Addy 
Addly 
Goalify 
Monet 
Reviso 
Key takeaways
- Shipping protection is an add-on, not a tax. Pre-ticked boxes convert and then generate chargebacks and support tickets.
- Put it below the line items and above checkout, with a one-line explanation of what it covers. Do not bury it in a modal.
- Price it as a small, round number relative to the order — typically 1.5% to 3% of subtotal, with a floor so tiny orders are not charged 80 cents of friction.
- It lifts AOV only when the shopper believes the store might actually use it. Vague "package protection" copy fails; specific cover (loss, theft, damage) works.
Shipping protection is one of the few cart add-ons that can raise average order value without asking the shopper to want another product. That is the appeal. It is also why it is so often implemented badly.
The failure mode is familiar: a pre-ticked box, a $2.49 line the shopper did not notice, and a support ticket three days later. You made two dollars and spent twenty in goodwill.
What shoppers think they are buying
They are not buying "peace of mind". They are buying a specific promise: if the parcel is lost, stolen or damaged, they will not have to fight a carrier. If your copy cannot name those three outcomes, do not sell the add-on.
Specific cover converts. "Package protection" does not, because it sounds like a fee with a slogan attached.
Where it belongs in the cart
Below the line items, above the checkout button, never inside a nested accordion. The shopper should see:
- What it is.
- What it costs.
- A toggle that is off by default.
A cart drawer is the right surface. The shopper is looking at the order they are about to pay for; an add-on that attaches to this shipment is easier to evaluate than one on a product page they have already left.
Pricing that does not feel like a tax
A useful starting range is 1.5% to 3% of subtotal, with a floor around $0.99 so a $12 order is not paying a 10% "protection" fee, and a ceiling so a $400 order is not paying $12 for a sticker. Round numbers beat $1.37.
If you cannot explain the price in one sentence ("covers loss, theft and damage on this shipment"), the price is wrong or the product is.
The trust test
Ask one question before you turn it on: if a parcel goes missing this week, will you actually make this shopper whole without a fifteen-email thread? If the answer is no, shipping protection is a conversion trick, and conversion tricks get refunded in reviews.
Used honestly, it is a small AOV lift and a quieter support queue. Used as a pre-ticked fee, it is a tax. Shopify shoppers have learned to tell the difference.
Frequently asked questions
Is shipping protection a dark pattern?
Pre-checking it is. Offering it, clearly, with an opt-in, is not. The test is whether a reasonable shopper notices they added it and could remove it in one tap.
Should protection be a percentage or a flat fee?
A percentage tracks the risk; a flat fee is easier to understand. Many stores do better with a small flat fee on low AOVs and a capped percentage above a threshold.
Will it hurt conversion?
A forced add-on will. A clearly optional line with a short benefit statement usually does not, and the shoppers who take it are the ones most anxious about delivery — exactly the group you want to reassure before checkout.
Do I need a third-party insurer?
If you are going to pay claims, yes, or you are self-insuring. Do not sell cover you cannot honour. That is both a legal problem and a review-bomb waiting to happen.
