at checkout and lets you pick the rates and the discount. It costs $9.90 USD every 30 days, with a 7-day free trial, billed by Shopify. ## What the customer gets In this example the store has two rates: Standard $8.90 and Express $24.90. - **Qualifies.** A customer with 5 past orders signs in and checks out a $45 cart. Standard and Express are both free. The customer pays $45. - **Doesn't qualify.** A signed-in customer with 2 past orders pays $45 + $8.90 = $53.90 with Standard. Their next order after this one qualifies. - **Doesn't qualify.** The customer with 5 past orders checks out as a guest. Shopify doesn't know who they are, so they pay $53.90. ## Set it up 1. In the app, click **Create Shipping Discount**. 2. Under **Discount method**, choose **Automatic discount**. New discounts start on **Discount code**, and the method can't be changed later. Enter a **Title** such as "Free shipping for loyal customers". Customers see it at checkout. 3. In **Conditions**, click **Add condition** and choose **Customer order count**. 4. Set the operator to **Is at least** and enter `3`. 5. In **Discount setup**, set **Delivery type** to **Shipping**, **Which rates** to **All shipping rates** and **Discount value** to **Free**. 6. Click **Create discount**. The order count is the number of orders the customer placed before this one. **Is at least 1** means "from the second order", and **Is at least 3** means "from the fourth". ![The Create shipping discount page with Automatic discount selected, the title Free shipping over $100, Customers set to All customers, a Cart total Is at least $100 AUD condition, and Discount setup on Shipping, All shipping rates, Free](/images/create-discount.png) The screenshot shows a **Cart total** condition. Change it to **Customer order count** in step 3. ## Include customers who check out as guests **To reward repeat buyers who don't sign in,** use a Shopify [customer segment](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/customers/customer-segmentation) instead of the order count. In Shopify admin, build a segment of your repeat customers under **Customers → Segments**. Then, in the discount, go to **Customers**, choose **Specific customer segments** and pick it. Shopify matches segments by the email or phone number entered at checkout, so guests are included. Leave the **Customer order count** condition out when you do this. ![The Customers card with Specific customer segments chosen and the segment Customers who haven't purchased selected](/images/customer-segments.png) The screenshot shows Shopify's built-in first-order segment. Pick your repeat-customer segment in its place. **To keep the order count,** ask customers to sign in. A line in your order confirmation email, such as "Sign in next time for free shipping", does the job. ## Variations - **From the second order:** use **Is at least 1**. - **Loyal customers only:** use **Is at least 5**. - **Free Standard, paid Express:** set **Which rates** to **Choose specific rates** and select Standard. A qualifying customer who picks Express pays $45 + $24.90 = $69.90. - **Returning customers over $50:** add **Cart total Is at least 50** in the same rule group. Both must pass. - **Returning customers always, everyone else over $100:** open the **⋯** menu on **Conditions**, choose **Add rule group**, and add **Cart total Is at least 100**. Any group that passes triggers the discount. - **Half off shipping instead of free:** set **Discount value** to **Percentage** and enter 50. Standard becomes $4.45. ## Good to know - **To include guests,** use a customer segment, as above. **Customer order count** never matches a guest, whatever the number. - **To reward a first order instead,** choose **Specific customer segments** and select **Customers who haven't purchased**. See [free shipping on a first order](/guides/free-shipping-on-first-order.md). - **To test it,** sign in to a customer account with enough real past orders. Test orders don't count toward the order count. In **Test mode**, also use `ABC123` as the shipping first name. - **To keep the reward when customers use a sale code,** tick **Shipping discounts** under **Combinations** on that code in Shopify admin. ## Related - [Free shipping on a first order](/guides/free-shipping-on-first-order.md) - [Free shipping for VIP customers](/guides/free-shipping-for-vip-customers.md) - [Free shipping for retail customers, not wholesale](/guides/free-shipping-for-retail-not-wholesale.md) - [Conditional free shipping on Shopify](/conditional-free-shipping.md) [Install RM: Advanced Free Shipping from the Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/better-free-shipping).