---
title: Shipping and Payment settings | Shopware Community Hub
description: >-
  Learn how to configure and manage shipping and payment settings in Shopware to
  create a seamless checkout experience. This unit covers shipping carrier…
canonical_url: >-
  https://hub.shopware.com/learn/unit/solutions-architect-shipping-and-payment-settings
---

# Shipping and Payment settings

<LearningObjectives>

- Configure **shipping methods** based on the merchant's shipping needs, including rates, destinations, and carriers.
- Set up and manage **payment methods** through third-party payment service providers.
- Recognize the importance of selecting the **right shipping and payment providers** based on the merchant’s business requirements.
- Understand how the **Shopware Order State Machine** interacts with shipping and payment processes.

</LearningObjectives>

# Introduction to Payments and Shipping in Shopware

In Shopware, both shipping and payment functionalities are handled through integrations with third-party services. This modular approach provides flexibility, allowing merchants to select the shipping carriers and payment service providers that best suit their business needs. However, it also means that a proper understanding of the available integrations and their configurations is crucial to ensure a seamless shopping experience.

## Shipping Integrations in Shopware

<img src="../../assets/images/ship.png" width="200px"/>

Shopware relies on integrations to add shipping functionality, such as complex rate calculations and labels. Here’s a breakdown of how shipping is managed in Shopware:

**Prepackaged Shipping Integrations**:

- **DHL and Default Shipping**: Shopware comes prepackaged with several shipping integrations, such as DHL, which provides a straightforward solution for managing shipments. Additionally, Shopware offers simple standard and express shipping methods that are not connected to a specific carrier. These methods can be used for basic shipping needs using flat rate fees, where complex integrations are not required.

**Marketplace Shipping Integrations**:

- **Third-Party Shippers**: The Shopware marketplace offers a wide range of integrations with third-party shippers. These integrations can include local carriers like PostNL in the Netherlands, Deutsche Post in Germany, or international carriers such as FedEx. Most of these integrations provide essential functionalities, such as:

    - **Fetching Shipping Rates**: During checkout, these integrations can fetch real-time shipping rates based on customer input, such as their delivery address and the shipping method selected.

    - **Generating Shipping Labels**: Once an order is placed, the integration sends the relevant information to the shipper, who generates a shipping label to ensure the package is dispatched correctly.

    - **Track and Trace**: After the shipment is dispatched, the tracking code is often automatically added back into the order within Shopware. This allows the merchant to provide the customer with tracking information, enhancing the post-purchase experience.

**Intermediate Shipping Platforms**:

- **Platforms like ShipStation, ShipperHQ, and SendCloud**: Recently, intermediate platforms have gained popularity. These platforms act as a bridge between your Shopware shop and various shipping carriers. By integrating with one of these platforms, you gain access to multiple shippers without needing to integrate each one individually.

    - **Benefits**:

        - **Access to Multiple Shippers**: Through a single integration, instantly access a broad range of shipping carriers, both local and international.

        - **Preferential Rates**: Some platforms offer preferential shipping rates due to bulk shipping agreements with carriers. This can be especially beneficial for merchants with lower shipping volumes who still want to offer competitive shipping rates.

**Key Considerations for Shipping Configuration**:

- **What Will Be Shipped**: Understand the types of products the merchant will be shipping. This affects packaging, weight, and dimensions, all of which influence shipping options and rates, which might exclude certain carriers.

- **Where Will It Be Shipped?**: Determine the geographical regions the merchant plans to serve. This will influence the choice of carriers and shipping methods.

- **Shipping Rates**: Understand the shipping rates the merchant wants to offer. Some may want to offer free shipping, flat-rate shipping, or pass on real-time carrier rates to the customer.

- **Third-Party Logistics:** is there 3PL involved, such as a fulfilment company. They might have their own specific set of shipping requirements that can impact available options.

For more information about shipping, read this article [Shipping](https://docs.shopware.com/en/shopware-6-en/settings/shipping).

## Payment Integrations in Shopware

<img src="../../assets/images/payment.png" width="200"/>

Similar to shipping, Shopware relies on third-party integrations for payment processing. The platform does not include a native payment gateway but offers various integrations with leading payment service providers (PSPs).

**Prepackaged Payment Integration**:

- **PayPal**: Shopware comes prepackaged with PayPal integration, allowing merchants to quickly set up a widely recognized and trusted payment option without needing to sort out additional payment service providers. This out-of-the-box integration makes it easy to start accepting payments immediately, though merchants can always choose to install and configure other payment options as needed.
  [PayPal Extension configuration](https://docs.shopware.com/en/shopware-6-en/extensions/paypal)

**Popular Payment Service Providers (PSP)**:

- **Mollie, Nexi, Adyen, and Stripe**: These are some of the most widely used PSPs that integrate seamlessly with Shopware. They handle the payment processing, manage the financial transactions, and communicate the payment status back to Shopware.

**Payment Process Flow**:

- **Display Payment Methods**: During checkout, the integrated PSP presents the available payment methods to the customer, such as credit cards, PayPal, direct bank transfers, or buy-now-pay-later options based on billing country and other values entered in the checkout.

- **Payment Processing**: When a customer completes a payment, the PSP processes the transaction and updates the payment status within Shopware. This ensures that the order status is updated to "paid," triggering the next steps in order fulfillment.

- **Security and Compliance**: PSPs also handle the security and compliance aspects of payment processing, including PCI-DSS compliance, fraud detection, and chargeback management, ensuring a secure transaction environment.

**Key Considerations for Payment Configuration**:

- **Target Market**: Consider the preferred payment methods in the regions where the merchant operates. Some markets may favor credit cards, while others prefer local payment methods like iDEAL in the Netherlands or SEPA in Europe.

- **Transaction Fees**: Evaluate the transaction fees associated with each payment method and PSP. This can impact the merchant’s overall profitability and influence the choice of payment methods offered.

- **Customer Experience**: Ensure that the payment methods provided are user-friendly and trusted by customers. A smooth payment process can reduce cart abandonment and increase conversion rates.

More about payments in this article [Payment methods](https://docs.shopware.com/en/shopware-6-en/settings/Paymentmethods).

## The Shopware Order State Machine

One of the core mechanisms behind shipping and payment processes in Shopware is the **Order State Machine**. This system manages the different states that an order can go through, from creation to completion, and it interacts closely with both payment and shipping functionalities.

**Overview of the Order State Machine**: The Shopware Order State Machine is a predefined workflow that governs the lifecycle of an order. It consists of various states, such as:

- **Order States**: Includes states like "open," "in progress," "completed," "canceled," and "returned".

- **Payment States**: Tracks the payment status, with states like "open," "paid," "refunded," or "failed".

- **Delivery (Shipping) States**: Manages the shipping process with states like "open," "shipped," "delivered," and "returned".

Each of these states represents a step in the order's lifecycle and triggers specific actions or events in the system.

**Interaction with Payment and Shipping**:

- **Payment Process Integration**: When an order is placed and the payment is processed, the payment status within the Order State Machine is updated accordingly. For example, when a customer completes a payment via PayPal, the payment state might transition from "open" to "paid." This triggers the next step in the order fulfillment process, such as preparing the order for shipment.

- **Shipping Process Integration**: Once an order is ready for shipment, the shipping status is updated within the Order State Machine. For instance, when a shipping label is generated and the package is handed over to the carrier, the delivery state might transition from "open" to "shipped." This ensures that all parties, including the customer, are informed of the order’s progress.

- **Automated Actions**: The Order State Machine can trigger automated actions based on state transitions. For example, when an order’s payment state changes to "paid," Shopware might automatically trigger the generation of a shipping label through an integrated shipping service. Similarly, when the delivery state changes to "delivered," a confirmation email might be sent to the customer.

**Customizing the Order State Machine**: Shopware allows for the customization of the Order State Machine to fit specific business workflows. This can include adding custom states, transitions, and triggers to accommodate unique payment and shipping processes.

Understanding the Shopware Order State Machine is crucial for ensuring that payment and shipping processes are tightly integrated and function smoothly. By managing the state transitions effectively, you can automate many aspects of order fulfillment, reducing manual intervention and improving overall efficiency.

For more information you can read this article: [Using the State Machine](https://developer.shopware.com/docs/guides/plugins/plugins/checkout/order/using-the-state-machine.html).