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Showing shipping methods as a dropdown

Keep methods tidy behind a dropdown (paid default first) - or force them all to show

At checkout, Shopify can show your shipping methods expanded (all visible) or collapsed into a dropdown (the default shown, the rest behind "show more"). The collapsed dropdown is Shopify's own behavior for logged-in / Shop Pay shoppers. What you control is a per-block toggle - "Automatically expand sections to show app" - on your checkout extension blocks.

To show methods as a dropdown (collapsed)

  1. In Shopify, go to Settings → Checkout → Edit (live checkout).

  2. In the Shipping Methods section, find the blocks under Shipping Options.

  3. In each block, turn "Automatically expand sections to show app" OFF.

  4. Save.

    The default method (e.g. your paid/upgraded option) shows first, the rest behind the dropdown - tidier, and it keeps the free option out of the spotlight (which tends to pull selection toward paid).

When you'd want the opposite (expanded)

Turn the toggle ON in the relevant block(s) if you need everything visible up front - for example:

  • An extension attached to the shipping section (like the PDQ Date Picker) is hidden for signed-in customers with a saved address until the section is expanded - ON keeps it visible.

  • Running an extension A/B test inside shipping methods: Shop Pay collapses the list, so extensions on non-default methods don't show and those checkouts aren't counted - ON forces all methods (and their extensions) to appear, increasing test volume.
    Trade-off: expanding also puts the free option up front, which can shift selection toward free.

Good to know

  • The toggle is per block - set it consistently across all blocks in the section.

  • It can get switched back on when the checkout is edited or a new extension is added - re-check after changes.

  • This is usually configured by your PDQ contact.

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