Glossary: Order rules
LTL freight
LTL (less than truckload) freight is a shipping method where a carrier moves palletized goods that do not fill a whole truck, sharing trailer space with other shippers' freight. B2B sellers use it for orders too heavy or large for parcel carriers.
In detail
Parcel carriers handle boxes up to about 150 lb (70 kg). Above that, or for pallets, sellers move to LTL. A typical LTL shipment weighs from about 150 to 15,000 lb (70 to 6,800 kg). Larger loads move as full truckload (FTL).
Price depends on weight, dimensions, freight class (in the US, a class based on density, handling and liability), distance and extras called accessorials: liftgate, residential delivery, inside delivery, appointment delivery and limited-access sites. These extras can add real cost, so ask the buyer about dock access and delivery windows before you quote.
Online, sellers usually show freight in one of three ways. They can use carrier-calculated rates, which need dimensions and freight class for each product. They can use flat or tiered rates by weight or order value, with free freight above a threshold. Or they can ask for a quote on heavy orders, so the cost is confirmed by a person.
Settle who arranges the carrier: the seller with prepaid freight, or the buyer with their own carrier. Agree the delivery terms, inspect the goods on delivery and note any damage on the bill of lading, because a claim without that note is hard to win.
Example
A tile supplier ships 18 boxes, about 1,100 lb, on one pallet. The freight quote is $210 with liftgate delivery, so the supplier uses a wholesale shipping tier of $210 for orders over 1,000 lb, and free freight over $5,000.
In BSS B2B apps
BSS B2B Solution's Shipping Rate module sets wholesale shipping tiers by quantity, amount or weight for the customers and products you choose, and Extra Fee adds a named handling fee line, optionally with free shipping. Both are on paid plans, see the pricing page.
Related use cases
Learn more
Read the Order rules and terms hub for guides, use cases and setup docs, or the complete Shopify B2B guide.