Skip to main content

Create First Order Free Shipping in WooCommerce (New Customer Incentive)

Learn how to create first order free shipping in WooCommerce using the Discount Rules and Dynamic Pricing plugin. This complete guide covers offering free shipping to new customers on their first order, encouraging new signups and boosting conversions.

📋 Table of Contents​

🚀 Why Offer First Order Free Shipping?​

Offering free shipping on the first order is one of the most effective strategies to attract new customers and encourage them to complete their first purchase. By removing shipping costs for new buyers, you reduce the biggest barrier to purchase and create a positive first impression.

Key Benefits​

  • Attract new customers — Free shipping is a powerful incentive for first-time buyers
  • Reduce cart abandonment — 61% of online shoppers abandon their cart if they discover a shipping charge
  • Build customer loyalty — A positive first experience encourages repeat purchases
  • Competitive advantage — Stand out from competitors who don't offer first-order incentives

Key Statistic: 61% of online shoppers abandon their cart if they discover a shipping charge has been added to their purchase.

Step-by-Step: Create a First Order Free Shipping Rule​

Best for: Attracting new customers by offering free shipping on their very first order. Perfect for increasing conversions and building customer loyalty.

Scenario: Offer free shipping automatically to customers who are placing their first order.

Step 1: Access Shipping Methods and Choose a Template​

  1. In your WordPress admin, go to the Woo Pricing & Discounts menu
  2. Open the Shipping Methods tab
  3. Click on the Add from Template button to quickly start a new rule

Add from Template button - Shipping Methods tab

  1. In the "Choose your desired shipping method" modal, search for templates
  2. Under Free Shipping Campaigns, find and select "Welcome Reward: First Order Free Shipping"
  3. Click "Add Method"

First Order Free Shipping template selection

Step 2: Configure the Shipping Method​

First Order Free Shipping configuration

  1. Name: "Welcome Reward: First Order Free Shipping" (customizable)
  2. Status: Ensure Enable is checked
  3. Apply Mode: Choose how this rule interacts with other shipping methods
    • Apply this rule and disregard other rules — Only free shipping will be shown
    • Apply with other applicable rules — Free shipping will appear alongside other options
  4. Tax Status: Choose Taxable or None
  5. Cost: Set to 0 for free shipping
  6. Cost Per Quantity: Leave as 0
  7. Cost Per Weight: Leave as 0
  8. Fee: Leave as 0
  9. Usage Limit: Leave blank for unlimited uses

Step 3: Schedule the Shipping Rule (Optional)​

By default, the campaign is unscheduled and runs immediately:

Unscheduled shipping rule

For scheduled promotions, under the "Date Time" section to configure:

  • Date Range — Run a promotion over a period (e.g., for a holiday sale)
  • Date Time Range — Precise start and end date/time for limited-time offers
  • Specific Date — Single date activation (e.g., Black Friday)
  • Days — Recurring weekly promotions (e.g., Free Shipping Fridays)
  • Time — Daily time ranges (e.g., flash free shipping)

Schedule for a date period

Use "+ And New Rule" to combine conditions or "+ OR New Group" for alternative schedules.

tip

For a deep dive into timezone setup, recurring schedules, and multi-tier scheduling logic, read our comprehensive Scheduling & Date-Time Guide.

Step 4: Set New Customer Conditions​

Under the Conditions section, set up the conditions to identify first-time customers:

Option A: For Logged-In Users Only​

If you want free shipping only for logged-in users, add both conditions:

  1. Add "Is logged in" condition and set it to "Yes"
  2. Add "Number of orders" condition:
    • Set the time period to "All time"
    • Set the comparison to "Equal to"
    • Set the value to 0
  3. Use "+ And New Rule" to combine both conditions in the same group

First Order Free Shipping conditions with login requirement

Option B: For Both Logged-In and Guest Users​

If you want free shipping for both logged-in and guest users, simply remove the "Is logged in" condition. This way, the plugin will check the "Number of orders" based on the email address provided:

  1. Add "Number of orders" condition:
    • Set the time period to "All time"
    • Set the comparison to "Equal to"
    • Set the value to 0
  2. Do not add the "Is logged in" condition

💡 How It Works: Without the "Is logged in" condition, the plugin checks the customer's email address to determine if they have any previous orders. This works for both logged-in users (using their account) and guest users (using the email entered at checkout).

First Order Free Shipping conditions without login requirement

tip

For full details on all 14 condition groups, AND/OR logic, and available comparison operators, check out our Complete Rule Conditions Guide.

Step 5: Save and Test​

Click Save and test by logging in with a user account that doesn't have any orders yet.

First Order Free Shipping full configuration

Testing Account:

Log in with a test user that doesn't have any previous orders:

Test user with no orders

Result Example​

Cart with First Order Free Shipping Applied​

Cart items:

  • Shirt - Cream: $25.00 × 2
  • Jacket: $25.00 × 2

Subtotal: $100.00

Result: Free shipping is automatically applied for this first-time customer.

First order free shipping applied in cart

Cart display shows:

  • Subtotal: $100.00
  • Welcome Reward: First Order Free Shipping: FREE
  • Estimated total: $100.00

How Guest Users Work​

When a customer is not logged in (guest user), the plugin checks the email address provided at checkout to determine if they are a new or returning customer.

How It Works​

ScenarioBehavior
Guest user with no "Is logged in" conditionThe plugin checks the email entered at checkout to see if any orders exist for that email address
New email (no orders)Free shipping is applied automatically at checkout
Existing email (has orders)Free shipping is not applied as the customer already has orders

💡 Key Point: Without the "Is logged in" condition, the plugin checks the "Number of orders" based on the email address provided. For guest users, the discount will be applied at checkout only.

🚀 Troubleshooting: Free Shipping Not Showing?​

If free shipping doesn't appear for first-time customers, follow these steps:

Step 1: Check Your Conditions​

  1. If you want the rule to apply to both logged-in and guest users, ensure "Is logged in" is not added as a condition
  2. Verify that "Number of orders" is set to "Equal to 0"

Step 2: Test with a New Account​

  1. Create a new user account that hasn't placed any orders
  2. Log in with that account and add items to the cart
  3. Check if free shipping appears

Step 3: Test Guest Checkout​

  1. Add items to the cart and proceed to checkout as a guest
  2. Enter an email address that has no previous orders
  3. Check if free shipping appears after entering the email

Step 4: Check Other Shipping Methods​

  1. If you have multiple shipping methods, ensure they're not conflicting
  2. Try setting Apply Mode to "Apply this rule and disregard other rules" to test

Step 5: Check for Plugin Conflicts​

  1. Other Shipping or Discount Plugins: Competing dynamic pricing, coupon, or free shipping bar plugins can override shipping package costs or reset shipping method availability. Temporarily deactivate third-party shipping and discount plugins to test.
  2. Admin-Side Script Conflicts: If you cannot configure or save rules in the dashboard, check the browser console (F12) for JavaScript errors caused by plugins that inject scripts across all admin pages (such as SkyVerge or analytics tools).
  3. Cart Caching: Ensure caching plugins (like WP Rocket or LiteSpeed) exclude the cart and checkout pages. Clear site and object cache before testing with new email addresses.
  4. Learn More: For complete step-by-step conflict isolation instructions, see our Complete Troubleshooting Guide.

🎉 Success!​

You've learned how to create first order free shipping in WooCommerce using the Discount Rules and Dynamic Pricing plugin. This powerful feature allows you to:

  • Attract new customers by offering free shipping on their first order
  • Reduce cart abandonment by eliminating shipping costs for first-time buyers
  • Work for both logged-in and guest users by checking the email address
  • Schedule promotions for specific dates or recurring campaigns

📚 Next Steps​

Now that you've mastered first order free shipping, explore other powerful ways to use the Shipping Methods features:

🔍 SEO Keywords​

Primary Keywords: first order free shipping WooCommerce, free shipping first order, new customer free shipping, WooCommerce first order shipping, free shipping for new customers

Secondary Keywords: WooCommerce shipping methods, first-time buyer shipping, new customer incentive, conditional free shipping, reduce cart abandonment, WooCommerce shipping rules, free shipping campaign, welcome reward shipping, Discount Rules and Dynamic Pricing plugin