If you run an e-commerce store, knowing where you can ship products is important. Some items, like certain magazines or firearm parts, have to follow special shipping rules based on the buyer’s location. This can get complicated, especially when you need to follow different local laws or restrictions for each product or region.
Here at Husky Armory we ended up building our own solutions as we could not find a product restriction and compliance plugin for WooCommerce tailored to the gun industry.
So, we built and later launched our very own plugin – Ship Restrict
Key Takeaways
- You can set up shipping rules for different locations and products.
- Customers get clear alerts if they try to order restricted items.
- New features and support help keep your business compliant.
Overview of Ship Restrict WooCommerce Plugin
Key Features
- Global Restriction Rules:
- Restrict products by categories (e.g., 80% frames) for broad bans.
- Restrict by tags for specific cases, such as magazine capacity limits.
- Set rules for individual products, allowing you to target specific items.
- Customizable by Region:
- Apply restrictions by state, city, or zip code.
- Select multiple states or areas when setting up rules.
- Product-Level Control:
- Edit each product and assign shipping restrictions for different locations.
- Automatic Cart Management:
- Automatically warns customers at checkout if their cart contains restricted items.
- Updates based on customer’s address or account information.
Example Table for Rule Types:
| Rule Type | Use Case Example | Area Selection |
|---|---|---|
| Category | 80% frames, blanket bans | State, city, zip |
| Tag | High-capacity magazine limits | State, city, zip |
| Individual | Single products (e.g., mag ban) | State, city, zip |
Default Restriction Message
When a customer tries to order a restricted product, Ship Restrict displays a clear warning. The message states exactly which product cannot be shipped to their location. Customers are told to remove restricted items from their cart in order to continue with their order.
Sample Restriction Message:
“The following items cannot currently be shipped to your location: [Product Name]. Please remove from cart to continue.”
This message appears at checkout or even earlier if the customer’s shipping address is already known.
Setting Up Ship Restrict Rules
Category-Based Restrictions
You can create restriction rules based on product categories. This is helpful when you want to apply a blanket ban to all products in a specific group, like 80% frames. Start by naming your rule for internal use. Choose the product category you want to restrict.
Select where you want the restriction to apply. You can use:
- States (use control-click on Windows or command-click on Mac to select multiple)
- Cities
- Zip codes
Example Table:
| Rule Name | Category | Restricted Locations |
|---|---|---|
| 80% Frames Rule | 80% Frames | California, Denver, ZIP 80014, etc. |
Once you set these options, add the rule. All products in that category will now follow the restriction.
Tag-Based Restrictions
Restrict products by tags to give you more control. For example, use a tag for high-capacity magazines (over 10 rounds). You can create granular tags like “10+,” “15+,” or “30+.”
Follow these steps:
- Name your rule (e.g., “Mag Capacity”).
- Set the rule type as “tag.”
- Choose the state, city, or zip code.
- Select the tag you created (such as high-capacity magazines).
- Add the rule.
Example:
- Products with the “high-capacity magazines” tag cannot be shipped to California.
Individual Product Restrictions
If you need to restrict just one product, you can set rules for that specific item. Go to edit the product, scroll down to the shipping tab, and choose your restriction options.
You can block the product by:
- State
- City
- Zip code
After you save, only this individual product will be restricted for those locations. For example, if you ban a 10-round magazine from Nebraska, customers in Nebraska will see a warning and will not be able to order it.
Geo Shipping Restrictions & Order Blocking
State Level
You can restrict shipping by state for specific product categories or tags. For example, it’s possible to block all “80% frames” products from going to multiple states at once. Use the category selector to apply broad rules. To select more than one state, hold Control on Windows or Command on Mac.
Example Table:
| Product Category | Blocked States |
|---|---|
| 80% Frames | California, New York, New Jersey |
| High Capacity Magazines | California only |
State rules help you stop illegal or unwanted orders across large areas.
City Level
You can narrow down restrictions to certain cities. This works well for cases like Denver or Boulder, where some items may be banned even if they are allowed in the rest of the state.
How to Use:
- Select the city name during rule setup.
- Combine city restrictions with state or zip code rules.
This level of control makes it easy to follow local laws.
Zip Code Level
You can set shipping rules by zip code to get as specific as needed. This is good when a city has rules that only apply to part of it, or when there are special zones.
Zip Code Restriction Steps:
- Enter the exact zip code during rule setup.
- Save your changes.
- The plugin will block orders to that zip code for selected products.
Use zip code rules to make your shipping restrictions very precise.
Managing High-Capacity Magazine Restrictions
You can manage high-capacity magazines by setting up restriction rules based on product tags. For example, if you want to restrict magazines over 10 rounds from shipping to certain locations, you use a tag like high-capacity magazines.
Steps to manage high-capacity magazines:
- Create a tag for magazines above the legal round limit (for example: high-capacity).
- Go to the rules section and select the rule type as Tag.
- Pick your tag (like high-capacity magazines) and choose the states, cities, or zip codes where these items are not allowed.
- Save your rule, and it will automatically apply to all products with that tag.
Example:
If a customer in California tries to buy a 17-round magazine or a 50-round drum magazine, they will see a warning message and will not be able to finish checkout until those items are removed from their cart.
| Magazine Type | Ship to California? |
|---|---|
| 10-round magazine | Yes |
| 17-round magazine | No |
| 50-round drum magazine | No |
You can also set rules for individual products if needed. For example, you can block a specific magazine from shipping to Nebraska or a certain city by editing the product and choosing the location.
When your customers enter their shipping address, the system checks the rules and gives clear error messages for any restricted magazines.
Tip:
If a customer is logged in or previously entered their address, restrictions can be checked sooner—sometimes before checkout begins. This helps prevent order issues before they happen.
Customer Experience and Woo Order Flow
When you shop using Ship Restrict, the system checks your cart for restricted items before you reach checkout. If you try to ship an item that is not allowed in your area, a clear error message shows up. The message names the products that can’t be shipped and tells you to remove them from your cart.
Order Steps:
- Add products to your cart.
- Enter your shipping address, phone, and email.
- The plugin checks your address against restriction rules (by category, tag, or individual product).
- If your cart has a restricted item, you get a warning:
- Example:
The 17 round mag and 50 round drum magazine cannot currently be shipped to your location. Please remove from cart to continue.
- Example:
- Remove restricted items from your cart to proceed.
- Place your order.
Key Points:
- Warnings are shown early, sometimes even before checkout if you are logged in and your address is saved.
- Restrictions can be set globally by category or tag, or for individual products.
- Multiple locations can be restricted—by state, city, or even zip code.
| Step | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Add Items | All products can be added to cart. |
| Address Entry | The system checks your address for restrictions. |
| Attempt to Checkout | You are blocked if restricted items are present. |
| Remove Restricted | You must remove restricted items to continue. |
| Successful Checkout | Non-restricted items can be purchased. |
This flow helps avoid canceled orders and refunds, making your experience smoother and reducing delays.
Benefits for E-Commerce Businesses
Using Ship Restrict helps you automate shipping rules, making it easy to follow state, city, and zip code restrictions for different products. This means you spend less time checking orders and more time focusing on your business.
Key benefits include:
- Custom Rules: Set restrictions by category, tag, or even by individual product.
- Location-Based Blocking: Restrict products by state, city, or zip code to prevent shipping errors.
- Clear Communication: Customers get clear error messages if an item in their cart can’t be shipped to their location.
- Automatic Updates: Once customers enter their address, the system blocks restricted items before checkout, saving time and reducing mistakes.
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Category/Tag Rules | Simple setup for broad or specific bans |
| City/Zip Restrictions | Detailed control for certain products |
| Automated Alerts | Prevents canceled orders and refunds |
Setting up these controls helps you avoid costly order cancellations and refunds. Your customers have a smoother shopping experience, which can lead to fewer complaints and better reviews.
Upcoming Features in Version 2.0
Version 2.0 will include a full feed of countrywide rules and restrictions. You will have access to automatic updates for restrictions by city and zip code.
These new rules will be reviewed by a firearms-focused law firm. This means you can keep your store 100% compliant without extra work.
Key features coming soon:
- Automatic updates of shipping rules
- Coverage for cities and zip codes
- Legal review to ensure compliance
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Auto-updating restrictions | No manual updates needed |
| Covers all cities and zip codes | More precise blocking of products |
| Reviewed by legal experts | Peace of mind on compliance |
These improvements are designed to keep your store up-to-date and running smoothly, so you spend less time on legal changes and more time on your business.
Support and Resources
If you have questions or need help with using Ship Restrict, you can reach out through our support channels or check the documentation. We are always ready to help you get the most out of the plugin.
Ways to Get Help:
- Support Channels: Contact us anytime if you run into problems or have questions.
- Documentation: Browse our detailed guides for step-by-step instructions.
Helpful Tips:
- You can control product restrictions by category, tag, state, city, or zip code.
- Automated error messages clearly let your customers know about restricted items before they check out.
- Version 2.0 will have automatic updates on rules reviewed by our firearms-focused law firm, so you can stay compliant without extra work.
