Prefecture-Based Shipping Fees (Wix eCom) for a Japanese Coffee Brand
- Sadique Habibullah
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Overview
When a specialty coffee brand in Japan approached us, they had a very specific request: they wanted their Wix store to automatically calculate shipping fees based on the customer’s prefecture.
At first glance, this sounds simple. But in Japan, prefectures are not just postal zones—they’re the country’s primary administrative divisions. With 47 prefectures across Japan, each often has its own shipping costs and logistics.
Here’s the catch: Wix doesn’t support prefecture-based shipping out of the box. Wix can handle flat shipping rates or weight-based fees, but not something tied to Japan’s unique geography. Our client needed a system that felt seamless, accurate, and automatic—without asking customers to manually select their prefecture.
The Roadblock: Missing Prefecture Data in Wix Checkout
We quickly discovered the biggest roadblock: Wix checkout data doesn’t provide prefecture information. Yes, there is an input field for capturing the prefecture on the checkout page, but there was no way to have that piece of information in the site’s backend.
When a customer checks out, Wix only gives us the postal code and address—but not the prefecture. Without knowing the prefecture, we couldn’t assign the right shipping cost.
It was a tricky gap:
Prefectures were essential for pricing.
Wix didn’t provide them.
Customers couldn’t be asked to manually select them—it needed to “just work.”
The Solution: Turning Postal Codes into Prefectures
To solve this, we built a custom Velo eCommerce service plugin that essentially became the bridge between postal codes and prefectures.
Here’s how it works:
Postal Code Input – When a customer enters their address at checkout, our plugin instantly captures the postal code.
Prefecture Lookup via API – We integrated with the Japan Postal Code API. This API matches any postal code to the correct prefecture.
Dynamic Shipping Fee Calculation – Once we have the prefecture, the plugin automatically assigns the correct shipping rate for that region.
Real-Time Updates – If a customer changes their address or postal code, the shipping fee instantly recalculates—no refresh needed.
In essence, we taught Wix how to “speak Japan’s language” when it comes to shipping.
The Impact: Seamless Checkout, Smarter Logistics
The result was a smooth, intelligent checkout experience for both customers and the business:
Customers no longer needed to guess or manually select shipping zones. The system calculated it for them, reducing errors and drop-offs.
The brand could confidently scale across Japan, knowing that shipping fees were accurate for all 47 prefectures.
And because we built it as a reusable plugin, the solution wasn’t just a patch—it’s now a flexible service the business can rely on long-term.
The Tools: Wix Velo eCommerce Service Plugin Meets Smart APIs
To bring this solution to life, we combined the flexibility of Wix Velo with the power of external services. Here’s what we used:
Wix Velo – The backbone of the service plugin. We built custom backend logic that integrates seamlessly into the checkout flow of the Wix eCommerce store.
Japan Postal Code API (https://jp-postal-code-api.ttskch.com) – A reliable external API that translates postal codes into prefecture information, allowing us to link each customer’s postal code to their shipping region.
JavaScript & REST APIs – For handling data requests, responses, and ensuring real-time updates as customers entered or changed their address details.
By connecting these tools, we built a shipping fee system that works smoothly inside Wix and handles Japan’s prefecture-based rules without feeling like an add-on.
Making Checkout Smarter for Japan
By tailoring shipping fees to Japan’s 47 prefectures, this project gave store owners a fair, transparent way to handle delivery costs while keeping checkout simple for customers.
📩 Need a custom Wix solution that goes beyond the basics? Let’s build it together!
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